My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries - What I Want to Get in Japan

Monday, December 16, 2019

My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries - What I Want to Get in Japan

     This month, my husband and I are finally going to visit Japan. While staying in Japan, we would like to purchase some Japanese products. You can check my previous entry, My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan. Also, we would like to purchase some Japanese groceries and will go to supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, department stores (depachika), souvenir stores, Kitano Ace and Costco.

      Yes, we are planing on shopping at Costco in Japan! It's been over five years since I went to Costco Japan last time! I really miss high quality sushi selling at Japanese Costco. :) That being said I still haven't decided what I will purchase at Costco in Japan. They have many Japanese products which you have never seen at Costco in the U.S. Did you know that if you are a Costco member, you'll have access to any Costco location in the world? Just keep in mind that Costco Japan only accepts MasterCard credit cards and cash while Costco in the U.S. accepts Visa credit cards and cash.

   I'm also looking forward to shopping at Kitano Ace (北野エース)! If you are already an expert at Japanese foods and would like to find something you don't see at regular supermarkets in Japan, I think you will love Kitano Ace.

   This time, we are going to Osaka and Fukuoka, so we will purchase some delicious souvenirs which you can only purchase locally. Our hometown is Fukuoka, and we lived in Osaka for many years. That's why we know the best local foods there. ;)

Anyway, today, I'm going to share with you my shopping list for Japanese groceries. These products listed below can be purchased at supermarkets, Kitano Ace and souvenir stores in Japan.

■Supermarket

Instant Miso Soup （インスタント味噌汁）
In Japan, there are so many companies making delicious instant miso soup such as Marukome (マルコメ) and Nagatanien (永谷園). I haven't still decided which instant soup we will buy. You can find instant miso soup at supermarkets, convenience stores, Donki and so on. Maybe, I will also check instant miso soup at Costco.

Marukome Instant Miso Soup (マルコメ料亭の味)

Furikake, Rice Seasoning (ふりかけ)
If you love furikake (ふりかけ), Japanese rice seasoning, I recommend you to try Otona no Furikake (おとなのふりかけ). You can sprinkle rice seasoning like Otona no Furikake over steamed rice. This time, I want to purchase rice ball seasoning such as Yukari (ゆかり) and Wakame (炊込みわかめ). You can mix rice ball seasoning with steamed rice. I made wakame rice balls for my road trip before.

Otona no Furikake (永谷園おとなのふりかけ)


Mishima Yukari, Shiso Leaf Rice Seasoning (三島ゆかり)

Mishima Wakame, Seaweed Rice Seasoning (三島炊込みわかめ)

Fukujinzuke, Japanese Radish Pickles for Curry Rice (福神漬)
Fukujinzuke is perfect with Japanese curry. If you go to CoCo Ichiban Curry Restaurant, you can also find Coco Ichiban Fukujinzuke. I haven't still decided which fukujinzuke I will purchase though. You can find fukujinzuke at supermarkets. Usually, fukuzinzuke is red, but you can also find brown ones.

Fukujinzuke (福神漬)

Takanazuke, Japanese Mustard Leaf Pickles (たかな漬/高菜漬)
In Fukuoka, takanazuke is famous local pickles and also popular tonkotsu ramen topping. You can also check my previous entry, How to Prepare Takanazuke, Japanese Mustard Leaf Pickles.

Takanazuke (高菜漬)

Japanese Snacks and Candies
I also want to purchase some Japanese snacks and candies. One of my favorite Japanese snacks is Calbee Jagariko, which is crunchy potato stick snacks. I also love Umaibo, which has so many positive reviews on Amazon US. I also love Riska Chocobo!

Calbee Jagariko Cheese (カルビーじゃがりこチーズ)

Yaokin Umaibo (やおきんうまい棒)

Riska Chocobo (リスカチョコ棒)

Japanese Bread
I really love freshly baked Japanese bread Japanese bakeries sell, and I also love commercial bread selling at supermarkets and convenience stores. They are nice and fluffy. I would like to purchase shokupan (食パン), Japanese sliced bread, in Japan and will make my favorite egg toast in the U.S. :)

Japanese Bread

How to Make Egg Toast

■Kitano Ace (北野エース)
I really love Kitano Ace. They have unique and best groceries!

Ago Iri Dashi, Japanese Soup Stock with Flying Fish (あご入りだし)
Ago dashi, agodashi (あごだし) is fish based broth made from dried flying fish. As I mentioned in my previous entry, Shopping at Don Quijote Ginza and Japanese Vending Machines, agodashi has been very popular in Japan these years. People in Japan use agodashi for making miso soup, udon soup, ramen soup and etc. You can check out my previous entry, Japanese Grocery Haul - 7 Products He Purchased at Kitano Ace in Japan.

Kitano Ace Agoiri Dashi (北野エースあご入りだし)

Kyushu Sweet Potato Chips, Kyushu Satsuma Chips (九州さつまチップス)

Kitano Ace Kyushu Satsuma Chips (北野エース九州さつまチップス)

     This is my most favorite snacks from Kitano Ace. The chips are sweet and so crunchy!

■Souvenir Stores (Osaka and Fukuoka)
     There are souvenir stores in sightseeing areas, highway service areas train stations and airports.

Takoyaki Manjyu (たこ焼きまんじゅう)
    As I mentioned in my previous entry, Top 3 My Favorite Delicious Souvenirs from Osaka , I love Takoyaki Manjyu! This takoyaki manjyu doesn't taste like takoyaki obviously, but it's pretty and round like takoyaki. Each manjyu has a cute octopus face. :) There are two kinds of takoyaki manjyu. One of them has sweeten red bean paste in it, and the other has cream in it.

Takoyaki Manjyu (たこ焼きまんじゅう)

Hakata Torimon (博多通りもん)
As I mentioned in my previous entry, 5 Best Delicious Souvenirs from Fukuoka, Hakata Torimon (博多通りもん) is always very popular and can be only purchased in Fukuoka. It has gotten the gold award of Monde Selection 18 years in a row. Hakata Torimon is manju (饅頭), a traditional Japanese confection, with a filling of delicious white bean paste. Even if you don't like traditional Japanese manju, I think that you will like it. I think most people love it regardless of age and race. Did you know that Hakata Torimon has earned a Guinness World Record for having the most annual sales in a new category dedicated to a bean paste bun? I really love Hakata Torimon. :)