What Should You Buy at a Japanese Grocery Store? 🇯🇵🛒
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Use my code BERYL at partner.bokksu... to get $15 off your first Bokksu Japanese snack box and check below for links to shop other items I found at their online market!
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Walking the lanes of a grocery store can be its own form of travel, especially when you’re in a grocery store with foods from outside your culture. But there is always the looming question of what to buy. I reached out to my friend Remi, who was born in Japan, to share with us her top picks of items to buy and, most importantly, how to use them.
All the items from the episode can also be seen on my website here: www.beryl.nyc/...
Items seen in this episode that can be found on Bokksu’s Market
Kewpie mayo: www.bokksumark...
Soy Sauce: www.bokksumark...
Mirin: www.bokksumark...
Hondashi: www.bokksumark...
Corn Soup flavor snacks: www.bokksumark...
Umeboshi flavor chips: www.bokksumark...
Pizza flavor chips: www.bokksumark...
Wasabi flavor shrimp chips: www.bokksumark...
Hokkaido Butter snacks: www.bokksumark...
White Truffle flavor chips: www.bokksumark...
Oden Set: www.bokksumark...
Remi’s Shopping List
Asazuke (Japanese mixed light pickles)
Renkon slices (lotus root slices)
Maruchan Fish Cake Sausage
Gohan Desuyo
Ochazuke (umeboshi, salmon, or nori flavors)
Salmon Flakes
Soy sauce (different types and their uses - stewed veggies: Usukuchi Shoyu, sushi/sashimi: Tamari Shoyu, eggs/rice: Shiro Shoyu, stir fry: Saishikomi)
Mirin
Hondashi
Canned mackerel (marinated in either miso or soy sauce)
Oden set
Cheesecake caramel
Bikkle
Umeboshi (made with honey)
Sakiika
Kabocha Squash
Riska Mentai Umai Snack (also cheese and nori flavors)
My Picks:
Inari (Fried Tofu Skin)
Nishiki Brand Rice
Kewpie Mayo
My Sick-Day Foods episode I mentioned where I made Ochazuke: • What the World Eats Wh...
The story I did with Great Big Story on how most of the world’s wasabi is actually fake: • The Wasabi You Eat Pro...
Wanna mail something?
Beryl Shereshewsky
115 East 34th Street FRNT 1
PO Box 1742
New York, NY 10156
Follow me on Instagram: / shereshe
Support me on Patreon: / beryl
I’m gonna do 1 more of these before the end of the year, what culture do you wanna learn about for the next episode? Comment below!
Indian, Italian, Mexican, Korean...so many options!!!
Some African country or the Balcans maybe?
Taiwanese!
Brazillian, please!
@@funtonite if given permission to do so (which i assume they did), i don't really see how it's any more/less hygienic than offering samples in store... mitsuwa also has a food court and plenty of vendors so there is a lot of eating going on in the building!
Hey all! I'm more than sure Beryl had permission to film and eat in the store, but I advise not to do that (unless you explicitly received permission to do it prior to doing it), especially if you are actually in Japan and haven't paid yet. It's just seen as poor manners. In some "asian" stores there are places in the store to eat usually, but it's prepared foods, not stuff straight from the fridges or dry goods aisles
I was shocked to see that. Was just weird.
I did brush it off as "she must have asked permission to film and open stuff". Where I live though, some supermarkets (definitely not all) don't mind parents opening up some snacks and juice boxes for their kids while queueing at the cashier. I most certainly have never seen this practice from adults, or from anyone going around the aisles.
A huge no-no in any store and very strange to see in this video.
yeah it probably would have been good for her to leave a quick comment that she got permission.. I hope she did.. 😅
It is of course obvious that Beryl did it for us and of course obvious she asked for a permission before
I don't know, Beryl opening the snacks INSIDE the shop gave me so much anxiety. The supermarket I grew up near never let us open things until we paid for it- didn't realize how ingrained that was hahah
definitely don't do that in Japan. tourists got into altercations with the police at convenience stores in Japan because they opened a drink before they paid for it.
same
It would be super cool if she gave a heads up at the beginning of the video that she already got permission from store managers, because at least then we could be less afraid somebody's going to call the cops on her, or some other customer tries to "be a hero" and stop her. My stomach is in knots and it was hard to keep focusing on the content after the first time she did it.
