I think this is again due to Japan’s passion for using fresh ingredients, so at least it is reassuring that the food will at least be healthy and fresh. The offering seems a little random one day your favourite may not be there. I think this comes down to space Fresco really wants to offer you a lot, but generally the shop-space is smaller. It looks a little like they weren’t expecting the products to come in, so they just threw them in a box. By “odd stacking system” I mean that it is not uncommon for the seasonal goods to be put in a big meal basket, boxes stacked atop each-other.

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. I have seen it in many places, but the size and offering in-store is far more conservative. If we look at the lowest price you’ll pay for bread, we’re talking 110Y for six slices.įresco is another fairly big company, but this one feels a lot more humble. The quality is okay, and the price may be a little high for these things. Like most places in Japan, you’ll find a plethora of fresh lunch items, such as fried chicken, sushi, sandwiches, bakery goods, etc. You’ll be “Dancing in the Street” (aisles) as you shop, which is always nice. I am not sure if it can be said of every Aeon store, but from personal experience, there is a constant upbeat ‘80s playlist. Aeon operates some conbinis too, known as Mini Stop, so you’re likely to find the “Top Range” brand around. It’s the most cost-effective range of goods on offer in their store, and it does cover a lot of the essentials. 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.Īeon offers their “Aeon Top Value” range, which is likely what you’ll want to buy. 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. This then brings us to the question of quality vs quantity, to which I say that the quality of Aeon products is okay. Some people do not like Aeon as it seems to be taking over a lot of places if you’re British, think “Tesco”, and if you’re American perhaps “Wal-Mart” with slightly more class (sorry Wal-Mart!). The key example would be Aeon (not to be confused with the language school).Īeon is a massive company, you will certainly see a lot of department stores brandishing the name, or maybe just the supermarket branches. They may just even have a floor dedicated to food –and not a food court, though you can typically find restaurants and the cinema on the top floor. Japan has many department stores, and it is typical for these stores to have a basement floor dedicated to groceries. (Yes, only six, very thick slices, with no end pieces.) I’ll use the lowest price for bread as an example to reflect the stores’ prices.įirstly, I may have exaggerated a fair amount about the rarity of supermarkets. So I’m going to look into some Japanese supermarkets –focusing 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’re buying.īread is much more of a luxury in Japan, so I’ll base the prices on the very generous loaf of six slices. That’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. Perhaps the concept of a “big shop” in Japan is odd. Please read our disclosure for more info.Īs a British guy who is more accustomed to the “big shop” once every three weeks or so, I hunt for supermarkets. Whenever you use these links to buy something, we earn a commission to help support our work at Voyapon.

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Fresco supermarket near me