For context vs my local US market picking the cheapest option for each item: 16oz Strawberries $5 a pack A cucumber is about $0.66 16oz Shredded cheese is $4.29 10oz Udon Noodles is $2.59 1 garlic $0.89 1 Scallions(bunch) $1.66 1 Sweet onion $0.96 10oz Cherry tomatos $3.99
Wow, Seera 😮. Fruit and veg is just soooo expensive. In fact, the only thing that looks cheap is the rice 🍚. No wonder people eat out a lot. It's expensive to be healthy but to be honest, it is expensive in England too 😢
Super interesting and comfy video, Sarah! It's unironically fun to see how even mundane things like grocery shopping or cooking at home are like in other countries. Hope you show us around more shops and share some recipes. 😊
That was ace - can you give us more run throughs of normal Japanese cooking - it can be really daunting trying to identify what’s whats at the oriental supermarkets here in the UK, so this was a really good format.
I wouldn't mind seeing more "day in the life" style videos, like this one. We have many of the same brands and produce, that you bought, here in Seattle. The prices didn't really shock me, so, yes, prices are high here, too.
Little tips: Yes dairy is super expensive. Box milk without the screw on lid still has 1L of milk. And look for high fat content milk for better tasting one. I find Hokaido milk to be more creamy. Some supermarket have fresh udon single serving as low as 30 Yen. It depends on where you shop. Tomatoes are crazy expensive, I buy Italian canned diced or whole tomatoes for any cooking applications, because the taste is very good and it doesn’t take away the quality. Occasional cherry tomatoes are saved for salads. And don’t get me started on the price of meat (specially beef) 😢😢
Fresh ginger freezes nicely, Sarah! It decreases a little in the strength of flavor once frozen but if you're going to cook it anyway it shouldn't matter much (or just use extra.) Suuuuuuuch a pretty knife! 😍 Practice makes perfect for knife skills!
There is currently a fierce competition for market share in the Japanese food supermarket and drugstore industries. In particular, the drugstore industry is aggressively opening new stores in rural areas. I currently live in western Japan, and compared to Tokyo, I feel that prices are about 10-20% cheaper. Because some stores have bargain sales all year round. Always on the weekends. Prices have skyrocketed in the last year or two. However, compared to Europe and the United States, prices have risen more slowly, so foreigners may perceive Japan's prices to be lower. Except for fruits and dairy products.
In America, my local store is way more expensive in almost every category, the milk and fruits are the only thing that I spotted that wasn't cheaper by at least a dollar or two. The potatoes and milk are the only items that my local grocery store was way cheaper in, the strawberries, blueberries and cheese were about equal price wise but with larger packaging so thats a slight win.
You should absolutely do more videos like this! It was awesome. As an American who lived in Korea my favorite vegetables are lotus root and dikon. So wonderful to see you using them as well. ❤
"...curry is a lazy dish..." Me making curry: *destroys kitchen* *dirties every cooking implement in kitchen* *somehow fills garbage* *somehow fills entire dishwasher* *forgets to add roux, and in the end left with stew*
always the humble ones with the skills. you say you're not good with a knife, but you actually have the rocking motion in your slicing down pretty well, imo. also, is it common to see asian chefs put the index finger on the spine? I feel like that seems really common (even in Shokugeki no Soma) in asia. I was always taught to use the western pinch grip, so that's what I'm used to.
4:04 - I'm an Asian guy who goes to the Asian supermarket in Australia for the Asian ingredients but also the themed snacks and lollies (candy) and I'm in my mid 30s. I don't care. I WANT MY POKEMON THEMED SNACKS.
So the shopping basket was $60? Wow, not for much :/ Wonder how much cheaper things would be if you were cooking for more people and could buy things in bigger quantities... It sucks that high inflation/stagnant wages has hit Japan finally (seems like it happened there a little later than here in the UK). I hope the Japanese actually do something about it unlike us British that will just sit around quietly grumbling about it until we literally starve to death 😂😂😂 Anyway, on a happier note, it's interesting to see 'easy' Japanese dishes, so please feel free to make more of these videos! I only really started cooking much in the pandemic, so always good to see things you can throw together :D Hope you're doing well! (please stay cool. You and Emma always look like you're about to melt in every video recently 😂)
Not sure where you were shopping in this video, but the prices specifically on staple produce was way higher than I get in a smaller neighborhood in central Tokyo. Especially because if you can find a more local produce shop (I know of like 3 between my station and the one next to mine) the prices will drop significantly. Place near me had similar packs of okra for a fourth of the price stated in the video. Also Re: Fruit, there is almost always at least one cheap fruit around (usually bananas) that are normal prices. I've been buying ¥88 lemons for months now! This is doubly so again if you're going to the smaller produce places, where they don't only sell the perfect fruits and they all immediately become more normal prices (place near me had like 5 apples for ¥400 today, compared to supermarkets like this selling single apples for around ¥6-800). Anyway, as bad as inflation is generally, it is shockingly cheap to eat in Japan if you split up your shopping or just go to a slightly more local shop. Signed, a broke grad student in Tokyo
Wow thanks! Do you have specific names of the expensive supermarkets that I don’t need to go to if I can access more affordable ones?? Planning to go to tokyo with my family of 8 and this could help. 😅
@@mapbelds5 I don't know how much help I can be because I'm just buying for myself, but I would suggest looking for the supermarket Gyomu. They're like half grocery store, half restaurant supplier, so they're your best chance for bulk prices. Also if you have a Costco membership there are a couple stores on the outskirts of Tokyo that might be what you need. Hope you and your family have a great time in Tokyo!
