Grocery Stores in Shinjuku

[punk pie]

I will be staying in Shinjuku for a few nights at a place where I will have a kitchen. I also love to explore grocery stores to find not so common foodstuffs . I know of the depachika and convi stores, but is there a grocery chain that would serve my needs in that area? Thanks!

[Robb S]

Shinjuku is a pretty big area (for example, Hatsudai is a few kilometers away from the eastern end of Shinjuku) - where are you staying?

[Debbie M]

Not really in Shinjuku (probably about a 20 min. +/- subway ride), but there's an Ito-Yokada superstore near Kiba station, on the Tozai metro line. It's kind of like a Target, but bigger and with more services (including a cinema and a separate building with some good restaurants), that has a large supermarket on the ground floor.

If you're actually buying stuff to cook in your own kitchen it would be easier to shop local to where you are (and there are many little grocery stores in Shinjuku, as well as the department store basements), but if you want to be able to spend a long time just looking at all the different products without getting in the way, like you might at a smaller store, then this is the place for you (of course, I realize that I may be the only one who thinks this is something fun to do while on vacation).

There's a map on this page that shows how close it is relative to the station:
http://www.fujikura.co.jp/00/news/001...

[punk pie]

Thanks for the rec. I will most definitely check this place out. And you're not alone, I love to spend hours at stores especially stores in foreign countries finding and looking at the out of the ordinary.

[Yukari]

Ito Yokado is great. I used to live in Monzennakacho and went to Yokado about 4 times a week.

However, it is a bit of a haul from Shinjuku. If you have time, definitely check it out, if not, you will find all you need in the markets in the shoutengai.

Have fun cooking!

[punk pie]

Can you suggest directions to the place?? Which train to take, etc.
Thanks!!

[Debbie M]

There's no direct train from Shinjuku to Kiba, so you can do either of the following:

Take JR Yamanote line (in the direction of Ikebukuro) two stations to Takadanobaba. Transer there to the Tozai Metro line. Kiba will be about 10 stations from Takadanobaba

or

Take the Oedo Metro line to Monzennakacho. Transfer there to the Tozai line. Kiba will be the next stop.

The Ito Yokado complex is less than a 5-min. walk from the station, and is right next to the overhead expressway, so don't walk too far afield from there, and you should find it without too much trouble.

Good luck and have fun!

[Yukari]

I used to live in Shinjuku and there are many small supermarkets. Ask when you check in and they should be able to guide you to the local markets. You will be able to save money that way and find a wide variety of things.

Ask if you are anywhere near Hatsudai. There is a great shoutengai (shopping arcade) filled with shops for tofu, meat, fish, etc. as well as a few supermarkets and dry goods shops, including 100 yen shop (dollar stores) with foodstuffs. Have fun!

www.hatsudai.ne.jp/ (website for the shoutengai in Hatsudai)

[punk pie]

Thanks for the rec. I just looked at their website and it looks beyond belief!!

[Robb S]

Most of the department store basement food floors have grocery stores. For example there's a branch of the Kinokuniya chain in the basement of Takashimaya in Shinjuku.