A giant bluefin tuna fetched a record 510 million yen, or about $3.2 million, at the first auction of the year at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The 535-pound fish was sold Monday in a highly anticipated New Year’s event, drawing attention for its size, price, and origin.
The winning bidder was Kiyoshi Kimura, president of Kiyomura Corp., which runs the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain. Kimura, a familiar figure at these auctions, outbid competitors to claim the catch. The purchase surpassed his previous record set in 2019, when he paid 334 million yen ($2.1 million) for a tuna of similar quality.
Kimura calls purchasing a symbol of luck and quality
Kimura told reporters he had planned to pay less but said the bidding escalated quickly. He described the purchase as a combination of good luck and irresistible quality. Although he had not tasted the fish yet, he was confident it would meet high expectations.
🐟 A 535-pound bluefin tuna just sold for a record $3.2 million at Tokyo's first fish auction of 2026!
Bought by Sushi Zanmai owner Kiyoshi Kimura, the prized catch came from Oma, Japan.#BluefinTuna #Tokyo #TunaAuction #JapanNews #Seafood pic.twitter.com/CNlFs4YrBm
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) January 5, 2026
The fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region known for producing top-grade tuna. Its final price translated to roughly $6,060 per pound, making it one of the most expensive seafood sales to date.
Bluefin tuna draws record price at Tokyo auction
The auction floor was lined with rows of large, tail-trimmed tuna, allowing buyers to inspect color, texture and fat content before bidding. While hundreds of tuna are sold at Toyosu daily, prices typically spike for premium Oma tuna during the New Year auction.
Pacific bluefin tuna stocks, once in decline due to overfishing and climate pressures, have begun to recover following conservation efforts.
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