Well sharpening skills will have to improve with your cutting skills, Sarah. That will be funny, i smashed my first whetstone. It was proper caved in 😂😂. I wonder if Japan will ever pull out of the stagnant economy and get back to its greatness.
You should decide your menu based on what's on sale that day. That's how the Japanese do it. Ps. You cannot convince me it takes "so much time" to whip up a simple pancake batter.
Very informative and fun video (both on the shopping side and the cooking side). Honestly surprised it isn't more expensive, given Tokyo's reputation for being a rather expensive city to live in. Though ¥300 for less than a liter of milk is a tough pill to swallow...it's just a tiny bit more here for a full gallon (3.785 liters)...but on the other side of the coin, I'm used to paying up for good cheese (I'm Italian, and I use parmigiano reggiano here...average $20 USD a pound). While I'll watch any video you post, as someone who likes to eat, I'd definitely watch more like this, possibly even multiple times (as I might try to emulate the cooking).
OMG more cooking videos pleeeease! You're rockin' the content variety with the recent vids. I'm really enjoying it! And, although dairy is kinda expensive In Japan, I wish EVERYTHING else was as cheap. Grocery shopping in California feels like making an investment. Thanks Sarah!
I’m slowly getting the hang of cooking videos! Were the closeups and voice over a good combo? I wasn’t sure! Cali sounds like a very pricey place to be 🥹
Definitely a good way to go! It's great production value but I also get the impression it allows more control over the video, especially if you have to shoot it by yourself. Great job!
im from germany and its insane to see how much vegetables like potatos and onions are wrapped in plastic and only two or one pieces... for a modern country like japan thats so much waste and unnecessary...
Although Japan has a relatively efficient collection and recycling system, I believe there is a lot to learn from the Germans on the subject, especially their habits in handling packaging and plastics.
it's all geography and the local majority population preferences however. Finding good cheese that isn't insanely expensive is a struggle outside Europe and the UK for example.
this was so interesting! pers onally id l;ove more japanese grocery based videos and cooking bcoz even when im there i find it intimidating! i visit hokkaido for a month ech winter for skiing
Great video! Very nice to see the different costs! Would also just be curious to see how inflation has hit all the chain places and things too. As someone who loves to cook, bake and eat, if I ever moved to Japan, the things that I'd find the hardest to get around would be the cost of Fruits and Cheese. And the lack of kitchen counter space =(. But the ability to eat out at quality places for a decent price would make up for it. I assume there's frozen fruit? Usually just use bag of frozen blue berries for pancakes - works just as well
I use the exact same instant curry mix in the States. I sear off the protein, add the vegetables and soften them. I then add a bit of sugar or honey. Then a splash of rice vinegar, mirin, and shoyu. Add the curry mix and simmer until done.
Hello! As you are shopping and commenting on how pricey things are, I went online and did a yen to dollar conversion. I can report that in Texas in the USA, things are much more expensive than what they are at your store. In general, the prices everywhere are skyrocketing. It is great to see that even on a budget you can make delicious healthy meals. Thank you for sharing your shopping trip, as I always find it interesting to get a peek inside grocery stores in other countries. Keep the videos coming, and I will keep on watching!😊😊😊
Getting to the point where you don't buy anything until it's discounted. Late afternoon/early evening a staff member goes round with the pricing machine marking down by 20, 30 or 50%. In fact some more hard-nosed customers actually pick up a food item take it over and ask the employee to discount it. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
I recently visited Tokyo for the first time, such an amazing country and culture. I want to experience living there someday. Love all your videos of the different places in Japan!
I love a good grocery and cooking video! More, please. Some prices seem pretty comparable to Southern California, except onions, fruit and dairy. Are frozen berries also expensive?
Fruit is a constant struggle in Japan. Right now blueberries in season in Australia is about $3.00 for a huge container (about 300 grams) and so i love it when berries get in season. I struggled cooking fresh produce in Japan because it is so expensive - so I relied a lot on native vegetables like lotus root, eggplant, okra, daikon, sweet potato, potatoes, dried seaweed, kimchi, soy and less on fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh fruit. I would love it when I used to get fresh fruit as omiyage from my colleagues (like strawberries, apples etc.) and whenever I returned home to Australia I would eat my weight in fresh fruit at Christmas. I am actually lactose intolerant so dairy being so expensive never affected me haha.
Hi Sarah ! Love Japanese curry, I will have to try Curry Udon next time ! I just paid $5.70 NZD at Japan Mart in New Zealand for a 220g box of the golden curry, mild flavour. This equates to around 504 yen ! Thanks for the Australian price comparison, alot of channels do it to usd !
I loved this. So relaxing to watch and informative. Good job Sarah! I love watching you cook and generally be happy. I'd watch more of thses and would love it for the new recipes and such you can add to it. Thanks again for the curry hack!
I love so many things about all the foreign countries I've visited, but I gotta say, the comparatively low prices for groceries in the US is so nice. Even with inflation you can get good prices on fresh food. Like $1.50 per pound for apples when on sale (which is frequent), and a nice big pack of strawberries (but not the biggest) for like $2.50. And I'm in Seattle which has relatively expensive groceries.
The thing that always amuses me is that you can get ASDA chocolate in Seiyu. ASDA is a supermarket's own-brand chocolate, so in the UK it's not so desirable compared to the brand names like Cadbury's, etc. It's amusing to see a UK supermarket's brand being sold the other side of the world. The link, I guess, is that Seiyu is owned by Walmart, and ASDA was owned by Walmart.
