Checking Out A Supermarket

01

Not just for groceries, but a new experience

It really depends on where you’re located, but there’s a wide range of supermarkets in Japan catering to all tastes and budgets. Some are 24 hours, but most in the city close around 10 or 11pm, and in the countryside don’t be surprised when they close at 8pm! Also, while credit card acceptance is growing, many mid-range stores still require cash so it’s best to check in advance before you load up the cart.

24 hours

02

High-end

If you’re looking for ＄100 melons or beautifully packaged sweets, a high-end market will give you that and plenty more. Your best bet for finding food luxury is to go to a depa-chika, which means “below a department store”. Our favorite is below the Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza, but most nice department stores around the country have a great food section. Tokyu Food Show underneath Shibuya Station is chaotic in a fun way, and has incredible prepared meals.

depa_chika

Travel Guide

03

Mid-range

These are where most people shop, though even the mid-range has a variety of levels. Tokyu Store can be a good one to choose from, but there are many different ones out there. You can get nicely packaged sweets and snacks as well as daily items, and even a growing selection of imports. If you’re outside of an urban area you may be near an Aeon mall, which also usually has a big supermarket inside along with lots of other stores and restaurants.

Mid-range

04

Discount

If you’re looking for something cheap and easy, or for reasonably-priced souvenirs, you’ll find discount shops all over, but especially in high-traffic residential areas. One of our favorite places to go is Ameyoko in Ueno, which has a bustling outdoor market as well as many discount shops and supermarkets in the area.

Ameyoko

05

Foreign Foods

You can get just about anything you want, especially in the cities, but if you’re looking for a niche foreign food you’ll have to look around. Your best bet will be high-end supermarkets, but small stores like Kaldi and Aeon Liquor have a lot of interesting products from all over the world, especially sweets and snacks.

If you’re just dying for something specific it might be worth checking out a foreign-oriented supermarket like National Azabu, but otherwise we suggest trying as much of the local products as you can, even if you can’t read the package!

Ameyoko Shopping Street (Ameyoko)