Tokyo's $3.2M Tuna Auction May Have Stolen This Week's Spotlight - But True Sushi Fans Stick to These Spots

"A colossal Pacific bluefin tuna, weighing 535lb, sold for an unprecedented ¥510m (approx. $3.2m) at the year's first auction, shattering previous records and reigniting global fascination with Japan's tuna trade. The winning bid came from Kiyomura Corp., the operator of the ubiquitous Sushi Zanmai chain, helmed by "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura, who has become synonymous with high-stakes tuna auctions over the past decade."

"For luxury and culinary travelers visiting Japan's capital, the question naturally follows: where can one actually dine on bluefin of this calibre? Tokyo's in-demand sushi destinations While the auction price itself is symbolic - often serving as much as a marketing gesture as a reflection of quality - the city's sushi counters are where tuna becomes poetry on the palate. Tokyo's sushi scene ranges from revered classic counters to modern omakase temples, many of which feature bluefin in sublime fashion."

An enormous Pacific bluefin tuna weighing 535lb fetched ¥510m (approx. $3.2m) at the year's first auction, breaking prior records and renewing international interest in Japan's tuna trade. Kiyomura Corp., operator of Sushi Zanmai and led by Kiyoshi Kimura, placed the winning bid. The sale underscores Tokyo's cultural reverence for bluefin, particularly specimens from Ōma in northern Japan regarded as the pinnacle of tuna quality. Auction prices often function as symbolic publicity as much as measures of quality. Tokyo's sushi scene—from classic Edomae counters to modern omakase—features places where premium bluefin is served, including Sushi Dai, Sushi Ishiyama, Sushi Yuu, Sushi Garyu and Isana Sushi Bar.

Read at Elite Traveler