I would like to see more of your daily life. This video was awesome.I also like Salt and Vinegar Chips. It is a staple in my pantry. Sending Love to you From SanDiego😊
I'm lactose intolerant so I'd be fine with skipping the dairy lol. I know Japanese kitchens rarely have ovens but I find a bench top oven does a great job for a good old roast dinner. It would be interesting to see this done with local Japanese veges.
A tip to improve your knife cutting skills. Your index finger and thumb should be holding the bottom of the spine of the actual knife. Gives you a lot more control compared to only holding the handle. Just look up a video on knife cutting skills, particularly using a chef's knife (what you have) and you will quickly be a lot more confident in your knife handling.
I love this, thank you! :) Your fingers folded under as you chop is great. If you put your knife hand further up the handle where it meets the blade, you'll have a ton more stability and power. A lot of chefs hold it far enough up that they're holding the top of the blade a little bit as well. That trick helped me A LOT when I was first learning knife skills!
I thought your chopping skills were quite good. I was really impressed with your slurping skill. I guess years of practice has paid off. Congrats on hitting 25k.
Rouxs are really simple, Sarah. Put a little oil in a pan, heat it to about medium heat, add about the same amount of flour. Keep it moving. When the flour is about the color of beach sand, it's good for gravies and Mac and cheese. Things like that. Deglaze with milk. Boom, done. Let it go a little longer(about milk chocolate color) and you have a good soft curry or gumbo roux. Deglaze with beer or chicken stock. This is about a good dark chocolate color, which takes about 15-20 minutes.This is where it all goes really intense. My favorite curries are from black rouxs-you can even add chocolate.
Envious of your knife! Just a tip from a cook though; hold your grip further forward, so you keep your index finger on the back of the blade, for better control and guidance. Also, this video makes me want to go back to Japan just for the daily cooking sesh!
Sucks that it made more difficult everywhere to eat even at home now. In canada everything is suppper expensive right now. Dairy has always been expensive here but shredded cheese like that is usually 6-8 dollars(600-800yen) unless it's on sale.
Interesting. Tohoku prices on potatoes and tomatoes are about 1/3 of that. Everything else mostly the same. I shop and cook a lot here. I like the cooking aspect of this video. I used to work as a sushi chef, so I like knives, and I think you could really improve your technique by holding the knife differently. I recommend pinching the blade with your thumb and middle finger just above the handle, with your index finger extended along the back of the blade. This will give you a lot more control. My favorite kitchen knife wasn't expensive either, even though I've used some REALLY expensive ones in the past. It cost me $35, and I did bring it with me to Japan.
I love veggies and fruit, whole food and I'm used to having berries and fruit inexpensive. I'd feel like I was dying if I don't eat fresh veggies and fruit. Don't they have produce markets that have cheaper prices? The other items you showed are less costly than in America. Food prices have gone way up in past years and food doesn't go that far. I'm vegan so the stuff can be relatively inexpensive but items like non dairy can be a bit high like those Violife products. They're really good. The shredded violife is about 5.49 regular price. The Violife cream cheese is about 3.59. My staples are fresh veggies like greens, romaine, cucumbers, etc and fruit of all types, frozen veggies, pasta, rice, quinoa, soba noodles, olives, olive oil as I go through a lot of it. Love watermelon and other summer fruit like peaches. I'm in NJ and there's a lot of farmer's markets and stands, produce markets around with yummy tomatoes, corn, zucchini, blueberries, etc. Are there farm stands like that there? Veggies can be a little less in produce markets which helps a lot.
My curry roux of choice is Hot Vermont (yes, the kind with the apples and honey). That very mild sweetness works really works well with the spice since I add extra chilis to make the curry hotter.
I love frozen udon. I can't stand the dry udon, it just doesn't taste right! Overall not too expense right? Coming from Aussie you probably must feel the same.
As a former chef, I can't help but recoil in horror when I see inexperienced people holding knives. You didn't lose a finger though! 😂 That was a nice knife! 🔪
Hi セーラさん! There should be videos on the YT for holding a sharp knife like that correctly so you don't get hurt. If you pinch the top of the knife with your first finger and thumb then hold the handle with your other three fingers, you may find that you have more control...not as 危ない, you know!?@@seerasan
Its wild that a bag of rice of that size would be ¥1000 ($6.84 USD)! A 1 pound box of instant rice is like $2.50 (¥365) and a 1 pound container of Japanese short grain rice is $8.75 (¥1280) here in America.
Actually, ¥1000 for two kilograms of rice is still expensive. Depending on where you shop, you can actually find decent quality rice at ¥3000 for a 12Kg bag.
No wonder birth rates are declining....how could anyone possibly feed a family of 4 or 5 with these prices and these small portions? Looks like Japan is tailor-made for singles exclusively...
You didn't give us the total. I CBF doing that math. Also your yen to dollars was american dollars rather then AUD which is fine as your expected audience will be mainly american over aus but I also know the exchange rate is a bit more per 100 yen to 1 aud dollar depending on the stock markets. A year or two ago 100 yean was like 1 doller 30 cents but somehow the aus market has passed that critical 1:1 ratio and is sitting at 1 dollar for 97 yen as of this comment. I also noticed you did not add any meat in your dishes? New viewer here but I believe that premade stock isn't vegetarian? Unless it is which would also increase the price of it. You also had pumpkin at home? or did not include it into the market shop? Would have liked to seen the price of the cheaper cuts of chicken/beef and pork. Also in regards to your knife skills that will come with experience and practice. I can tell you have at least somewhat basic kitchen skills as your knife work isn't absolute beginner but it showed me that you do not cook at home often enough. Which is understandable when amazing meals from japan, like you mentioned can cost the same or if not more for home made. However the amount is a factor. Homemade meals usually give 2x to 4x the amount that you would pay for a dinner size serving at a good place however that is where quantity over quality comes into play. Regardless. It is surprising to see such a aussie cutie who enjoys japanese culture and lifestyle and food taste. You have amazing blue eyes and cute freckles. All the best and that was a genuine compliment not just some thirst response for a reply btw.
