TOKYO — A Japanese sushi chain operator has secured a new Guinness World Record after paying 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million) for a bluefin tuna at the year’s first auction, media reports said Saturday.The winning bid was made by Kiyomura Corp., which runs the popular Sushizanmai brand.According to Kyodo News, the tuna weighed 243 kilograms (536 pounds) and was caught off Oma in Aomori Prefecture.The January sale took place at Toyosu Fish Market and marked the highest winning bid since comparable records began in 1999.The previous top bid at the first auction of 2025 was 270 million yen ($1.7 million).After the purchase, the tuna was cut at Sushizanmai’s main outlet in Tsukiji and served at the chain’s restaurants across Japan.It is the company’s second Guinness World Record linked to tuna auctions. In 2013, Kiyomura was recognized after paying 155.4 million yen ($980,000) for another bluefin tuna.Japan’s first tuna auction of the year has become a long-standing tradition, with bidders viewing it as a symbol of good luck and an opportunity to generate publicity for their businesses.The early-morning auctions are also a major tourist attraction, with visitors gathering to watch from the market’s observation deck.TOKYO — A Japanese sushi chain operator has secured a new Guinness World Record after paying 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million) for a bluefin tuna at the year’s first auction, media reports said Saturday.The winning bid was made by Kiyomura Corp., which runs the popular Sushizanmai brand.According to Kyodo News, the tuna weighed 243 kilograms (536 pounds) and was caught off Oma in Aomori Prefecture.The January sale took place at Toyosu Fish Market and marked the highest winning bid since comparable records began in 1999.The previous top bid at the first auction of 2025 was 270 million yen ($1.7 million).After the purchase, the tuna was cut at Sushizanmai’s main outlet in Tsukiji and served at the chain’s restaurants across Japan.It is the company’s second Guinness World Record linked to tuna auctions. In 2013, Kiyomura was recognized after paying 155.4 million yen ($980,000) for another bluefin tuna.Japan’s first tuna auction of the year has become a long-standing tradition, with bidders viewing it as a symbol of good luck and an opportunity to generate publicity for their businesses.The early-morning auctions are also a major tourist attraction, with visitors gathering to watch from the market’s observation deck.
