On Monday,  a record ¥510.3 million (approximately $3.2 million) was paid for a bluefin tuna in the year’s first auction at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The tuna, weighing 243 kilograms, was bought by Kiyomura Corp., the Tokyo-based operator of sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai. “The year’s first tuna brings good luck. We hope as many people as possible can enjoy it and feel energized,” said Kiyomura President Kiyoshi Kimura, the man known as the “Tuna King.” He added that he was surprised by the price. “I’d thought we would be able to buy a little cheaper, but the price soared before you knew it.” 

‘Tuna King’ Breaks Record Again

It’s not the first time Kimura has broken the price record for the prized fish. He set it in 2012 when he paid ¥56.5 million, and then again 12 months later when he purchased the tuna for ¥155 million. The previous record of ¥333.6 million was also set by Kimura in 2019. Last year’s top bid was ¥207 million for a 276-kilogram bluefin paid by the Michelin-starred sushi restaurateurs Onodera Group. Up until 2010, it was unusual for a bid to exceed ¥10 million. In 2019, the auction moved from its traditional Tsukiji site to Toyosu.

Premium Cherries Sell for a Record ¥1.8 million

Another auction, featuring cherries grown in greenhouses using ultra-fast cultivation and harvested at this time of year, took place at Tokyo’s Ota Market on Monday. A box of premium “Sato Nishiki” cherries from Yamagata Prefecture sold for a record ¥1.8 million (around $11,500), or just over ¥26,000 per cherry. At a different auction site in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture, a box of 68 cherries sold for ¥1.55 million, a record at the site. The top bid was made by JA Tendo Foods. “I heard management was tough this year due to unstable weather, and we want to work hard to deliver products that make customers happy,” said the company’s deputy sales manager. 

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Updated On January 6, 2026