1000 yen for two kgs of rice is more expensive ´than I would have expected 4 *500g packs of shortgrain is about 5-6 euros in Germany, where there surely upcharge for being in small bags and because it's not a staple here
cucumbers soften/spoil too quickly. Consider buying several and home-pickle ? instant mashed potatoes pricey? thin slice daikon and lotus root and deep fry?
how can it be cheaper the same japanese beer in italy? in italy is like 1,50-2 euro ...and in italy fruit and veg (and meat) are usually cheaper and better when you go to fruit seller/greengrocers ...in japan is different?
I was really surprised to see the vegan cheese, and the price didn't seem too bad either to be honest! Although I can see it says SALE on the label so I'm not sure what the normal price would be... but the price in the video at least is definitely less than what I'd expect to pay here in the UK for the same brand. I'd love to know what other products are available and how much you'd be looking at paying for soy milk etc.
What about farmers market? There are any out there for fruit or vegetables? Or frozen fruit? Anyway inflation has raised very bad prices here too in Italy.... I had almost any apricots, no watermelons too...
That was a great Supermarket. If I ever make it to Japan I will definitely make a point of visiting a selection of their Supermarkets ... can you recommend any?
Living in a relatively affordable mid sized city in America here. I was surprised that all of the items mentioned as being expensive are regular prices here - if not cheaper for the relative quality. Would kill for those cheap spice tubes. They are 2-3x the price here.
Thanks so much for this video - really practical and helpful! I’ve seen lots of videos about the cost of living - but nothing so specific and detailed. Thanks so much Sarah!
I buy packet curry, just warm and spread over rice, not as cheap, but saves an hour making curry and it the prefect serving size. Also Hokkaido cream stew in a packet over rice... S tier.
Maybe the cold udon bowl is watered down because you had 5 big ice cubes in it? Maybe it is supposed to be served like that, I don´t really know. It befuzzled me though 😃
Yeah. The chips lack a tangy option. No salt n vinegar, no light n tangy, etc etc. Thy word thing is his easy it'd be to up The flavours; just use cup noodle flavour powders
this makes me hungry! As an Aussie myself, I would love to visit Japan again someday as I was in Japan 2 months ago for vacation! everything is so cheap in Japan compared with Australia!
Nice video! Is there an app to get groceries delivered in Tokyo? We have instacart and Uber eats in the USA. I’m wondering what is the equivalent here.
I always heard produce was expensive in japan but I guess it's just fruit? those vegetable prices seem on par with the US. Shame about the dairy though
Sarah, try chopping with the base of the knife not the tip 😆 Make sure you follow the knife care instructions religiously, otherwise that beautiful knife will suffer. You need to find a convenient discount supermarket to save a lot of money 👍
When I was stationed with the US Army in Japan, I had a side job. Twice a year I would go to supermarkes and get prices. That helped adjust our cost of living.
What are your thoughts on the prices here in Tokyo? I am forever wishing dairy was cheaper here 🥺
Just support your Aussie farmer by buying the Aussie milk in Japan LOL
Prices are very high because Japan imports most produce.
For context vs my local US market picking the cheapest option for each item:
16oz Strawberries $5 a pack
A cucumber is about $0.66
16oz Shredded cheese is $4.29
10oz Udon Noodles is $2.59
1 garlic $0.89
1 Scallions(bunch) $1.66
1 Sweet onion $0.96
10oz Cherry tomatos $3.99
Wow, Seera 😮. Fruit and veg is just soooo expensive. In fact, the only thing that looks cheap is the rice 🍚. No wonder people eat out a lot. It's expensive to be healthy but to be honest, it is expensive in England too 😢
Takai desu ne
Super interesting and comfy video, Sarah! It's unironically fun to see how even mundane things like grocery shopping or cooking at home are like in other countries. Hope you show us around more shops and share some recipes. 😊
That was ace - can you give us more run throughs of normal Japanese cooking - it can be really daunting trying to identify what’s whats at the oriental supermarkets here in the UK, so this was a really good format.
I wouldn't mind seeing more "day in the life" style videos, like this one.
We have many of the same brands and produce, that you bought, here in Seattle. The prices didn't really shock me, so, yes, prices are high here, too.
Little tips:
Yes dairy is super expensive. Box milk without the screw on lid still has 1L of milk. And look for high fat content milk for better tasting one. I find Hokaido milk to be more creamy.
Some supermarket have fresh udon single serving as low as 30 Yen. It depends on where you shop.
Tomatoes are crazy expensive, I buy Italian canned diced or whole tomatoes for any cooking applications, because the taste is very good and it doesn’t take away the quality. Occasional cherry tomatoes are saved for salads.
And don’t get me started on the price of meat (specially beef) 😢😢
Fresh ginger freezes nicely, Sarah! It decreases a little in the strength of flavor once frozen but if you're going to cook it anyway it shouldn't matter much (or just use extra.) Suuuuuuuch a pretty knife! 😍 Practice makes perfect for knife skills!
Yes!! Frozen ginger is really easy to grate too and lasts a long time.
@@mibluvr13yes, I do this too. It's so convenient having frozen ginger to grate when you need it.
There is currently a fierce competition for market share in the Japanese food supermarket and drugstore industries.
