Walking around Japan, you can spot convenience stores at every corner, there are so many of them my cousin said once that if a small red dot would mark a conbini on Japan’s map, it would all be red. But have you ever been inside a supermarket?
For I know I have only entered one during my second trip to Japan, out of curiosity. You can find what you need in conbinis most of the time, so there was no need to look for a supermarket. But I thought the way it’s organized is pretty interesting, so I’ll share. In my country all supermarkets are like a gigantic store with everything you need in it, but this one in Sapporo was the other way around! It was made out tens of small, individual shops. A lot of them offer freebies for eventual customers to taste and on of your Japanese friends told us a lot of people just walk around tasting freebies and that’s a meal 
So many delicious cakes and crepes and sweets, my tummy is rumbling only as I’m seeing these pictures again ;~;
What are supermarkets in your country like? Have you ever been in one in Japan? Thank you for reading and take care!
This looks like one of the nicer supermarkets in Japan. The cheaper ones are probably more like what you’re used to. The ones called Max Value and Aeon are pretty much like Tesco in the UK.
I always found grocery stores in Japan to be rather interesting. When I was living in Asaka, we had one called Fuente which for the most part looked like an American grocery store in terms of the layout of the place, but most other grocery stores I encountered were as you described here.
That’s interesting
I haven’t been to any other except for this since, as I metioned, we could find almost everything in conbinis, haha~
Roermond! That’s a town in my country!
I’ve never been to a Japanese supermarket but I have been to Chinese supermarkets and I was astonished by the fish section! Fresh fish swimming in tanks waiting to be picked and slaughtered!
Ahhaha that’s a bit cruel but the way you said it makes it sound funny! In my city it’s the same, our supermarkets are full of fish tanks haha
Where I live the fish are already dead when they get delivered to the market or the supermarket so it was a bit of a spectacle for me at first! Especially eating fish in a restaurant and you ge to pick your own meal from the fishtank!
Only two more sleeps until I depart for Tokyo so it will be interesting to see it for myself, first-hand. But thank you for your posts as they are giving me a great insight before I leave
Kim*
http://www.100days100ways.wordpress.com
http://www.travelphotographyblog.wordpress.com
Ah you’re so lucky, have fun! <3
I have been in a Japanese supermarket, years ago. Love the pictures! Once more am homesick for your country. DAF
Thank you! Oh but Japan is not my country, unfortunately, haha
to me, japanese supermarkets have some kind of magic. so many things, food i have yet to try and friendly staff (well, most of the time.)
in (south) germany, where i live, supermarkets are places where you have to go because your fridge is empty and most of the time it doesn’t even make fun, people complain about how everything gets more expensive, that they want to try non-chemical stuff if it were cheaper and that they don’t have time for anything. i think you should go buy food and other things because you need them and like to pick out the stuff you like or try out new things.
My first (and only) time in Japan was 6 years ago now, but I went into supermarkets on several occasions. I find your post interesting, because all the supermarkets I went into were really pretty close to what I’m used to in a supermarket. I’m not from the States, but I believe our supermarkets are similar to yours, and so were the ones I went to in Japan. How odd!
Wow, I wish markets here were like the ones in Japan. Everything looks soo good. I know where I am going if I go to Japan.
I remember Korean supermarkets in Seoul, such great selections!
Love,
Blithe M.
Love the pictures! Ohmy they’re sure colourful selectionn, spot some yummy looking crepesss YUM
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