Massive tuna nets $3.1 million at Japan auction

[Spectral]

I meant 10 grams a sushi so like $117.

I went back and edited things incorrectly.

Sweet, that makes sense. Yeah, that's a fucking expensive bite.

I've seen bluefin on a few menus for something in the range of ~$25 for a couple pieces. Expensive, but manageable. Presumably not in the same quality range as this. I've been passing both because of the cost and because I don't want to encourage the destruction of an irreplaceable species. I'm definitely curious, but I think I'm gonna stand by that. Might be delicious (probably is), but I'm not trying to contribute to bluefin not existing.

[The Stormbringer]

Ok for those who don't understand why someone will pay 3.1 million for a Fish most of it has to do with Japanese Tradition. Fish is auctioned like this are government controlled to prevent fishing cartels since Japan is so dependent on the sea for food so they only happen at interval times. This was made during the first auction of the year which bring up the Japanese superstition of the first fish sold represents if the fishing this year will be good or bad. To make sure its a "good" year people intentionally drive up the price with the winner getting all the advertisement of buying the first fish and bringing in a possible good year.

This is no different than here in middle America where business will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a Grand Champion pig at say the Ohio State Fair. They spend this money, not for the pig (hell they don't even get the pig meat here in the states but in Japan they get the fish, which in turn they can sell for a premium because first fish), but for the advertisement of saying you bought the champion, or in this case buying the first fish and setting the tone for a good year of fishing.

The more you know:

[video=youtube;setJXT-K2CQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=setJXT-K2CQ

Thanks for the explanation! I had no idea that's what it was about. So in reality this guy isn't just paying for fish meat that he can use, but is instead paying for the advertisement and 'title' of being the one who bought the first fish of the year.