> At a Glance
> – A 243 kg bluefin tuna sold for 510 million yen ($3.2 million) at Tokyo’s first 2026 auction.
> – Buyer Kiyoshi Kimura of Sushi Zanmai set a new price record, topping his own 2019 high.
> – The fish, caught off northern Japan’s Oma coast, cost $13,360 per kilogram.
> Why it matters: The eye-popping sum signals both New-Year luck and fierce demand for premium Pacific bluefin.
A single bluefin tuna stole the show at Toyosu fish market just after dawn on Monday, rewriting auction history and highlighting Japan’s appetite for top-grade sushi.
Record-Breaking Bid
Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kimura also runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain, clinched the prized fish after a fast-paced bidding war. The final gavel price of 510 million yen shattered the previous record of 334 million yen that Kimura himself paid in 2019.
Kimura later laughed off the splurge:
> “I was hoping to pay a bit less, but the price shot up before you knew it.”
Anatomy of a Premium Tuna
- Weight: 243 kg (535 lb)
- Origin: Off Oma, northern Japan
- Cost per kilo: 2.1 million yen
- Cost per pound: ~$6,060
Inspectors judged quality by walking rows of tail-trimmed fish, checking:
- Color
- Texture
- Fat content
Market Context
Pacific bluefin numbers dropped years ago amid heavy sushi demand, but conservation efforts have helped stocks rebound, letting prices stay sky-high for celebratory auctions.
| Metric | 2019 Record | 2026 Record |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 334 million yen | 510 million yen |
| USD | ~$2.1 million | ~$3.2 million |
| Buyer | Kiyomura Corp. | Kiyomura Corp. |
Key Takeaways
- First tuna of the year is a luck symbol, driving premiums.
- Kimura has won the annual contest many times, turning it into a branding ritual.
- Everyday tuna at Toyosu sells far cheaper; only the festival atmosphere inflates bids.
The quarter-ton swimmer is already bound for Sushi Zanmai plates, proving that for Japan’s top chefs, quality-and luck-comes with a multimillion-dollar price tag.
