A 220kg bluefin tuna landed in Oma, Aomori, was air-freighted to Hanoi the same day it was bought in Tokyo, and on August 13 became the star of a five-chef butchery show at the Japanese restaurant Hatoyama, near the Old Quarter. From the perspective of someone who deals in Japanese food out of Kyoto, this isn't just a "rare, lavish event" and nothing more. For travelers heading to Vietnam to eat Japanese seafood, and for residents seeking out the taste of Japan locally, it's a yardstick for how far Japanese food in Hanoi has come.
One Fish, Bought in Tokyo and Flown Out the Same Day
According to VnExpress, the tuna was bluefin — honmaguro — from Oma, Aomori Prefecture, weighing 220kg. It was bought in Tokyo and shipped to Vietnam the same day. Oma tuna is known for being caught by pole-and-line fishing in the Tsugaru Strait, and it's a perennial top-price fetcher at the New Year's first auction, now held at Toyosu after moving from Tsukiji. The fact alone that one such fish reached a cutting board in Hanoi within days of landing shows how much shorter logistics between Japan and Vietnam have become. Even for Japanese people used to sashimi culture, the chance to watch a whole Oma bluefin butchered in front of you isn't all that common even within Japan. Air-freighting chilled fresh fish demands strict temperature control, and keeping it fresh across a border requires the shipper, the airline, and the receiving end to all be perfectly coordinated. That it came together in a single day says something.
What "1 Billion Dong" Covers: About 5.7 Million Yen Including the Winning Bid, Fees, and Air Freight
One thing worth being careful about is how the figure is read. The reported price — including the winning bid, fees, and air freight — comes to $38,260, or exactly 1 billion dong. Converted to yen, that's about 5.7 million yen (a rough estimate at 148 yen to the dollar). In Japanese coverage this tends to get inflated into "the 10-million-yen class," but 1 billion dong isn't 10 million yen — it's actually just over half that. Even so, the fact that a Japanese restaurant in Hanoi would put together an event around a single fish at this price, freight included, is itself a sign of how mature the market has become.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Growing regions | Oma, Aomori Prefecture (Bluefin Tuna) |
| Weight | 220kg |
| Total cost | $38,260 = 1 billion dong (about 5.7 million yen) |
| Dates | August 13, 2026 |
| Venue | Hatoyama, Hanoi |
| Chef | 5 |
Yen conversions are rough estimates calculated at roughly 148 yen to the dollar and 1 billion dong to about 5.7 million yen. Figures will vary with exchange rates.
Five Chefs, and "Taste of Japan," a Bridge Between Japan and Vietnam
Five chefs handled the butchery. At the center was Kyo Nguyen, with more than 27 years of experience in Japanese cuisine, joined by Nguyen Ba Phuoc, the first Vietnamese chef to earn the gold badge in "Taste of Japan." Rather than flying in a Japanese chef, Vietnamese chefs took the lead in cutting into the Oma tuna — that's what sets this apart from the traditional format of "a lavish event built around chefs invited from Japan." The event is part of the restaurant's annual food-and-culture series "Taste of Japan," led by CEO Tran Hanh. Dao Ngoc Trang, a visitor from Thai Binh Province, said, "I love sashimi, and I go to Japanese food events often." Both the people preparing the food and those eating it are actively choosing to treat Japanese cuisine as something to "learn about and savor," not a passing trend. For Japan, it suggests Vietnam is growing into a market that's evaluated on skill and discernment rather than price alone, as a destination for seafood exports.
How Travelers and Residents Can Follow This Momentum
One-off butchery shows are hard to time, but there are more and more footholds for anyone chasing Japanese food. In Ho Chi Minh City,Hama Sushi opened its first store in its second Southeast Asian country on July 30— fresh news, and it means you can experience Japanese fish at conveyor-belt sushi prices. In Da Nang,drawing around 50,000 visitorshas become an established fixture, with bon odori dances and food stalls, and special menus often appear to coincide with such events. To cover both Japanese food and local flavors in Hanoi in a single day,an Old Quarter food-walking routepairs well with it, making it easy to set a rhythm of pho in the morning, a famous alley spot at lunch, and Japanese food at night.
- Butchery shows aren't a year-round fixture; they're held as one-off events. Following social media announcements from organizing series like "Taste of Japan" is the surest way to catch one.
- Sessions featuring high-value tuna such as Oma tuna tend to be limited in quantity. Check with the restaurant in advance on whether reservations are available and what the serving times are.
- If you want to try Japanese fish at everyday prices, new openings like Hama Sushi and fresh-fish counters at Aeon-affiliated stores are a good entry point.
What One Tuna Reveals About the Current State of Japanese Food in Hanoi
Carrying a 220kg bluefin tuna from Tokyo the same day, then butchering and serving it with five chefs — this whole chain came together because the origin, logistics, chefs, and diners all lined up on the same day. Once you correctly peg the price at about 5.7 million yen, this starts to look less like a story about "extravagance" and more one about "speed and depth." Next time you're in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, it's worth checking a Japanese restaurant's events calendar at least once.
