Every year in Japan, on the first day of the market, around a hundred tuna are auctioned off. The tuna sold at the highest price is called 'Ichiban Maguro'.
On 5 January 2022, a whole tuna weighing 211 kg won the auction record with a price of 16,880,000 yen, or 130,900 euros. That sounds like a lot of money for fish. However, this amount is lower than last year's, probably because of the current situation in the world.
Every year, the purchase price of Ichiban Maguro at Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market, formerly known as Tsukiji Market, makes headlines simply because the amount spent has become astronomically high. The highest auction ever recorded took place on 5 January 2019. It reached the staggering sum of 336,600,000 yen, or €2,759,016...
In 2021 and 2022, the bid was won by Mr Onodera, a partner in the Yamayuki market and the Michelin-starred restaurant group.
From 2012 to 2019, it was Mr Kiyomura, the owner of the Sushizanmai restaurant chain, who won the auction. It was he himself who bought a tuna for the record price of €2.76 million in 2019. His track record has made his restaurant chain very famous, and he is still reaping the rewards today.
Ichiban Maguro price trend :
Now let's go back to 2019 and do a little maths. Mr Kiyomura paid €2.76 million for a 276 kg tuna. The cost per kilo is therefore €9,928.
The waste rate of a whole fresh tuna is said to be around 60 %. This means that the weight of the usable part of the tuna is only 110 kg, which means that the real cost per kg is €24,811. Assuming that all this becomes Nigiri, and that the weight per piece is 20g, then the cost per piece would come to €496!
In 2022, Mr Onodera's tuna would cost around €33 per 20g piece.
Of course, the restaurant doesn't make a profit because it wouldn't be able to serve its sushi at the above price.
Mr Onodera, this year's winner, will probably sell his tuna sushi at a slightly higher price than the usual sushi, but by no means at the real price of the tuna he has bought. The winner of the auction knows full well that it's really a loss leader. After all, it's to celebrate the start of the year! The fact that his name appears in the newspapers means that more people know about him and justifies the money he has spent. It's a marketing tactic!
In Japan, the word "Engi-mono 縁起物" is used to refer to "something that brings good luck".
Many things are, and can be, 'Engi-mono'. Dishes prepared for the New Year that are supposed to bring luck, prosperity and health can be considered 'Engi-mono'. A dish that has been blessed by a monk can also be an 'Engi-mono'.
Tradition dictates that Ichiban Maguro is a very special 'Engi-mono', worth whatever price you can afford.
If you can serve it in your restaurant, you're bringing good luck, and people will be waiting with bated breath to have their share of this fish. Of course, the tuna itself is of excellent quality, but it's the added value of luck that people appreciate. So that's why those incredibly high prices are justified for just one whole tuna.
Almost all the fresh tuna destined for the market comes from the northern tip of Japan's main island, off Ohma in Aomori. The capture of the Ichiban Maguro is obviously a very honourable event and a good omen for the fishermen. Many fishing families in the region risk the winter storms in the hope of catching this tuna. In 2022, it was Mr Kikuchi from Aomori who caught it.
For daring to brave the rough winter waters and persevering for nights on the boat, the fisherman won 89 % of the auction value. Mr Kikuchi therefore won around 116,500 euros overnight. A good reason for him to celebrate the New Year.
The Toyosu market gets a share of 5.5 %. The remaining 5.5 % goes to the regional fishermen's association and the local fish auction to which the fisherman belongs.
The sale of this tuna brings many smiles to many people.
Savouring the taste of Ichiban Maguro could well be the reason for your next visit to Japan!
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