{"id":1920,"date":"2016-02-21T15:30:10","date_gmt":"2016-02-21T06:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=1920"},"modified":"2024-11-25T23:38:51","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T14:38:51","slug":"grocery-shopping-kansai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/grocery-shopping-kansai\/","title":{"rendered":"Grocery Shopping in Kansai"},"content":{"rendered":"
Have you been able to find a supermarket yet? Congratulations, that is quite rare as d<\/span>ue to Japan\u2019s battle with space and lust for convenience, supermarkets are often overshadowed by the 24-7 lifestyle of the combini (convenience store).<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a British guy who is more accustomed to the \u201cbig shop\u201d once every three weeks or so, I hunt for supermarkets. Perhaps the concept of a \u201cbig shop\u201d in Japan is odd. \u00a0That’s due to many things; predominantly the fact that Japanese summers are hot and humid (meaning food will expire quicker), and that a lot of Japanese living space simply cannot accommodate large stocks of food.<\/span><\/p>\n So I\u2019m going to look into some Japanese supermarkets \u2013focusing on Kansai, as they tend to be regional- and give you the low-down on the merits as well as a couple tips on what you\u2019re buying. <\/span><\/p>\n Bread is much more of a luxury in Japan, so I\u2019ll base the prices on the very generous loaf of six slices. (Yes, only six, very thick slices, with no end pieces.) I\u2019ll use the lowest price for bread as an example to reflect the stores\u2019 prices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n 1. Aeon<\/strong><\/p>\n Firstly, I may have exaggerated a fair amount about the rarity of supermarkets. Japan has many department stores, and it is typical for these stores to have a basement floor dedicated to groceries. They may just even have a floor dedicated to food \u2013and not a food court, though you can typically find restaurants and the cinema on the top floor.\u00a0<\/span>The key example would be Aeon (not to be confused with the language school). <\/span><\/p>\n Aeon is a massive company, you will certainly see a lot of department stores brandishing the name, or maybe just the supermarket branches. Some people do not like Aeon as it seems to be taking over a lot of places; if you\u2019re British, think \u201cTesco\u201d, and if you\u2019re American perhaps \u201cWal-Mart\u201d with slightly more class (sorry Wal-Mart!).<\/span> This then brings us to the question of quality vs quantity, to which I say that the quality of Aeon products is okay. It is so exceedingly average that you can easily place this as a median; the prices are OK, the food is OK, the service is OK, the choice is actually pretty good. Because Aeon can afford to buy big lots, they have more room for various products, and so I often find myself staring at the different cuts of meats or the offerings of chocolates and crisps for far longer than I need to.<\/span><\/p>\n Aeon offers their \u201cAeon Top Value\u201d range, which is likely what you\u2019ll want to buy. It’s the most cost-effective range of goods on offer in their store, and it does cover a lot of the essentials. Aeon operates some conbinis too, known as Mini Stop, so you\u2019re likely to find the \u201cTop Range\u201d brand around. I am not sure if it can be said of every Aeon store, but from personal experience, there is a constant upbeat \u201880s playlist. You\u2019ll be \u201cDancing in the Street\u201d (aisles) as you shop, which is always nice. Like most places in Japan, you\u2019ll find a plethora of fresh lunch items, such as fried chicken, sushi, sandwiches, bakery goods, etc. The quality is okay, and the price may be a little high for these things.<\/span><\/p>\n If we look at the lowest price you\u2019ll pay for bread, we\u2019re talking 110Y for six slices.<\/span> <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 2. Fresco<\/strong><\/p>\n Fresco is another fairly big company, but this one feels a lot more humble. I have seen it in many places, but the size and offering in-store is far more conservative. In fact, I sometimes forget that my local Fresco is part of a chain, as it tends to have the charms of an independent store: reasonable prices, genuinely friendly staff, odd stacking systems, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables as you enter. By \u201codd stacking system\u201d I mean that it is not uncommon for the seasonal goods to be put in a big meal basket, boxes stacked atop each-other. It looks a little like they weren\u2019t expecting the products to come in, so they just threw them in a box. I think this comes down to space; Fresco really wants to offer you a lot, but generally the shop-space is smaller. <\/span> There is always a lot of bento on offer. The offering seems a little random; one day your favourite may not be there. I think this is again due to Japan\u2019s passion for using fresh ingredients, so at least it is reassuring that the food will at least be healthy and fresh.<\/span> The music playing here always seems to juxtapose the clientele. Old people shop to rather aggressive \u2013and quite loud- Japanese reggae or dance music, which is rather an odd experience.<\/span> Again, the prices are rather average, offering you all the brands at their regular prices, with some cheaper less-known brands. There is usually an offer on the frozen goods, but I cannot say for sure what it is.\u00a0<\/span>On the topic of the freezer; there is always a vast selection of ice-creams for around 100Y, which is absolutely great.<\/span><\/p>\n Fresco does have larger and smaller branches and they do tend to pop up more in city areas, independent of any department store, so I always see this one as the \u201ctrue\u201d supermarket of Kansai.<\/span> I\u2019d pick this to be the area favourite for standard purchases.<\/span> Lowest price for bread: 98Y for six slices.<\/span> <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 3. Gyoumu Supa<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a lower price, look no further than Gyoumu Supa. The greatest comparison I can think of is the European store Aldi \u2013which I have found in Europe, England, and the US. If you have never come across an Aldi, or indeed a Gyoumu Supa, think of high stacks of non-brands, knock-offs, and quite a decent selection of fresh produce.<\/span> Gyoumu Supa has a lot of frozen goods, at pretty good prices, so if you have a big freezer, it would be a good idea to stock up here. It is also good for bulk-buying things such as rice and noodles; maybe even condiments if you know you get through a lot. This is certainly for bulking out the pantry with those bare-bone groceries. It may be the cheapest value for milk too. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ll pass o<\/span>n a tip I was given early into my stay in Japan: buy a lot of Konnyaku as a cheap alternative to meat. It is pretty good fried with garlic – experiment a little with the flavour. Konnyaku is supposedly really quite healthy too. That\u2019s a nice bonus, though you may disagree with the almost jelly-like texture. It is made from a plant though I couldn\u2019t say what the process is to make it the way it is. Gion Supa is certainly a good place to stock up on Konnyaku.<\/span> If you\u2019re looking for some familiar brands, you\u2019ll find a couple, such as Coca-Cola, at a bargain price, though the supermarket is not exactly bustling with them.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>See more at https:\/\/www.aeon.info\/en\/aboutaeon\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>See more at <\/span>https:\/\/www.super-fresco.co.jp\/shop\/<\/span> (requires page-translate for English)<\/span><\/p>\n
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