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Where to buy the world’s best Japanese groceries (without going to Japan)
A quiet shift is happening in the way we stock our kitchens. The era of supermarket soy sauce is over. Today’s home cooks want the good stuff—aged mirin, hand-milled short-grain rice, single-origin miso. And they’re willing to seek it out.
Across the world, independent grocers and boutique retailers are redefining what it means to shop for Japanese ingredients. These aren’t pan-Asian supermarkets. They’re specialist, design-conscious, chef-level destinations—each built around rare imports, regional knowledge and obsessive attention to quality. The kind of places you learn about through a friend of a friend. Or a passing tip from a chef, almost whispered.
This list isn’t exhaustive. It’s personal. Each store here offers something extraordinary—whether that’s handmade tofu behind the counter, a sake fridge curated by a sommelier, or Kyoto-style pickles flown in weekly. And not one of them is in Japan.
Japan Centre, London
Ichiba, or Japan Centre, is one of three Japan Centre food halls in London, set on the lower ground floor of Westfield London on the side closest to White City tube station. It's apparently the largest Japanese food hall in Europe, and can seat 200 diners. There's an extensive selection of groceries here, from fresh fish and meat to sake and imported ingredients. A cornerstone of Japanese food culture in the UK since the 1970s, this massive store combines a grocery market, sushi counter, bakery, and bookstore all under one roof. Their online shop stocks everything from konbu to kitchen knives—with free UK delivery over £65. Huge range, surprisingly accessible.
A fixture for Sydney’s Japanese community and a quiet favourite of local chefs. Tokyo Mart in Northbridge is where you’ll find Japanese treats and sweets, an assortment of Japanese crockery, pantry essentials like yuzukoshu, a wasabi-like paste made with the Japanese citrus, reminiscent to an aromatic lemon or lime. There's sake, too, and a lot of it, A5 wagyu, pristine nori, and an entire aisle of miso. Don’t miss the freezers—stocked with shiso gyoza, fish cakes, and sliced lotus root.
A Japanese convenience store in St Leonards, Miso Mart is renowned for its freshly made onigiri, crafted daily with premium Japanese rice and seaweed. Flavours range from classic tuna mayo to grilled salmon, teriyaki chicken, and tobiko mentai. It's a go-to spot for authentic Japanese snacks and drinks.
This is Melbourne’s most comprehensive Japanese grocer, part of the same Tokyo Mart chain in Sydney. There's also Fuji Mart in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Perth. For out of town Aussies, there's also an extensive online store spanning every Japanese snack you can long for. Loved for its range, pricing and sense of community. Stock up on soba, mochi, natto, and dozens of Japanese snacks not found elsewhere. A strong fish and frozen section, too.
At S Mart, we invite you to explore an extensive selection of Japanese snacks and ingredients that will elevate your culinary adventures to new heights. From a variety of freshly made sushi and bento to perfectly seasoned rice crackers...
S Mart, London
One of the newer Japanese supermarkets in the city, SMart is tucked just across from Queensway station—easy to get to and unexpectedly deep in its offering. The vibe leans konbini at the front, with chilled shelves stocked with canned coffees, Japanese teas, Pocari Sweat. There's even a fridge of Japanese beers, Chu-hi, Lemon Sours and Highball cans—all at commuter-friendly prices. Bento boxes are lined up next to sushi and sashimi sets, alongside meat trays (including Wagyu slices), fresh enoki and miso paste in multiple styles. Freezers hold gyoza, natto, and fish cakes. There’s a long shelf of noodles—udon, soba, somen, plus instant ramen from Tokyo and Osaka brands. And sauces, plus mirin and cooking sake in generous bottles. The rice selection runs deep—grains from Toyama and Akita, flanked by colourful packets of furikake and savoury crackers like Kameda’s mixed tsutsumi. A final aisle reveals something rare: kitchenware. There are sushi mats, lacquerware bowls, plastic bento boxes, rice paddles, and measuring cups—alongside a full wall of Japanese stickers and household items that bring to mind a 100 yen shop. Functional, chaotic, and full of discovery.
We’re Sakesakana natural natural in Ealing Common. We specialise in fresh sashimi, fresh fish fillets for cooking (already marinated or home dried. these are perfect for a quick supper, just put it in the oven!😉) other gorgeous seafood such as prawns, clams and oysters!...
Natural Natural, London
With locations in Ealing Common - right next door to their SakeSakana store (which specialises in sake, sashimi, sushi and seafood) - and Finchley Road, Natural Natural is a gem. There’s a bakery inside, fresh sashimi, seasonal Japanese vegetables and pantry items rarely seen outside Japan. There's a community-vibe here, and you’ll often see Japanese expats and families come in for their regular shopping. A local institution.
Natural Natural in Ealing Common, next to their Sake Sakana store.
Kioko Opera, Paris
Kioko is the go-to for Japanese expats and chefs in Paris. The Kioko Opera store is located a short distance from rue de l'Opéra. Highlights include konbu, rice vinegar, soy sauces, and tofu that’s only available behind the counter. Find Japanese rice, rice crackers, Japanese vegetables, tofu, natto, sake and furikake. A classic, done well. A second KIOKO store opened in the Marais in 2023, and focusses on sake.
A sleek, minimalist boutique near Palais Royal offering high-end Japanese pantry goods and sake. Everything feels curated—aged soy sauces, hand-pressed sesame oil, and elegant gift sets. It's pricey, but those special imports have travelled a long way. This is a favourite with chefs. There's an online shop, if you're not passing by.
Berlin’s newest Japanese grocery store Japan Plaza is open and features a fantastic range of products 🇯🇵🍱
Japan Plaza, Berlin
Tucked away in Mitte, Japan Plaza combines a beautifully curated Japanese supermarket with a compact bistro serving ramen, curry, and onigiri. Shelves are stocked with soba, matcha, tsukemono, rice cookers, and ceramic donabe pots. A calm, modern space that feels more like a Tokyo department store basement than a Berlin street corner.
Your favorite Osakana bentos — now available uptown! 🎉 From 5/19 to 5/23, find our chirashi and sushi boxes at @katagirinyc’s 59th Street store.
Katagiri, New York
Operating since 1907, Katagiri is the oldest Japanese grocery store in the U.S.—and one of its most trusted. The Midtown East shop is packed with premium Japanese ingredients: sashimi-grade seafood, small-batch miso, noodle varieties from across Japan, and a tight, excellent sake selection. It’s quietly legendary.
Tucked into LA’s Sawtelle Japantown, Nijiya is a mainstay for locals and a go-to for chefs. Pristine produce, excellent bento boxes, and niche pantry finds like fresh burdock, boutique dashi packets, and kinako. The presentation is immaculate. Always worth a visit.