In particular, the drugstore industry is aggressively opening new stores in rural areas.
I currently live in western Japan, and compared to Tokyo, I feel that prices are about 10-20% cheaper.
Because some stores have bargain sales all year round. Always on the weekends.
Prices have skyrocketed in the last year or two.
However, compared to Europe and the United States, prices have risen more slowly, so foreigners may perceive Japan's prices to be lower.
Except for fruits and dairy products.
In America, my local store is way more expensive in almost every category, the milk and fruits are the only thing that I spotted that wasn't cheaper by at least a dollar or two. The potatoes and milk are the only items that my local grocery store was way cheaper in, the strawberries, blueberries and cheese were about equal price wise but with larger packaging so thats a slight win.
You should absolutely do more videos like this! It was awesome. As an American who lived in Korea my favorite vegetables are lotus root and dikon. So wonderful to see you using them as well. ❤
"...curry is a lazy dish..."
Me making curry: *destroys kitchen*
*dirties every cooking implement in kitchen*
*somehow fills garbage*
*somehow fills entire dishwasher*
*forgets to add roux, and in the end left with stew*
I really love to see you cooking! Please more of this series
Well imagine that, an Aussie with a knife!
That's a (great looking) knife!
Do we need to send some Salt and Vinegar chips to a PO box for you Sarah? 😉😉
If you increase the number of Japanese viewers, the number of registrations will increase.
always the humble ones with the skills. you say you're not good with a knife, but you actually have the rocking motion in your slicing down pretty well, imo. also, is it common to see asian chefs put the index finger on the spine? I feel like that seems really common (even in Shokugeki no Soma) in asia. I was always taught to use the western pinch grip, so that's what I'm used to.
4:04 - I'm an Asian guy who goes to the Asian supermarket in Australia for the Asian ingredients but also the themed snacks and lollies (candy) and I'm in my mid 30s. I don't care. I WANT MY POKEMON THEMED SNACKS.
YESS! You get me!! 👊
If you have a grater you can also grate curry roux! Makes it dissolve super well
Okra pods are actually seed pods! They're in the mallow family, so related to hollyhocks, hibiscus, and cocoa!
No way!!! That’s so cool. ❤
Cool fact, thank you!
So the shopping basket was $60? Wow, not for much :/
Wonder how much cheaper things would be if you were cooking for more people and could buy things in bigger quantities...
It sucks that high inflation/stagnant wages has hit Japan finally (seems like it happened there a little later than here in the UK). I hope the Japanese actually do something about it unlike us British that will just sit around quietly grumbling about it until we literally starve to death 😂😂😂
Anyway, on a happier note, it's interesting to see 'easy' Japanese dishes, so please feel free to make more of these videos! I only really started cooking much in the pandemic, so always good to see things you can throw together :D
Hope you're doing well! (please stay cool. You and Emma always look like you're about to melt in every video recently 😂)
Not sure where you were shopping in this video, but the prices specifically on staple produce was way higher than I get in a smaller neighborhood in central Tokyo. Especially because if you can find a more local produce shop (I know of like 3 between my station and the one next to mine) the prices will drop significantly. Place near me had similar packs of okra for a fourth of the price stated in the video.
Also Re: Fruit, there is almost always at least one cheap fruit around (usually bananas) that are normal prices. I've been buying ¥88 lemons for months now! This is doubly so again if you're going to the smaller produce places, where they don't only sell the perfect fruits and they all immediately become more normal prices (place near me had like 5 apples for ¥400 today, compared to supermarkets like this selling single apples for around ¥6-800).
Anyway, as bad as inflation is generally, it is shockingly cheap to eat in Japan if you split up your shopping or just go to a slightly more local shop.
Signed, a broke grad student in Tokyo
Wow thanks! Do you have specific names of the expensive supermarkets that I don’t need to go to if I can access more affordable ones?? Planning to go to tokyo with my family of 8 and this could help. 😅
@@mapbelds5 I don't know how much help I can be because I'm just buying for myself, but I would suggest looking for the supermarket Gyomu. They're like half grocery store, half restaurant supplier, so they're your best chance for bulk prices. Also if you have a Costco membership there are a couple stores on the outskirts of Tokyo that might be what you need. Hope you and your family have a great time in Tokyo!
Pancakes?! What's wrong with a 9% strong zero, hepalyse and 4 cigarettes for breakfast?!
Well sharpening skills will have to improve with your cutting skills, Sarah. That will be funny, i smashed my first whetstone. It was proper caved in 😂😂.
I wonder if Japan will ever pull out of the stagnant economy and get back to its greatness.
You should decide your menu based on what's on sale that day. That's how the Japanese do it. Ps. You cannot convince me it takes "so much time" to whip up a simple pancake batter.
Very informative and fun video (both on the shopping side and the cooking side). Honestly surprised it isn't more expensive, given Tokyo's reputation for being a rather expensive city to live in. Though ¥300 for less than a liter of milk is a tough pill to swallow...it's just a tiny bit more here for a full gallon (3.785 liters)...but on the other side of the coin, I'm used to paying up for good cheese (I'm Italian, and I use parmigiano reggiano here...average $20 USD a pound). While I'll watch any video you post, as someone who likes to eat, I'd definitely watch more like this, possibly even multiple times (as I might try to emulate the cooking).
OMG more cooking videos pleeeease! You're rockin' the content variety with the recent vids. I'm really enjoying it! And, although dairy is kinda expensive In Japan, I wish EVERYTHING else was as cheap. Grocery shopping in California feels like making an investment. Thanks Sarah!
