How to do shopping in japan

DO SHOPPING IN JAPAN

Do Shopping in Japan

Konbini

I think most of you already heard about konbini. Meaning local shops, the french equivalent could be grosserie stores. However, it’s more than a « simple » local shops. There are more than 50 000 on the whole country. At tokyo, you will meet some in every streets. The most famous one are Seven Eleven, Family Mart et LAWSON; open 24h/24 and 7j/7.

In a konibini, we are generally finding salty foods (as bento, instanal noodles, fried cricket,…), sweatty, drinks (bières, soda, water, tea,…) as well as cleaning products, cigarettes, ATM, Wi-Fi and even sometimes toilets. It’s main advantages is that you can print documents and even paying your bills. Finally, the only bad point is the price that is a little bit more higher than supermarket.

Supermarkets

The second option is supermarkets. They are generally larger, offer more affordable prices, and sometimes stay open until midnight or even 24/7. Although prices vary depending on the store, certain products, like French goods, tend to be more expensive than locally sourced Japanese products (which makes sense). There are many supermarket chains such as Seiyu, Ok Store, and Summit, with some being more expensive than others.

Drug stores

Once again, pharmacies in France are not comparable to those in Japan. In Japan, there are two types of pharmacies:

Those that sell over-the-counter medications as well as hygiene products, household goods, perfumes, and cosmetics. These stores, also called “Drugstores,” are easily recognizable by the kanji 薬 (“kusuri”), which simply means “medicine.” There are many of them under various brand names, and they are often tax-free shops.
Smaller pharmacies that sell prescription medications. These are sometimes separate from drugstores, but in some cases, you can find a dedicated prescription medicine section within a drugstore. Unlike in many Western countries, you will be given the exact quantity of medication prescribed by your doctor.

Tips

Many supermarkets offer loyalty cards. Some cards cover multiple store chains, such asR Point (Rakuten), D Point (Docomo), and T Point. Even if you’re only staying in Japan for a few weeks, these cards can help you save some money. If you’re a fan of high-tech products, major electronics stores like Bic Camera and Yodobashi also have their own membership cards, which can help you get discounts.
For groceries, if you want to save some money, consider shoppingjust before closing time. Many stores apply discounts to perishable items close to their expiration date, such as meat, fish, and bento boxes.
If you’re traveling to Japan forless than three months, you may be eligible for a 10% tax exemption. Stores that offer this typically display a “Tax-Free Shop” sign at the entrance. For more details and conditions, check: https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0000238/