**This year's annual tuna auction at Toyosu market showcases both the extravagance of sushi culture and the sustainability concerns facing bluefin tuna.**
**Sky-High Prices for Bluefin Tuna at Tokyo's New Year Auction**
**Sky-High Prices for Bluefin Tuna at Tokyo's New Year Auction**
**Record-breaking auction sees motorbike-sized tuna fetching $1.3 million as Tokyo restaurateurs celebrate culinary fortunes.**
The annual New Year auction at Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo once again captured the limelight as sushi restaurateurs paid a staggering 207 million yen (approximately $1.3 million) for a bluefin tuna comparable in size and weight to a motorbike. This sale marks the second-highest price ever recorded at the event. The Onodera Group, renowned for its high-end dining establishments, secured this monumental catch, weighing in at 276kg (608lb), which is slated to grace the menu of its Michelin-starred Ginza Onodera restaurants and various Nadaman locations nationwide.
The Onodera Group's official, Shinji Nagao, stated that this prized tuna symbolizes good fortune for the upcoming year and expressed hopes that diners would enjoy the fish, caught off the coast of Aomori in northern Japan, leading to a joyful year ahead. Notably, this marks the fifth consecutive year that the Onodera Group has emerged victorious in the Ichiban Tuna auction, having spent 114 million yen on the top tuna last year.
While the tuna auction garnered significant attention, it wasn't the only highlight of the day. Hokkaido sea urchins reached record prices as well, with one lot fetching an impressive 7 million yen, underscoring the market's overall vibrancy and allure. The Toyosu Fish Market, established in 1935 and known as the largest fish market worldwide, continues to set trends with its early morning tuna auctions, although concerns about the sustainability of bluefin tuna remain a pressing issue in the face of climate change and overfishing.
The Onodera Group's official, Shinji Nagao, stated that this prized tuna symbolizes good fortune for the upcoming year and expressed hopes that diners would enjoy the fish, caught off the coast of Aomori in northern Japan, leading to a joyful year ahead. Notably, this marks the fifth consecutive year that the Onodera Group has emerged victorious in the Ichiban Tuna auction, having spent 114 million yen on the top tuna last year.
While the tuna auction garnered significant attention, it wasn't the only highlight of the day. Hokkaido sea urchins reached record prices as well, with one lot fetching an impressive 7 million yen, underscoring the market's overall vibrancy and allure. The Toyosu Fish Market, established in 1935 and known as the largest fish market worldwide, continues to set trends with its early morning tuna auctions, although concerns about the sustainability of bluefin tuna remain a pressing issue in the face of climate change and overfishing.