I’m slowly getting the hang of cooking videos! Were the closeups and voice over a good combo? I wasn’t sure!
Cali sounds like a very pricey place to be 🥹
Definitely a good way to go! It's great production value but I also get the impression it allows more control over the video, especially if you have to shoot it by yourself. Great job!
im from germany and its insane to see how much vegetables like potatos and onions are wrapped in plastic and only two or one pieces... for a modern country like japan thats so much waste and unnecessary...
Although Japan has a relatively efficient collection and recycling system, I believe there is a lot to learn from the Germans on the subject, especially their habits in handling packaging and plastics.
It's £13 for 2kg of Japanese rice in London... I guess it makes sense because it needs to be imported 😅
it's all geography and the local majority population preferences however. Finding good cheese that isn't insanely expensive is a struggle outside Europe and the UK for example.
@@ChineseKiwi That makes sense. Basmati is relatively cheaper, maybe because of that
Yay for Golden Curry, here in the UK.
I’m loving the glitter eyeshadow! Although I am a fella, I am totally stealing that look!! I just have to find my color…
Wooooow! That knife looks so cool! Wanna have one!!
this was so interesting! pers onally id l;ove more japanese grocery based videos and cooking bcoz even when im there i find it intimidating! i visit hokkaido for a month ech winter for skiing
Great video! Very nice to see the different costs! Would also just be curious to see how inflation has hit all the chain places and things too.
As someone who loves to cook, bake and eat, if I ever moved to Japan, the things that I'd find the hardest to get around would be the cost of Fruits and Cheese. And the lack of kitchen counter space =(. But the ability to eat out at quality places for a decent price would make up for it.
I assume there's frozen fruit? Usually just use bag of frozen blue berries for pancakes - works just as well
I use the exact same instant curry mix in the States. I sear off the protein, add the vegetables and soften them. I then add a bit of sugar or honey. Then a splash of rice vinegar, mirin, and shoyu. Add the curry mix and simmer until done.
Salt and vinegar chips! Japan, get on it, stat!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Love golden curry. We can get it here in Australia at regular supermarkets. I do also go to the Asian grocer for fun items. Loved this. Cheers
bring seerasan salt and vinegar chips when i come back lol
i miss strong zero
Hello! As you are shopping and commenting on how pricey things are, I went online and did a yen to dollar conversion. I can report that in Texas in the USA, things are much more expensive than what they are at your store. In general, the prices everywhere are skyrocketing. It is great to see that even on a budget you can make delicious healthy meals. Thank you for sharing your shopping trip, as I always find it interesting to get a peek inside grocery stores in other countries. Keep the videos coming, and I will keep on watching!😊😊😊
Richtig gutes Video 🎉 Werde auf jeden Fall mal nach dem Golden Curry Ding schauen. 😂
Hidden Master Chef cooking skills 👌 Love Golden Curry, we use it at home 😋
No Salt & Vinegar; my Japanese dream is over.......
It’s always good to cook from scratch when you can. Love your shopping/eating adventures.
ah, I love the vlog, thx for the video. It gives a good insight of the current prices in japan.
Getting to the point where you don't buy anything until it's discounted. Late afternoon/early evening a staff member goes round with the pricing machine marking down by 20, 30 or 50%. In fact some more hard-nosed customers actually pick up a food item take it over and ask the employee to discount it.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
I recently visited Tokyo for the first time, such an amazing country and culture. I want to experience living there someday. Love all your videos of the different places in Japan!
I love a good grocery and cooking video! More, please. Some prices seem pretty comparable to Southern California, except onions, fruit and dairy. Are frozen berries also expensive?
Fruit is a constant struggle in Japan. Right now blueberries in season in Australia is about $3.00 for a huge container (about 300 grams) and so i love it when berries get in season. I struggled cooking fresh produce in Japan because it is so expensive - so I relied a lot on native vegetables like lotus root, eggplant, okra, daikon, sweet potato, potatoes, dried seaweed, kimchi, soy and less on fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh fruit. I would love it when I used to get fresh fruit as omiyage from my colleagues (like strawberries, apples etc.) and whenever I returned home to Australia I would eat my weight in fresh fruit at Christmas. I am actually lactose intolerant so dairy being so expensive never affected me haha.
Hi Sarah ! Love Japanese curry, I will have to try Curry Udon next time ! I just paid $5.70 NZD at Japan Mart in New Zealand for a 220g box of the golden curry, mild flavour. This equates to around 504 yen ! Thanks for the Australian price comparison, alot of channels do it to usd !
200¥ for a can of beer is super cheap? Come to Germany 😂
Japanese cucumbers are smaller than Australian. .
I loved this. So relaxing to watch and informative. Good job Sarah! I love watching you cook and generally be happy. I'd watch more of thses and would love it for the new recipes and such you can add to it. Thanks again for the curry hack!
I love so many things about all the foreign countries I've visited, but I gotta say, the comparatively low prices for groceries in the US is so nice. Even with inflation you can get good prices on fresh food. Like $1.50 per pound for apples when on sale (which is frequent), and a nice big pack of strawberries (but not the biggest) for like $2.50. And I'm in Seattle which has relatively expensive groceries.
The thing that always amuses me is that you can get ASDA chocolate in Seiyu. ASDA is a supermarket's own-brand chocolate, so in the UK it's not so desirable compared to the brand names like Cadbury's, etc. It's amusing to see a UK supermarket's brand being sold the other side of the world. The link, I guess, is that Seiyu is owned by Walmart, and ASDA was owned by Walmart.
Well its 0130 in Sydney and I am watching someone go shopping, instead of going to bed!
