Back in the day, buying Japanese groceries in Singapore was akin to a SEAL Team Six operation. You would dash into Meidi-Ya (the only Japanese supermarket in town then) and quickly grab what you need, and then head straight for the checkout counter before the enemy tricks you into buying $10 sweet potatoes in the shape of cat ears.
These days, Japanese groceries have become pretty mainstream, so it’s not necessary to brave the beautifully-arranged aisles of Meidi-Ya anymore (unless you want to).
Here are the best Japanese supermarkets in Singapore.
Outlets: City Square Mall, 100AM, Orchard Central
Hands down, my favourite Japanese supermarket in Singapore is Don Don Donki, even though the crazy store layout and constant theme song gives me mild PTSD.
The Japanese discount chain really does deliver budget-friendly groceries of all kinds. You can also find a dizzying selection of items such as natto, furikake, cup noodles, Japanese curry, fresh meat and seafood, dairy products, drip coffee, sake – the list goes on.
Outlets: Great World City, Millenia Walk
Meidi-Ya at Liang Court was the classic Japanese supermarket in Singapore. After being based at the mall for years, it has moved operations to Great World City and Millenia Walk this year.
Aesthetically, Meidi-Ya is the total opposite of Don Don Donki. The aisles are neatly organised with no shouty tags trying to get your attention. However, prices are definitely on the high side – just have a look at the website
That said, there’s nothing stopping you from waltzing in there to feel like being in a mini Japanese enclave once in a while.
Outlets: Shaw Centre (Lido), Westgate
While Meidi-Ya is where regular Japanese aunties shop, Isetan Supermarket is where they go to titter over ridiculous prices. (Source: Me overhearing said tittering.)
Although they do sell a selection of groceries, Isetan Supermarket is more like a lifestyle store or perhaps a place to look for gifts for your otaku friend. Think of it as the food version of Tokyu Hands. And also a great place to get free samples of snacks.
Ready-to-eat food is the main attraction here – there are so many stalls it looks more like a food court than a supermarket. The Isetan at Westgate even has a little bar where you can drink in-store.
Outlet: Ngee Ann City
Cold Storage may be better known for western food items like kale, hummus, and stinky cheese, but the outlet at Takashimaya is clearly geared towards the Japanese expats crowd.
There’s at least an aisle dedicated to packaged Japanese groceries (condiments, cooking sauces, seaweed, drinks). But the Japan theme runs throughout the supermarket, so you can also find stuff like Wagyu beef at the butcher section and Japanese craft beer at the alcohol aisle.
Tip: The on-site sushi and donburi counter (tucked away in a corner next to the seafood chiller) is also one of the best places to eat Japanese food on the cheap in town.
Outlets: 100AM, Changi City Point, Chinatown Point, City Square Mall, East Point, IMM, ION Orchard, J-Cube, Kallang Wave, Parkway Parade, Plaza Singapura, Sembawang Shopping Centre, SingPost Centre, Square 2, Tampines 1, Waterway Point
Laugh if you want, but I actually buy some of my Japanese groceries from Daiso’s food section, and no, I don’t subsist on Tohato Caramel Corn.
Some of the best grocery finds I’ve gotten at the $2 megastore are furikake, miso paste, soba noodles, soba sauce, mirin, bonito flakes, spices/seasoning powders, and genmaicha. There’s usually also a selection of packaged pasta sauce and curry roux too.
The quality is a bit hit or miss but I think that’s part of the fun. Last night I had Daiso soba with Daiso dipping sauce and Daiso seaweed flakes, and I’m not dead yet.
Tip: Go to the one at 100AM or City Square so you can hit up Don Don Donki afterwards.
Outlets: Plaza Singapura, Chinatown Point
I personally do not classify snacks in the same category as groceries, but if your diet is 50% Pocky and 50% Kewpie mayonnaise, then hey, you do you.
Iroha Mart is paradise for Japanese snack lovers – there’s tons of Japanese sweets, chocolates, cookies, rice crackers, bottled drinks, sake, cup noodles, potato chips, etc. here, typically about $2 to $5 each (except the booze). Depending on how much you love junk food, it can be difficult to exercise restraint here.
Online store Zairyo is a gourmet Japanese grocer, which means you won’t find cheap trashy stuff here. The fact that its most popular products are uni and ikura should tell you something about its premium-ness.
They also have fresh veggies and meats as well as specialty noodles, condiments and sauces that you’d normally find only at Meidi-Ya. A quick check on some random items shows that they’re slightly (think $0.20) cheaper at Zairyo.
There’s a delivery fee of $10 unless you order at least $100. Alternatively, you can self-collect your items at their Yishun warehouse.
Outlets: West Coast Plaza, Parkway Parade, Anchorpoint, Seletar Mall
You might have come across Fish Mart Sakuraya, a hybrid Japanese grocery store with a small dining area, found in several shopping malls.
It’s not a full-fledged supermarket, more a minimart selling fresh seafood alongside Japanese drinks, snacks, noodles, sake, etc. They have an online store so you can check out the items first. I think it’s better to buy packaged items from Don Don Donki as they’re generally cheaper at the latter.
I can’t vouch for the quality of the fresh fish, but the dining area usually gets brisk business for items like chirashi don ($15). You can also pick the fish from their supermarket section and have it grilled or sliced for you on the spot.
Outlet: JCube
Halal Japanese restaurant Isuramuya is one of the few places in Singapore where you can get Japanese groceries with coveted halal certification. (Zairyo also has a small halal section on their site.)
Since it’s primarily a restaurant, the groceries selection here is understandably limited. The items here are mainly packaged items like gyoza, noodles and sauces, along with some fresh fish.
Outlets: Star Vista, 112 Katong, Century Square
J-Mart is the official retail store of the Japan Prestige Sake Association, so it’s probably the go-to if you’re looking for a good variety of sake in Singapore, especially premium sakes from small breweries.
Apart from booze, J-Mart sells mainly snacks and sweets (including ice cream). You can get a few condiments and drinks here too, but it’d be a stretch to call it a supermarket.
Text: Clara Lim/MoneySmart
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