To be clear I feel this way because I ADORE Beryl and never want to see a community post someday where she tells us she got hurt or actions taken against her while trying to make us content. ❤
@@BenjiSun Is opening before paying in US normal / acceptable? or it needs special permission?
@@chrisdt2297 where in Japan is “US”? 🤣 don’t presume.
I know that she bought it all, opening things (normally only 1-2) is common here, and she didn’t make a mess but I hate the eating in the store 😭
Luckily it’s not your problem.
it also made me super uncomfortable even knowing she got permission to
i love how Remi narrated the video, so calming and structured.. We get to see all her recommendation too! Thanks Beryl for the great video again
A japanese pantry stable I'm obsessed with that wasn't mentioned is mentsuyu, which is basically a concentrated mix of dashi, mirin, soy and is a delicious base for soup if you mix it with water, or you can just squirt is on random things like veggies or dip your soba in it. Soba noodles are a super healthy and easy pantry meal. I also recommend you check out some of the different varieties of soy sauce, for instance shiro shoyu, which is a saltier but lighter flavor than what you might be used to.
Love these videos and learning what to try at new places! Am I the only one who was getting anxiety watching her eat in the store? Such a big no no for me growing up, lol
Yeah I love her videos, but just buy the products and eat them at home. I understand doing in the moment reactions, but I was always taught that eating the product before you buy it is rude.
Agree!
it also made me so anxious.. i know she bought it but i almost wish she just cut to clips of her trying them after she bought them
She probably had a deal with the supermarket - both to film and to taste stuff. It’s nice promo for them too.
I’m sure she got permission. I saw a similar video where it was obvious the supermarket staff was aware and part of the filming. She’s not some unknown person with a tiny channel. Which means not only would it be good for the supermarket for promotion, it also means she’s prominent enough that she probably wouldn’t be able to go under the radar and get away with sneaking tastes of things without permission.
With these supermarket videos, I feel like it's missing a followup back at home using the ingredients you have bought (and, of course, the Beryl tasting reaction).
This is exactly what I was thinking, too!!!
You never forget your first umeboshi plum! I learned years ago that as well as a food, it is medicine and a little bit (less than one plum) helps counteract too much sugar or alcohol if you have overindulged. Love your enthusiasm!
Oh my gosh, I grew up and still live near that Mitsuwa, been going there with my family and friends since I was little! If you come back, definitely don’t sleep on the food court/little shops :)
Beryl is literally the only TH-camr I will watch the whole sponsored section for
My father worked next to San Jose, CA’s Japantown. I was a kid when he bought Japanese import ramen labeled “Alimentary paste”, a memorable awkward translation
it's an easy mistranslation though, alimentation means food in general in French, lol, and so many English words are French, so.....
Hi Beryl. I think it would be a cool idea to do the grocery store episodes in a similar way to the eat with us videos. Ask 3, 4, 5 viewers from the same country to suggest an ingredient each and then challenge yourself to make a meal with them.
I want both 1 video for shopping and 1 for cooking & eat with me 😅
Yes!! I noticed most items here were ready to eat, but would love to see recipes using based ingredients/sauces too!
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love Mitsuwa. I've only been to the suburban Chicago location so it's really exciting to see another store. Thank you!
Hey Beryl, love your videos! This is a really interesting concept. Can I suggest a video idea though?
Can you make a week of eating "enter a country name" food? And start the video by naming what basic pantry you'll need?
Because a lot of the times, I'll buy a certain item and only know how to make one thing with it but the portion size it comes in, needs you to use it several times...
Thank you for your awesome work! ❤
This is a great idea, I’d love to see it too!
Fun! Beryl cruising through the store, opening packages and sampling the contents...