I would like to see more of your daily life. This video was awesome.I also like Salt and Vinegar Chips. It is a staple in my pantry. Sending Love to you From SanDiego😊
The food all looked so good that you cooked! Love all those veggies. Thanks for the fun video, love all the variety of different topics you cover
I'm lactose intolerant so I'd be fine with skipping the dairy lol. I know Japanese kitchens rarely have ovens but I find a bench top oven does a great job for a good old roast dinner. It would be interesting to see this done with local Japanese veges.
240 yen for the curry roux is a steal! I pay $5 for regular price or $3-4 when it's on sale here. Japanese knives are such amazing quality
Quick lifehack: hold your santoku by the blade at the spine, not the handle. It's so much more enjoyable this way!
OMG those noodles look soooo good!, currently going through a heatwave here and they look like they would hit the spot!
Love this type of video, please do more!
東京のスーパーマーケット🛒は、関西地方に比べると少し高いと思う🤔全部じゃないけど、2／3ぐらいで買えますね✌️うどん等の麺類に関しては、日本は本当に安いです。しかし、フルーツについては美味しさを追究し過ぎて凄く高価格になっているのが残念です😥果物🍇🍈🍑🍓🥭は、原産地にある『道の駅』に買いに行くのをお薦めします😉🆗✨自炊しているのは感心だね～💮(←はなまる＝良く出来ました👍️)
A tip to improve your knife cutting skills. Your index finger and thumb should be holding the bottom of the spine of the actual knife. Gives you a lot more control compared to only holding the handle. Just look up a video on knife cutting skills, particularly using a chef's knife (what you have) and you will quickly be a lot more confident in your knife handling.
Thank you! I’ll give this a go :)
i really liked this video! any future cooking that shows how to use japanese ingredients in a simple manner like this is welcome!
I love this, thank you! :) Your fingers folded under as you chop is great. If you put your knife hand further up the handle where it meets the blade, you'll have a ton more stability and power. A lot of chefs hold it far enough up that they're holding the top of the blade a little bit as well. That trick helped me A LOT when I was first learning knife skills!
I thought your chopping skills were quite good. I was really impressed with your slurping skill. I guess years of practice has paid off. Congrats on hitting 25k.
Rouxs are really simple, Sarah. Put a little oil in a pan, heat it to about medium heat, add about the same amount of flour. Keep it moving. When the flour is about the color of beach sand, it's good for gravies and Mac and cheese. Things like that. Deglaze with milk. Boom, done.
Let it go a little longer(about milk chocolate color) and you have a good soft curry or gumbo roux. Deglaze with beer or chicken stock.
This is about a good dark chocolate color, which takes about 15-20 minutes.This is where it all goes really intense. My favorite curries are from black rouxs-you can even add chocolate.
Envious of your knife! Just a tip from a cook though; hold your grip further forward, so you keep your index finger on the back of the blade, for better control and guidance. Also, this video makes me want to go back to Japan just for the daily cooking sesh!
Subbed just because she's gorgeous ❤
Sucks that it made more difficult everywhere to eat even at home now. In canada everything is suppper expensive right now. Dairy has always been expensive here but shredded cheese like that is usually 6-8 dollars(600-800yen) unless it's on sale.
Interesting. Tohoku prices on potatoes and tomatoes are about 1/3 of that. Everything else mostly the same. I shop and cook a lot here. I like the cooking aspect of this video.
I used to work as a sushi chef, so I like knives, and I think you could really improve your technique by holding the knife differently. I recommend pinching the blade with your thumb and middle finger just above the handle, with your index finger extended along the back of the blade. This will give you a lot more control.
My favorite kitchen knife wasn't expensive either, even though I've used some REALLY expensive ones in the past. It cost me $35, and I did bring it with me to Japan.
I love veggies and fruit, whole food and I'm used to having berries and fruit inexpensive. I'd feel like I was dying if I don't eat fresh veggies and fruit. Don't they have produce markets that have cheaper prices? The other items you showed are less costly than in America. Food prices have gone way up in past years and food doesn't go that far. I'm vegan so the stuff can be relatively inexpensive but items like non dairy can be a bit high like those Violife products. They're really good. The shredded violife is about 5.49 regular price. The Violife cream cheese is about 3.59. My staples are fresh veggies like greens, romaine, cucumbers, etc and fruit of all types, frozen veggies, pasta, rice, quinoa, soba noodles, olives, olive oil as I go through a lot of it. Love watermelon and other summer fruit like peaches. I'm in NJ and there's a lot of farmer's markets and stands, produce markets around with yummy tomatoes, corn, zucchini, blueberries, etc. Are there farm stands like that there? Veggies can be a little less in produce markets which helps a lot.
My curry roux of choice is Hot Vermont (yes, the kind with the apples and honey). That very mild sweetness works really works well with the spice since I add extra chilis to make the curry hotter.
I don't mind food videos ^^ food looked nommy
I love frozen udon. I can't stand the dry udon, it just doesn't taste right! Overall not too expense right? Coming from Aussie you probably must feel the same.
love the presentation style! would love to know more quick and easy dishes you'd make if you could only spare about 30 mins of time/energy per meal
As a former chef, I can't help but recoil in horror when I see inexperienced people holding knives. You didn't lose a finger though! 😂
That was a nice knife! 🔪
I think you spoke too soon... I literally sliced my finger using it tonight so I gotta be more careful 😂
@@seerasan Hahaha. Aww, no! Making sarah-shimi? 😂
Hi セーラさん! There should be videos on the YT for holding a sharp knife like that correctly so you don't get hurt.
