Japanese sushi chain wins Guinness World Record for most expensive tuna

A Japanese sushi chain operator has a new Guinness World Record for the most expensive tuna at auction after paying 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million) at the first auction in 2026, media reports said Saturday.

The bluefin tuna, weighing 243 kilograms *536 pounds), was caught off Oma in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The winning bid was the highest since comparable data became available in 1999.

The top bid at the 2025 annual auction was 270 million yen ($1.7 million).

Kiyomura Corp., which operates the sushi chain Sushizanmai, bought the tuna at an auction at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market in January.

The tuna was cut at Sushizanmai’s main Tsukiji outlet and served at its restaurants across Japan.

It marks the second Guinness World Record title for the operator, which was recognized for the bluefin tuna it bought for 155.4 million yen ($980,000) in the first auction of 2013.

The year’s first auction has become a tradition among Japanese bidders, who see it as a source of good luck and a chance for restaurants to capitalize on the publicity.

Watching early-morning tuna auctions from the market’s observation deck is also a major tourist attraction.