Supermarkets

If you’ve travelled with allergies before, you probably already know that supermarkets quickly become your best friends. They usually offer a much wider selection of foods, and you have far more control over what you’re consuming compared to eating out.

Japan has many different supermarket chains, though some are definitely better than others when it comes to allergy-friendly foods and specialty products. Below are a few supermarkets that I personally believe have a better chance of carrying safe snacks, pantry items, and foods you can easily take with you while travelling.

Life

Life is one of my closest supermarkets, and honestly I’m so glad it is!

My local store has its own little gluten-free section stocked with lots of Bio-Ral products, which has been incredibly helpful for me. Not only do they have a dedicated section, but you’ll also find more Bio-Ral products scattered throughout the supermarket as well.

One thing I do want to mention though is that not every Bio-Ral product will necessarily be allergy friendly. However, I’ve personally found their labelling to be very clear and easy to understand compared to many other products.

Also, if Life ends up becoming one of your regular supermarket while living in Japan, I highly recommend downloading their points app onto your phone! I absolutely love getting the little weekly discounts and saving some money on groceries where I can.

Bio ral

Bio-Ral, as mentioned above in the Life supermarket section, is honestly such a fantastic brand and one that I personally trust a lot due to their very clear product labelling — especially for items specifically marked as gluten-free.

There are a few Bio-Ral stores scattered throughout Tokyo, though many of them are on the smaller side, meaning stock and product ranges can vary depending on the location.

However, there is a much larger supermarket located over in Kichijoji, which I’d highly recommend visiting if you either live nearby or are willing to make the trip out there.

I genuinely can’t stress enough how amazing both this brand and their stores have been for me while living in Japan. Between the clearer labelling, specialty products, and wider allergy-friendly range, Bio-Ral has easily become one of my biggest grocery lifesavers here.

I would absolutely recommend keeping an eye out for their products while shopping in Japan!

AEON

Aeon is a huge chain in Japan, with both supermarkets and shopping malls associated with it. Because of how common they are, there’s a good chance you’ll come across one while travelling around Japan.

In many of the larger Aeon supermarkets, you should be able to find small gluten-free sections within the bread aisles, along with a surprisingly decent international foods section as well.

Due to my additional allergies, I personally haven’t been able to try many of their gluten-free products myself, so I can’t fully comment on the taste or quality. However, from what I’ve browsed while shopping, the range honestly looks pretty solid and much better than I initially expected.

So if you’re looking for a supermarket with a wider variety of foods, Aeon is definitely worth keeping an eye out for while in Japan!

KALDI Coffee Farm

Kaldi is an international supermarket chain that also specialises in different coffee blends, so if you’re a coffee person this place will probably be perfect for you!

Their stores are usually on the smaller side, but they’re absolutely packed with all kinds of international foods, snacks, sauces, drinks, and pantry items. One thing I really enjoy is that their product range changes fairly often, so it’s definitely a fun place to keep revisiting to see what new things they’ve stocked.

Because many of the products are imported or international, prices can definitely be a little higher compared to regular supermarkets, though honestly that’s pretty expected.

Even if you don’t end up buying much, Kaldi is still a really fun store to wander around and browse through, especially if you’re missing foods from home or wanting to try something different while living in Japan.

National Azabu

National Azabu was the very first international supermarket I visited in Japan, and it quickly became somewhere I kept returning to until I became more familiar with the supermarkets closer to home.

As you might expect from an international supermarket, especially one located in a more upscale neighbourhood, the prices are definitely a bit higher. However, they stock a really wide variety of imported foods and allergy-friendly products that can sometimes be difficult to find elsewhere.

Another great thing about National Azabu is how easy it is to access from the Hibiya Line, making it a really convenient stop if you’re staying around central Tokyo or visiting nearby areas.

So if you’re newly arriving in Japan, missing foods from home, or simply wanting somewhere with a broader international selection, I’d definitely recommend checking out National Azabu!

Tomiz

Tomiz has absolutely got you covered if you’re wanting to do some baking while living in Japan.

Ever since discovering all of my “no-no foods” and moving over here, I’ve found myself making more and more of my own food. So when I discovered a specialty baking store like Tomiz, I was honestly over the moon.

And honestly, this recommendation goes for everyone, allergies or not!

They stock all kinds of baking ingredients, though the most impressive part for me is definitely the HUGE range of different flours they carry. It has basically become my go-to place for baking essentials, and I’m incredibly grateful I have one fairly close to home.

I’d also highly recommend checking out their online store before visiting in person so you can get an idea of what you may need beforehand. Sometimes the in-store labelling can be a little difficult to navigate because of the amount of kanji used on packaging.

That being said, most of the flours at my local store do also include some basic English labelling, which definitely helps! Though I can’t fully speak for other branches as I haven’t had the chance to visit many of them yet.

So if you enjoy baking, or simply need specialty flours and ingredients while living in Japan, I would absolutely recommend checking out Tomiz!