No matter how amazing and surprisingly delicious some Japanese foods and snacks are, you will always miss that particular chocolate bar or that ingredient that just tastes like home; this is where Tokyo’s international supermarkets come in.
Living in such a big cosmopolitan hub such as Tokyo has many pros, one of them being the variety of cuisine and imported products available here: not only can you have amazing diverse dining experiences but you can also find some rare imported products to curb your cravings.
The Best International Supermarkets to Buy Imported Products in Tokyo
Here is our list of recommended international supermarkets and shops where you can find the best selection of imported foods!
National Azabu
National Azabu is a supermarket located in Hiroo that specializes in imported foods and has shelves stocked up with an amazing array of products. Start roaming around the snack area to find your favorite chocolates and cookies and keep on going to discover delicious cheeses, cold cuts, spreads, frozen delicacies, and a good assortment of baked goods and bread. Have a look at the soft drinks aisle if you miss some of the good non-alcoholic beverages from your country.
Kinokuniya
Kinokuniya is an upscale Japanese supermarket that specializes in foreign products located in Omotesando. A boulangerie is also located inside, where fresh French-style pastries and bread are baked fresh every morning.
Nissin World Delicatessen
Nissin World Delicatessen, located in Higashi Azabu, is an international supermarket with 40,000 items in stock from all over the world. Nissin World Delicatessen is well-known to the foreign community in Tokyo because of the outstanding selection of meat imported directly from the US, New Zealand, and Australia and delivered through their signature “Meat Rush” shop.
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Hanamasa, Gyomu and Costco
Hanamasa, Gyomu and Costco are wholesale supermarkets, which means that they supply mostly professional chefs and cooks, selling products in bulk.
Hanamasa, and especially Gyomu, have a product lineup of ingredients and dressings from different Asian countries including your familiar Japanese ingredients. You can find an assortment of noodles and pasta, as well as canned legumes, and a good variety of pasta sauces and dips.
Gyomu’s frozen range is particularly notable: you can find imported foods such as Italian ravioli, pizza, but also bagels, hot dogs, waffles, dumplings, Korean topokki and Taiwanese scallion pancakes.
Costco has everything you might need as a foreigner in Japan: cheeses, cold cuts, imported snacks, oats and an impressive variety of imported goods from the US and the UK.
Costco also has an onsite restaurant and a bakery section where you can indulge in family-sized packaged cakes, donuts, and croissants. The only downside of Costco is that it is membership-based – but good news! – it will only set you back at 3850 yen per year.
OK store
Ok Store is a discount supermarket chain located in suburban areas on the outskirts of the city. Here you can find ham, a good selection of cheese including parmesan, gorgonzola, and ricotta, that won’t break the bank as well as frozen fruits and berries and the occasional diet-friendly western rice cakes.
Picard
Picard is a French food company specialized in retailing frozen products in their shop is wide and its products range from pastries and indulgent pain-au-chocolat to soups, pasta, and frozen meals ready to be put in the oven. If you’re craving a quiche or an easy risotto all you have to do is pop one of Picard’s ready-to-eat dishes in the oven for a delicious and effortless meal.
Bio c’ Bon
Bio c’ Bon is a shop focusing on organic and natural products. It caters to the vegan and gluten-free community in Tokyo and to all those who are choosing to buy more ethically sustainable products. Amongst their selection of products, we can find a carefully selected range of imported chocolates, coffees, teas, jams and spreads, and a wide variety of organic and gluten-free products.
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Seijo Isshi
Seijo Isshi is ultimately a high-end Japanese supermarket but it sells a surprisingly wide range of foreign imported foods such as chips, cookies, chocolates, wines, and teas. The bakery section, which is always well-stocked with New York-style cookies, freshly baked croissants, waffles, various types of bread, and bagels is worth a special mention.
Kaldi Coffee Farm
Kaldi Coffee Farm is probably the most well-known domestic brand that sells snacks, seasonings, coffee beans and wines imported from overseas. Each section inside the shop is dedicated to a different country and focuses on the country’s imported snacks and products: Italy, Spain, Thailand, the UK are among the most well-represented.
It’s Time to Go Check Out Tokyo’s Best International Supermarkets!
If you can’t wait for your next trip home or for the next emergency package to be delivered to your door, why don’t you have a roam around these supermarkets to find the best imported foods in Tokyo!
For More Related Articles:
- Roppongi: The Place to Go for a Homesick Foreigner
- Enjoying Japan With Dietary Restrictions and Food Allergies
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