Welcome to Part 7 of our <Study Abroad in Japan> series! 

As a student studying abroad, you might be buying a lot of your meals from convenience stores (konbini), like 7-Eleven. Doing this is easy because the food is already made, and at most, all you have to do is add hot water or microwave it.  

However, now that you’re making money from your part time job, if you’re tired of eating konbini food everyday,  or you miss some of the food from home and you’re looking to cook, your first step might be to find a grocery store to buy your ingredients.  

Here, you can hopefully find a grocery store near you that best suits your needs, from on-a-budget to international ingredients.  

Written by Sakura Mobile Blog Team

Hello readers! Sakura Mobile is a SIM Wi-Fi service provider for international residents and tourists in Japan.

Our global editorial team living in Japan will introduce the country’s charms based on what we have experienced and felt.

Study Abroad in Japan (Part 7): Shopping for Groceries in Japan

What to Consider Before You Start Shopping

Point Systems or Cards

Depending on how long you’ve been in Japan, I’m sure you’ve been asked more than once if you had a certain card or membership at stores.

Different stores have different point systems or cards with which you can accumulate points. And if you save up enough points, you can use them towards buying things to save money or receive other benefits.

If you intend to shop for groceries at a specific store a lot, I highly recommend you look into using that store’s point card or system.

Popular point systems might be Waon Points, Rakuten Points, or dPoint, just to name a few.

What Payment Methods to Use?

Depending on the store, the payment methods may differ.

Most chain supermarkets accept credit cards, including those that were issued outside of Japan, as well as various forms of electronic payment.

Just in case, though, bring enough cash with you to cover the cost.

Words to Know Before You Start Shopping

Even if you don’t know a lot of Japanese, knowing these words when you go to the grocery store might be helpful.

Bring Your Own Bag

Before you start your grocery shopping adventures, no matter where you decide to go, bring your own reusable bags.

Though plastic bags are generally no more than 15 JPY, depending on the size of the bag that you need for your shopping trip, in order to avoid paying these fees, you can buy reusable bags from dollar stores like Seria and Daiso for 110 JPY.

In the long run, it’ll save you money.

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Grocery Stores When You’re on a Budget:

On a budget? Need to save a little more cash? As a college student, you might not always have the luxury to shop freely for food.

Budget supermarkets, though, have cheap groceries without lowering the quality, and can have large varieties of food to choose from.

Here are a few you might want to consider when you go shopping for food:

• LIFE・ライフ
• Ok Super・オーケースーパー
• Don Quijote・ドンキ

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There Are Big Chain Supermarkets Everywhere

Big chain supermarkets aren’t necessarily the cheapest, but they usually aren’t too expensive either. Plus, they exist everywhere, so you likely have seen them before.

They can also have a wide variety of products.

Here is a list of big chain supermarkets that are easily found:

• Aeon
• Seiyu
• Ito-Yokado

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Missing the Taste of Home? Consider International Supermarkets

Though some of the supermarkets around Japan carry some products that are imported or not strictly Japanese, there are stores where you can buy a wide variety of international products for when you are missing home.

The international products at these stores are a little more expensive, but that is most likely due to import costs.

These stores include:

• Costco
• Kaldi Coffee Farm

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Rural Grocery Stores

Finding Your Nearest Chain Supermarket

Chain supermarkets are found across Japan, in every prefecture.

Stores like Gyomu and Aeon are found in every prefecture.

If you live in the countryside, you might want to look for your nearest chain grocery store.

Find the Nearest Drug Store

Believe it or not, a lot of drugstores have groceries in them.

Though the selection and variety are limited, they will usually have common products, like tofu, carrots, potatoes, and other things that you can usually find across grocery stores.

Mom & Pop Stores

These are usually small stores that are family-owned and operated and may even sell locally grown products.

If you are in really far-out, rural areas, there are most likely one or two of these within the near vicinity.

One thing to keep in mind is that these stores will most likely close earlier than you think. So make sure to check the hours.

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Delivery

For those who don’t want to go out, or if you live in a really rural area, there are likely not many grocery stores nearby.

The nearest store might be 30 minutes on foot or possibly 30 minutes by car.

An alternative is online grocery shopping that delivers your groceries to your front doorstep.

Here are a few of the many you might want to consider using:

• Amazon Fresh
• Co-op Deli

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Conclusion

There are many options when choosing your grocery store and a lot to consider.

Your location will ultimately determine the stores that are available to you and what you can buy at these stores.

If the journey to the grocery store is too far away, you can always have your groceries delivered via the services mentioned above.

But whether you’re checking out a new supermarket or shopping from home, Sakura Mobile can support you while you’re on the move and need to Google Map your way there with our SIM or eSIM services or if you’re shopping from home and need a reliable WiFi service.

Sakura Mobile offers various Long-term postpaid voice and data services plans. Use the link below to find the one that best suits your needs.

LINK: Sakura Mobile Voice + Data Sim