Top-Grade Winter Yellowtail Fetches ¥4 Mil. at Auction in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:18 JST, December 2, 2025

The first auction of the season for top-grade Kirameki winter yellowtail was held in Kanazawa on Monday.

The fish was caught in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is famous for high-grade yellowtail.

Only one yellowtail was certified for the Kirameki brand on the day. It sold for ¥4 million (over $25,000), tying the all-time high.

To be certified as Kirameki, a yellowtail must meet strict criteria, including weighing at least 14 kilograms, having no noticeable blemishes and possessing sufficient girth.

Yellowtail caught in winter are rich in fat, enhancing their flavor, and Kirameki-brand yellowtail are top among them.

Of the 552 yellowtail landed within the prefecture on Monday, nine were subject to the Kirameki certification process. The yellowtail certified as Kirameki weighed 14.5 kilograms and measured 92 centimeters in length.