Mail-order—via fax, letter, or phone. Fake food items can be found and purchased in Kappabashi-dori, the food supply street in Tokyo and also at Doguyasuji located in Namba, Osaka. The more popular local supermarket (it had 3-4 stores in the wide expanse of the vicinity) was called Belc. A seaweed shop in the basement of a department store Consumption Tax and Tax Free Shopping. Don’t be afraid to ask the staff about it. So let’s do the math, it is 1% off on your purchase. food market recorded sales of $43.09 billion in 2016, with an annual growth rate of 8.4%, accounting for 5.3% of total food sales. Other people I know actually do treat themselves once a week or so to this ‘outside food’. It is a common conception that living in Japan can be expensive. If you don’t have the time, you can even buy premade instant sauces (wet) like pasta sauce, curry and oyakodon to mix with your pasta, rice or potatoes for around 100yen per pack. See also There is no one shop that sells everything cheaper than others, that is if you are not comparing a supermarket located in the outskirts versus one located in Ginza. Do look around your vicinity for cheaper supermarkets, but not every item will be cheap in that supermarket. Besides sleeping, the one other thing that human beings do regularly for long periods of time is eating. In-store pick-up at physical shops and events. As great as a trip to Japan is, it still costs a bit and takes time. Other signs or stickers to look out for are those that say ‘X% off’ and ‘half-price’ which look like this: Some stores even have LINE (a phone application similar to Whatsapp, KakaoTalk, WeChat etc.) Maiduru is another old and large manufacturer. Fortunately, most of the prohibited fruits and vegetables are items that you can already purchase in Japan, so it's not necessary to sneak them into your suitcase as souvenirs and risk breaking Japanese laws. Some fast food is actually cheap. Lastly, here are some of the supermarkets that I recommend in Central Tokyo: - OK Supermarket is well known for their cheap produce. For the hardcore gamer, certain games are only released on the Japanese market. Though they do not have discounts, their price per weight is already quite low to begin with. Indeed, it is expensive, but there are many different methods to help to reduce the cost of living and making it more bearable. Add data for Japan. You can get 100yen burgers and 100yen fries and 100yen drinks. We are able to buy from almost any Japanese store. An unidentified buyer purchased a crate of mandarin oranges for 1 million Japanese yen, according to a press release from the JA Nishiuwa Agricultural Cooperative, which converts to around $9,600. Feel free to tell us about your favourite wet markets and grocery stores in the comments! Let’s say if you are living in central Tokyo, there are some supermarkets that will certainly be more expensive than others. Many people are concerned about food prices in Japan when they are planning their trip. If you happen to be near the Asakusa shopping area, there is a bento shop which sells cheap bentos (at 200yen per box if I remember correctly). Generally, the local food is cheaper than anything else in the market, although you do get deals like 100yen pasta, 100yen can of tomatoes, 100yen pack of mushrooms and 100yen soba (dry). 2. I don’t know why they’re discounted but it’s a definitely bargain to get them when they are at their sweetest and cheapest. Japanese marketplaces—like Mercari, Otamart, and … Japanese see it more like a restaurant, as a taste of what America might be like. It is a treat after all (: Copyright © taiken.co All rights reserved. Personally, I find vegetables and fruits expensive in supermarkets, so try to look around your neighborhood for those small shops flooded with many grandmothers or mothers – a sign that the produce in that store is cheap. Places like Don Quixote are the gem for discount coupons. Kawaii Culture – The Origins and Meaning of Cute in Japanese. It’s easy if you can read Japanese; you can see which items are on sale or which items are Today’s Specials just at a glance. Now that you have found a place that sells some food products, it’s time to look for bargains and compare prices! 10 Must-see Spots in Kamakura Once You Are in Town! When we first visited Japan in 2009, we were on a tight budget and stressed about every Yen spent. Currency: Sticky Currency Switch to metric measurement units. For example, with the coupon, a packet of Kit Kat costs only ¥180 (without tax) while it normally costs ¥240 (without tax). Photo：Mukashi Mukashi Photography on Flickr. Some supermarkets might even have staff shouting out or a PA system that shouts out that XX food is currently on a timed-sale for the next hour, or that XX food will go on sale after XX pm. After a while, you are quick to realise that the omniscient Mini Stop, Family Mart, Lawson, Sunkus, Daily Yamazaki, Seico Mart, and not forgetting 7-11 of course (and etc. And bananas usually have discount stickers when the peel turns brown or black. By word-of-mouth, I knew of the existence of at least one Costco in Tokyo (apparently there are many outlets) where you can get bigger portions of food which is mostly unheard of in Japanese supermarkets. Do also check out Tsukiji for fish, Yanaka Ginza and Ameyoko, according to Electra. There are already many articles written on the different ways to save money in Japan, such as buying discounted bentos in the supermarket after 8 p.m. (or for some departmental stores, 9 p.m.), but this article will be focusing on the aspect of grocery shopping. Forget turkey. In Japan, Christmas is a time to feast on KFC. - Hanamasa for meat. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — more simply known as plastic — bottles. It is possible in Japan!!! Each point is equivalent to ¥1. Of course, if you are ready and willing to splurge, why not try some Japanese, Italian, Brazilian, Mexican, Irish, British, American, French, Greek, Thai, Malaysian, Chinese, Korean or Indian fare from around 500-1500yen? Rock-Paper-Scissors in Japan: Can You Jan-Ken-Pon? It is common knowledge that Japan is expensive. ), like the latest trending energy drinks and energy bars, or even snacks and candy you ate years ago as a little kid, check out the numerous shops on Kappabashi—however I do recommend that you bring a fresh pair of arms and shoulders to lug your purchases home as these shops are almost comparable to Lotte Vic Marts or even Costco. such as those at train station malls, within train stations and at station platforms of which I can’t seem to remember the names of) are actually convenience stores (konbini). For Korean foodstuff like kimchi, rice cakes, kimbap down to fresh fish and vegetables, check out Osaka’s Koreatown in Ikuno (read more here)--if you go to the right stall, you can get cheap kimbap [2 rolls for 400- 500yen] and Korean pancakes [1 for 300-400yen], something I didn’t notice until after I bought mine. No discounts, but wide variety of meat to choose from. Normally after cashing out at convenience stores or supermarkets, the cashier will ask if you have a point card. These point cards can be quite useful if you buy a lot of items from that particular store. I followed my local Belc’s LINE and received updates on the sales items for the week. Online stores—like Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Zozotown and others. (I personally managed to get a few 1500yen slabs of. This might sound fairly straightforward, but it actually isn’t. I believe Yoshinoya and Matsuya sell a bowl of rice and meat (a don) also for 300yen too. Food Prices in Japan. As Kenneth has already pointed out, choosing where and when you buy food can save you some money. Hanko Vending Machines: A Superb Souvenir, 10 Unique Items Only Found in Japanese Hardware Stores, ¥100 vs ¥300 Stores – The Ultimate 100 Yen Store Competition, 100 Yen Shops - Why They Should Be On Your "To Do" List When Visiting Japan, A Shop of Different World Views – Irregular Rhythm Asylum and the Heartbeat of Japanese Counterculture, Multifunctional Sashiko Embroidery: Simplicity at its best.