Sushi just got a heck of a lot more expensive, you guys! A record has been set in Japan for the most expensive bluefin tuna ever caught and sold. At Thursday's first fish auction in Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market, a 593-pound bluefin tuna fetched 56.49 million yen, or about $736,000. That cost more than my house, although I can't eat my house.
Of course an owner of a sushi restaurant chain was the man to up the bid, and while he can make great use of this premium tuna in his Sushi-Zanmai chains in Japan, a lot of other factors went into making this a record-breaking tuna.
There is traditionally a lot of excitement surrounding the first auction of the new year, so people were already all up and amped during this action-packed event. Additionally, Kiyoshi Kimura — the winning bidder — wanted to give back to Japan after suffering such devastation from last year's earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Spending almost a quarter-of-a-million dollars should do it, don't you think?
But Kiyoshi Kimura's generosity does not stop there. The fish has already found its way to some of his sushi joints, where, if priced only at cost, it should come in around $96 per piece. Per tiny sushi piece, which means you're talking about $500 just to get a snack. However, some lucky diners found the newly caught bluefin at Sushi-Zanmai for 418 yen, or @$5.45 per piece. In which case, the restaurant owner is taking care of many of his fellow countrymen, not just the fishermen and auctioneer.
Apparently the best pieces of bluefin can go for about $24 per piece, so this cost cut is even more significant. And it's also possible that he could have unloaded the famous fish for $96 per piece. Too expensive for my blood, even if it's the best doggone fish in the entire sea. But people have spent more for much less. And if it's a prime cut of fish and a feel-good story, why not?
Would you spend $96 per piece of amazing bluefin?
Image via rick/Flickr
