That's some pricey fish: A glimpse into Japan's New Year's tuna auction

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A bluefin tuna that won the highest bid at the annual New Year auction is carried to a Sushi Zanmai restaurant in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Wholesalers inspect bluefin tuna at the New Year's tuna auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) — A bluefin tuna that won the highest bid at the annual New Year auction is carried to a Sushi Zanmai restaurant in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

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11:22 PM on Sunday, January 4

The Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — That's a REALLY big fish.

This one weighed in at 535 pounds (243 kilograms). It sold for a record $3.2 million (510 million yen) on Monday at an enormous annual New Year's auction in Tokyo's Toyosu fish market. That would make a lot of spicy tuna roll.

Bidders walked among massive tuna at the predawn event. Associated Press photographer Louise Delmotte, who took this photo, wandered the market before dawn to capture the fish story.

The top bidder for the prized tuna at the predawn auction on Monday was Kiyomura Corp., whose owner, Kiyoshi Kimura, runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. The fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, known for its high-quality tuna.

Hundreds of tuna are sold daily at the early morning auction, but prices are significantly higher than usual for the Oma tuna, especially at the celebratory auction.