The traditional New Year auction at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market made headlines once again after a gigantic bluefin tuna fetched an astonishing price, underlining both the prestige of the event and Japan’s enduring love affair with premium seafood.
A Record-Breaking Catch at Toyosu
A 243 kilogram Pacific bluefin tuna was sold for a staggering 510 million yen, around €2.78 million, at the first auction of 2026. The predawn sale drew intense attention as bidders crowded the market floor, inspecting rows of tuna laid out with their tails cut to reveal the quality of the flesh.
The winning bid came from Kiyomura Corp., led by Kiyoshi Kimura, the owner of the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain. Kimura is no stranger to headline grabbing purchases and surpassed his own previous record of 334 million yen set in 2019.
“I was hoping it would be a bit cheaper,” Kimura admitted afterward. “But the price climbed before I even realised what was happening.”
Why This Tuna Was So Special
The prized fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region famous for producing some of the finest bluefin tuna in the country. Oma tuna are particularly sought after for their rich flavour, colour and fat content, qualities that push prices far beyond the norm.
At roughly 2.1 million yen per kilogram, the tuna was far more expensive than most fish sold at Toyosu, even by New Year auction standards. Kimura said the purchase was partly about tradition and good fortune. “When I see a beautiful tuna, I just can’t resist,” he said. “I haven’t tasted it yet, but I’m sure it will be incredible.”
Tradition, Prestige and Sustainability
Hundreds of tuna pass through Toyosu’s early morning auctions every day, but the first sale of the year carries special symbolism. High prices are often seen as a sign of optimism and prosperity for the year ahead.
Bluefin tuna remains one of the most prized ingredients in sushi and sashimi, and its popularity once pushed the species toward threatened status due to overfishing and climate pressures. In recent years, however, conservation measures have helped stocks begin to recover, allowing the iconic New Year auction to continue as a celebration of both tradition and responsible fishing.
As crowds and cameras watched on, this year’s record breaking sale once again confirmed that, in Tokyo, a perfect tuna is worth its weight in gold.
