Grocery Shopping in Sasebo, Japan

Where do I go to shop for groceries?

I go to AEON and Ellena. They are the closet grocery stores to me and I usually walk to get groceries. I am currently only buying groceries for me, so its usually about one to two bags. I go to store two to three times a week. The meat is only good for a day or two.

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What does a grocery store look like in Sasebo, Japan?

They are set up similar to a grocery store in the U.S. The produce section is usually close to the entrance. The meat and dairy sections are along the walls. The inner aisles are filled with sauces, seaweed, chips, candy, noodles, and drinks.

How are grocery stores different in Sasebo, Japan than the U.S.?

The carts are smaller. The portion sizes of meats are smaller. They have portions for one person up to a family size. The bags of chips are smaller. You can purchase small cans of some sodas to one liter of soda (this is only for few sodas). The overall size of the store is smaller.

What my grocery shopping trips are like.

The first thing I do when I walk in is grab a basket. I don’t need a cart, unless I am shopping with Doug. Since Doug has been gone for almost two months, I just shop for me.

The first section I go to is produce. I grab some fruit. Japan only carries seasonal fruit. In the Summer, you can find cantaloupe, melon, watermelon and pineapple. In the Fall, you can find apples, persimmon, and muscat (grapes). I will have to see what Winter and Spring provide. I have been able to find mandarin oranges in Summer and Fall so far. The fruit is pricey compared to the U.S., but it is cheaper to buy out-in-town than at the Commissary on base. There are plenty of vegetables to pick from. They have carrots, potatoes, green onions, leeks, different kinds of lettuce, onions, cabbage, and autumn squash.

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After produce, I go look at meat. You can find wagyu beef, steak, sliced beef, pork belly, chicken (wings, breasts, and tenders), pork chops, ground chicken, and ground beef. I usually pick up steak, sliced beef, chicken, and ground beef. The expiration date can range for that day or a day or two later. It truly depends on when you go. If you go later in the day, you can find discounts on meat for that day or the next day. I don’t buy meat at the Commissary because it comes in frozen and the quality of meat is better out in town.

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Depending on what I need, I will go through the aisles. The first time I got to a new store, I will walk all the aisles to see what they have. I always go to the noodle and snack aisles. If I don’t know what something says, I will use Google Translate. Its not perfect but I get an idea of what it is. Some products have English in parentheses underneath Japanese.

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I have seen a few American products. They have SPAM, Oreos, Ritz, and Snickers. There are Kit Kats but they offer only select flavors (regular, almond and cranberry, and matcha). They have Coca-Cola and Pepsi but they are bottled in Japan. There is also a Lemon Coca-Cola and a Japan Pepsi.

The last things I look at before I check out is the drink cooler and the bread area. The drink cooler has several drinks in 500 mL (16 oz) bottles. The drinks I enjoy are Peach Water and Lemonade. The Peach Water I can find about anywhere. The Lemonade I enjoy can only be found at Ellena. The bread area has sliced bread and pastries. You can buy bread in three slices, six slices, to a large load (typical U.S. size). I like to look at the pastries and try different things. My favorite pastry to buy right now is a vanilla and chocolate sponge pinwheel cake.

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When I am ready to check out, I go get in line. You place your basket on the counter. The cashier rings your groceries and then places in another basket. Once all your items are entered, they will ask if you need a bag in Japanese (they will mime a bag). I always say no in Japanese. Then they might ask if you have a point card in Japanese. They might mime it out. It just depends. I don’t have a point card, so I tell them no in Japanese. I started getting this question after going to AEON several times. I have had a few cashiers speak to me in English so that has made it easier.

Then you pay. At AEON, you may use card or yen. At Ellena, I have only ever used yen. I don’t know if they take card or not. I always have yen on me (most restaurants only take yen). You don’t hand yen to the cashier, you place it in a plastic tray. They take the yen from the tray and put it in their cash register. When they hand you your change, they will put the yen in the plastic tray. Don’t forget to take your yen! There are some checkout lanes where they ring up your items then send you to a machine to pay. I like going to the machine, because I can take my time to go through my yen coins.

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After paying, you take your basket to a table. At the table, you put your groceries in a bag you purchased or your reusable bags. Yes, you must pay for plastic bags. They have plastic bags available at the check out lane. They range from 3 to 5 yen (3 to 5 cents). I always carry two reusable bags in my purse. At the table, there are plastic bags to put your meat in or any item that may leak. After I bag my groceries, I put my basket away and leave.

It took me a couple of times to get use to the set up. The first time I went to grocery shop at AEON, I went the wrong way to check out. The first few times I was walking through the store I would say excuse me in Japanese, but then figured out a simple head bow means the same thing. I always make sure to be respectful when out, because I am representative of the United States. It is a privilege to be here. To keep that privilege, I must try my best to follow the rules and customs to the best to my knowledge. I have made silly mistake and will most likely make silly mistakes.