Weee is a large Asian market (South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, China, India, Filipino, and "other") that I LOVE. They deliver frozen, fresh, and shelf stable foods, and the quality is great. Prices are also good. They have meat, produce, household products (nice pots), beverages, pantry staples, a LOT of specials, and I've never gotten a bad order. One time one item was sketchy, but they refunded it with no problem. They deliver to the door (fresh and frozen things) and ship pantry items in that specific category. The egg tarts are a splurge- and SO good (and I hate custard).
So interesting! Thanks for a other great video Beryl.
Even though i'm sure Beryl got permission, seeing her open and eat things in the store made me so freaking anxious
I love these shopping trips. It’s such a fun way to explore other cultures. 💕
New addition to the list of places I want to go!
On another note, as a person with autism, ASMR is often too much for me and I’ve noticed a lot of cooking videos have it, but your ASMR-like bits are perfect. Thank you ☺️
Yessssss this is so useful and brilliant! Want to go there so bad! New York has so much diversity in its people, cultures and supermarkets!
I love Mitsuwa. The shops in the ring have changed over the years, but it’s still so comforting shopping there.
Oh man! That cheesecake bun takes me back. They sold those in the commissary when we lived in Korea and I was obsessed. There were different flavors and one day they were just gone 😋☹️
I used to live in Edgewater, NJ, right near Mitsuwa. It was my favorite place to shop on the weekend. I loved getting the freshly baked breads and pastries at the back of the shop (not sure if it's still laid out this way). The snacks were all epic. And the sushi and sashimi were always super fresh. Their meats and fish, while on the pricier side, were so perfectly fresh and delicious. The produce was also beautiful.
I love this series so so much! Markets are my happy place, but can be kind of overwhelming sometimes so thank you for this! 💗
Your favorite Japanese rice is actually an American rice! It is a short grain rice grown in California.
I love inari! I'm America and have never visited Japan (yet!) But my dad lived there for 2 years, so we grew up with many Japanese dishes. Inarizushi was always one of my favorites ❤
I love it there! You should do a whole video on their food court. It’s soooo good!
Oh yep. Grew up eating most of these. Always have a bottle of HonDashi granules in the fridge, always have a container of bright red shredded Benishoga, my fave. Love dried squid to chew on. Shrimp chips and Pocky and Calpico ftw. It's all good!
Yes! I love Mitsuwa Market! They not only have wonderful produce, meat, seafood, snacks, rice, etc. but also a great beer, sake, and spirits selection too.
I love this grocery store!! So cool seeing it featured in one of your videos!
I really love your shopping videos!
I love Mitsuwa! They always have a food court and so many stores inside. It’s not just a store, is an ✨experience✨
Serious question, are you allowed to open packages of food in the United States before you buy them? I’m from Canada and typically I’ve only seen that as being a big no in most circumstances.
I think it can get a pass if one buys the packet. I have a history of grabbing a drink and drinking it while doing grocery shopping, and then putting the empty bottle through to be scanned. The cashiers were always fine with it, because I paid for it anyway.
It looks like she's filming outside of the shop when she opens the package.
It's at least a social rule but some people do it anyway. Maybe it depends where you are. I don't know if there's any law against that. I was taken back by that too. Since she's filming, I maybe she got permission for all this.
Not a big fan of that practice myself. However I think as long as you pay for it there is nothing the store can enforce. The one exception would be items that are paid by weight at the register. The only time I have ever seen anyone open a package if they had child that was fussy and hungry.
i've never seen anyone open packages of food and try them in the U.S. except for sodas that people buy to drink as they shop. i assume beryl got permission from the manager because she was filming .
Bokksu is super fun, the boxes are beautifully prepared and the food is expertly curated. I've never had anything "ick" in a box, and usually the items range from good to shockingly good.
I am so curious, but with more food intolerances then should be legal, it is absolutly hopeless
I did a haul at H Mart literally 2 days ago and they had the oden stew set but for 1-2 people. I got it excitedly and now that my town is back down to colder weather I'm stoked to eat it this weekend.
I will die on the kewpie hill with you. It's such a nice compliment to so many items!
