Fresh fish, ready-to-eat meals, and unbeatable prices are what Japanese supermarkets are all about. Let’s take a look at Izumiya supermarket!
My first impression looking from outside into Izumiya, a common Japanese supermarket, was that it looked just like any other supermarket outside of Japan.
Upon closer inspection, I quickly realized there were almost no recognizable brands, rather, there was a “Japanese replicate” of just about everything!
Naturally, what makes Japanese supermarkets so appealing is the preservation of their own national brands and cuisines which, ultimately, is what we foreigners are seeking in the first place!
Incredibly Affordable Sushi
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the first thing I saw when I entered Izumiya was a huge stack of sushi boxes ready to eat!
The sheer variety of these sushi packs was unbelievable, consisting of salmon, tuna, egg, eel, shrimp, whitefish, and even octopus!
The best part is how ridiculously affordable they were, priced at just 550 yen (less than 4 USD) for a whopping 9 pieces. At 61 yen per piece, that’s even cheaper than Japan’s cheapest sushi train establishments!
Chicken Breast At Half The Average Price
The amazing prices at Japanese supermarkets don’t stop there.
As you head into the meat section, you’ll find a huge selection of beef, chicken, and lamb in all kinds of cuts.
If you’re from the West like me, you probably don’t see thinly sliced beef made for hotpot in your local supermarket.
Not only that, but you also probably don’t have unimaginably cheap chicken breast priced at 550 yen for 800 grams!
Back home in Australia, there is no chance you’d be paying less than a dollar per 100 grams of meat like you can in Japan!
Amazing Ready-To-Eat Meals
Sushi isn’t the only ready-to-eat food on offer at Izumiya supermarket.
In fact, there is a huge variety of dirt-cheap bento boxes (lunch packs) that boast incredibly low prices too.
A typical pack would include seasoned rice, pickled vegetables, fish, egg, tempura (battered and fried vegetable or fish), and tofu.
If you’re not a fan of carbs, there are also yakitori (chicken skewers) on offer in the hot food section.
Furthermore, you can buy trays of ready-to-eat beef, egg sandwiches, sweet buns, and other delights all for similarly low prices.
Fresh Sashimi (Raw Fish)
Forget about going to the fish markets at 6 am in the morning, because Japan’s supermarkets deliver the same level of quality (at least by my standards).
I once attempted to make salmon sashimi with rice in my hometown in Australia, and needless to say, I failed miserably.
The quality and freshness of the salmon were simply not up to speed for eating raw, hence why we mostly cook our fish in Australia.
However, the fish I purchased at Izumiya supermarket was another story.
The Japanese know their supermarket fish is up to sashimi standard, so they even offer you sliced sashimi with spring onions and packets of sauce ready for you to eat as is!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!