If you pinch the top of the knife with your first finger and thumb then hold the handle with your other three fingers, you may find that you have more control...not as 危ない, you know!?@@seerasan
シドニーに3年間住んでたけど、Victorian Beer はミネラルウォーターより安かった気が…😅
あと日本の包丁は、押すより引いて切る方がよく切れます😊
Its wild that a bag of rice of that size would be ¥1000 ($6.84 USD)! A 1 pound box of instant rice is like $2.50 (¥365) and a 1 pound container of Japanese short grain rice is $8.75 (¥1280) here in America.
Actually, ¥1000 for two kilograms of rice is still expensive.
Depending on where you shop, you can actually find decent quality rice at ¥3000 for a 12Kg bag.
No wonder birth rates are declining....how could anyone possibly feed a family of 4 or 5 with these prices and these small portions? Looks like Japan is tailor-made for singles exclusively...
Sarah, You are beautiful.
You didn't give us the total. I CBF doing that math.
Also your yen to dollars was american dollars rather then AUD which is fine as your expected audience will be mainly american over aus but I also know the exchange rate is a bit more per 100 yen to 1 aud dollar depending on the stock markets. A year or two ago 100 yean was like 1 doller 30 cents but somehow the aus market has passed that critical 1:1 ratio and is sitting at 1 dollar for 97 yen as of this comment.
I also noticed you did not add any meat in your dishes? New viewer here but I believe that premade stock isn't vegetarian? Unless it is which would also increase the price of it.
You also had pumpkin at home? or did not include it into the market shop? Would have liked to seen the price of the cheaper cuts of chicken/beef and pork.
Also in regards to your knife skills that will come with experience and practice. I can tell you have at least somewhat basic kitchen skills as your knife work isn't absolute beginner but it showed me that you do not cook at home often enough. Which is understandable when amazing meals from japan, like you mentioned can cost the same or if not more for home made. However the amount is a factor. Homemade meals usually give 2x to 4x the amount that you would pay for a dinner size serving at a good place however that is where quantity over quality comes into play.
Regardless. It is surprising to see such a aussie cutie who enjoys japanese culture and lifestyle and food taste. You have amazing blue eyes and cute freckles. All the best and that was a genuine compliment not just some thirst response for a reply btw.
Hotel New Otani pancake mix should be the best pancake mix in Japan, available for about 400 yen.
I’ve gotta give it a go next!
1000 yen for two kgs of rice is more expensive ´than I would have expected 4 *500g packs of shortgrain is about 5-6 euros in Germany, where there surely upcharge for being in small bags and because it's not a staple here
cucumbers soften/spoil too quickly. Consider buying several and home-pickle ? instant mashed potatoes pricey? thin slice daikon and lotus root and deep fry?
how can it be cheaper the same japanese beer in italy? in italy is like 1,50-2 euro ...and in italy fruit and veg (and meat) are usually cheaper and better when you go to fruit seller/greengrocers ...in japan is different?
I was really surprised to see the vegan cheese, and the price didn't seem too bad either to be honest! Although I can see it says SALE on the label so I'm not sure what the normal price would be... but the price in the video at least is definitely less than what I'd expect to pay here in the UK for the same brand. I'd love to know what other products are available and how much you'd be looking at paying for soy milk etc.
What about farmers market? There are any out there for fruit or vegetables? Or frozen fruit?
Anyway inflation has raised very bad prices here too in Italy.... I had almost any apricots, no watermelons too...
That was a great Supermarket.
If I ever make it to Japan I will definitely make a point of visiting a selection of their Supermarkets ... can you recommend any?
Living in a relatively affordable mid sized city in America here. I was surprised that all of the items mentioned as being expensive are regular prices here - if not cheaper for the relative quality.
Would kill for those cheap spice tubes. They are 2-3x the price here.
I'd be more than glad to send you salt and vinegar chips from Canada...maybe some All Dressed or Ketchup too ... If you got a po box let me know.
Thanks so much for this video - really practical and helpful! I’ve seen lots of videos about the cost of living - but nothing so specific and detailed. Thanks so much Sarah!
I buy packet curry, just warm and spread over rice, not as cheap, but saves an hour making curry and it the prefect serving size. Also Hokkaido cream stew in a packet over rice... S tier.
Maybe the cold udon bowl is watered down because you had 5 big ice cubes in it?
Maybe it is supposed to be served like that, I don´t really know. It befuzzled me though 😃
Yeah. The chips lack a tangy option. No salt n vinegar, no light n tangy, etc etc. Thy word thing is his easy it'd be to up The flavours; just use cup noodle flavour powders
this makes me hungry! As an Aussie myself, I would love to visit Japan again someday as I was in Japan 2 months ago for vacation! everything is so cheap in Japan compared with Australia!
Nice video! Is there an app to get groceries delivered in Tokyo? We have instacart and Uber eats in the USA. I’m wondering what is the equivalent here.
I always heard produce was expensive in japan but I guess it's just fruit? those vegetable prices seem on par with the US. Shame about the dairy though
700 JPY is 3.80 GBP, which is not unusually expensive for strawberries. It's probably what you'd pay at Waitrose.
Sarah's from Australia and currently strawberries are $2 a punnet here. 700 JPD is $7.41 AUD - big difference.
Sarah, try chopping with the base of the knife not the tip 😆
Make sure you follow the knife care instructions religiously, otherwise that beautiful knife will suffer.
You need to find a convenient discount supermarket to save a lot of money 👍
When I was stationed with the US Army in Japan, I had a side job. Twice a year I would go to supermarkes and get prices. That helped adjust our cost of living.