I love Mitsuwa! I’m so lucky to be right down the road from little Japan. So good! 🙏💜
Ohhh, we have a Mitsuwa around here too, place is awesome! Gotta hit both the store and the food court whenever I'm in the neighborhood
I would LOVE more videos in an international grocery store series! I'm still mourning the end of Lost in the Supermarket by Epicurious 😭
What did you like most about that show?
YES to kewpie mayo, probably the only right answer for the kind of condiment to add to savory foods; also a big fan of Oden 😋
Living in the Bay Area here in NorCal, I've luckily had the opportunity to shop at lots of Japanese markets. But, I still never get tired of trying new products, and every visit shows me new things to try. At this point, I have a running list of staples I have to get, but I always buy several new products to try. Yum! 😋
(Also, I'm a pickle girl, too! I ALWAYS have a bunch of Japanese pickles in the fridge, and I eat them with everything 😂.)
If you like the Nishiki rice, try the green bag called Haiga. It's not brown rice, it's white, but still has the germ, which gives it a beautiful nutty flavor. It's my favorite rice ever (besides aged Basmati 😊).
Edit: If you can find it, there's a bottled condiment that's a umiboshi-shiso leaf paste (it has the consistency of thick ketchup), that is just AMAZING with so many dishes; it's perfect for rice bowls, and you just need a dab of it. 😋
Ahhhhhh!!!! That Ito En Veggie juice that was next to the drink you picked up is the BEST, I love that so much. It's one of my staple buys. If you like V8 or tomato juice, you'll love it, but it's soooo much better! 💛
Personally, I tend to prefer the small, red, crunchy umeboshi- they usually still have the seed in them so be careful :) but they’re bite sized (so low sourness commitment compared to the big ones) and snappy like the pickles. I’d also probably pick up some red bean paste (chunky, not smooth) great for making Japanese sweets and oshiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi- a new year’s treat usually). And finally, some really great Japanese tofu- the American ones are okay, but getting some good Japanese ones just hits different. Happy shopping! Thanks for the video, it was a pleasure to watch!
Have one of these just outside of Chicago. Love it!
Great episode! More please
Omg any asian market is awesome to find fun things and most sell what you would get in a "regular" grocery store as well. Husband is half korean and has shown me the wonders of asian grocery stores 🥰. Anything that is red bean flavor is in my cart 😆
Hi Beryl, I binged a lot of your videos lately and I love them. I would love it if you did a series with seasonal fruits and veggies. There are so many amazing seasonal recipes. Lots of love. Maike
My mother LOVES dried ika. Glad you liked it.
our store managers actually advised us to allow customers to sample items if they wanted. that was with permission and with one of us present. it does seem weird and i'd never do it myself as a customer but the option was there.
I looove Umeboshi. I found another brand although more expensive, that was well balanced with sweetness to the sour. Definitely eat with rice, because you can’t escape the sour even with sweetened versions.
I am in New Jersey visiting family, and we are planning on going to Mitsuwa’s this weekend! That’s so funny you just posted a video about going there! 😅
Industry city Japanese village here we come :) thank you for the great video 🇯🇵
You are preaching to the choir, Beryl -- I love Japanese food so much, and not just the actual food items, but also their style of cooking and dining. If you give me a Japanese breakfast, I will be very happy.
I just love this series 😌
Thanks so much for the suggestions! Remi, your makeup/skin look really pretty 💜
I have lived near two Japanese supermarkets, in San Francisco and Seattle (look 'em up) and loved them both. They were so much fun to explore! Also lived near a Vietnamese mini-mart in the Mission District of San Francisco. That was where I discovered green papaya salad. So so so so so so good. You could do them -- but...
Let me put in a vote for Greek food. The Mediterranean diet has saved my life.
This was so fun! I was waiting for kaki no tane to make an appearance.
I am in Canada and we have a Chain called T&T Supermarket and it is all Asian all the time! They have cooked hot food, you can eat there or take home and a huge fish area that my kids love as they have aquariums of fresh. The employees were always so helpful is recommending stuff for us and I think we have tried so many different seafood, and ducks! who knew there were different fowl to choose from!
anyone else getting anxious at her opening and eating things in the shop? I'm British we do not open things until we pay for them I'm surprised the staff didn't say anything.
