Pictured: Huge bluefin tuna sold for over £220,000

The bluefin tuna was the most expensive sold at this year's first auction - Soichiro Koriyama

A huge tuna has been sold at an auction in Japan for over £220,000.

The bluefin tuna was sold off at the first ceremonial auction of the year at Toyosu Market, at the Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera in Tokyo. 

The fish was purchased for over £220,000 - RICHARD A. BROOKS

The fish had to be transported on a cart - Soichiro Koriyama

It was bought by Japanese wholesaler Yamayuki and sushi chain operator Onodera Group.

It is the third year in a row that the buyers have pooled together to buy the fish for 36 million yen.

The tuna weighs in at 212-kilo and restaurant workers were seen transporting it on a large cart.

The head of the bluefin tuna on display in the sushi restaurant - RICHARD A. BROOKS

A sushi restaurant staff member holds a cut piece of the auctioned 212-kilogram fish - FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The tuna's tail post carve - FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

It was later carved up for fresh sushi at the Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera.

The head of the large fish was pictured sitting on a counter in the restaurant while the rest was sliced up.