A couple of people expressed this concern and we are of the mind that she likely got permission before doing that. But rest assured, it's generally not done.
Same here but Beryl is not just a TH-camr and knows her production stuff. I've no doubt she got permission BUT saying that up front would have been a good move on her part!!
@@andersonomo597 saying it up front would have been really good cause this kinda conveys a bad message like this to impressionable people.
And I get that it would have been more time to work on if she takes all the things home and tries them like that ,may also become hectic with switching between shots of trying things at home and then back to the store...but she could have just bought them and then had a taste test at the end...
I've seen lots of parents in the UK trying to placate young children with a snack from the trolley. They simply give the packaging to the teller at the check out at the end. It's not that big of a deal.
@@moorenicola6264 I don't like that and I never did that with my child its teaching bad habits.
There are many small Japanese delis throughout Manhattan where they make fresh to-go food daily, like onigiri and don bowls
It is interesting that u are eating before the purchase... I know It's ok in some country if u pay in the end but it is not common practice in Japan(or even seen as shoplifting) so seeing it in Japanese supermarket felt little different to me.
It's off-putting yes. Can't wait for someone to make a spiel on individualism and iT's aMeRiCa
We don't do this in America! It's horrible to see. Very rarely you will see it, very rarely, and the person will get stared at.
Y'all she clearly got permission to film in the store, it's fine.
I always buy Kewpie salad dressing, Japanese Kit Kats, and whatever citrus is in season. There are always interesting delicious ones.
I love this video very informative. Since I love trying new things out. And the mayo is a staple in my fridge. I can get these items we live 30 min. From you. I'm in Staten island
I live in North East NJ and LOVE going there…I always feel like a kid in a candy store.
Love learning about different soy & mirin for specific dishes. Nice!
I love Mitsuwa grocery, Chicago! It’s so much fun to shop and try new things. Of course I have an ever growing list of the things I always have to get. The kitchen aisle is also very fun and so is the personal cares: shampoos, make-up, fancy eyelashes - all the cute packaging! Lastly, but Most important, the food court! We always get lunch and then we shop.🍜🍱🍛🍣🥟🍧🍮🍰🍡🍘🍚
I like to use “sushi/sashimi” soy sauce to deglaze after I sear beef on the pan. Because it is a little sweet I feel it complements the meat really well 😊
this is so much fun and informative too!!!
Hello from Beautiful British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦
Nice, not sure about some but definitely wonder when wandering the aisles...thanks😊
I love my Bokksu subscription, so many tasty things to enjoy!
U should do a day cooking (country) food! From breakfast to dinner ❤
❤I am absolutely obsessed with you videos, They are like a burst of motivation and positively that keeps me going. From your awesome Vlogs to those satisfying organizing videos, I cannot get enough. Your content seriously inspires me to stay focused and chase after my dreams.
Thanks Beryl I'm headed to the asian market and im trying to get some ideas!
I’ve heard of Mitsuwa so often but Edgewater is close to a 2-hr drive for me :( I’ll vicariously enjoy the experience!
i love to learn about japanese food and culture. I actually know most of the things Remi recommended. Thank you Remi, four the tour. The Gohan seaweed paste is something I haven't tried. I'll have to check it out. Beryl, I can't believe you got away with eating all that stuff in store. Japanese tend to frown upon walking around and eating. It was cute watching you try all the things, though. excellent video. Thank you.
Mitsuwa is the best! There's one near me (along with a Kinokuniya bookstore) and it's always a lovely trip.
Loved it ❤️❤️❤️
Momoya Gohan desuyo is so very addictive! Tsukemono FTW! Love inari too! We buy a majority of these groceries in our household!
The うまい corn snacks that were ring shaped in a bag also come in a stick form that fits in a lunch box really well and keeps you from eating too much at once, lol. The tonkatsu flavor was my favorite of the ones I've tried so far.
Costco near me (in the SF Bay Area) has single serving packets of Oden that you just warm up. It’s really good!
Pickled plum is good on rice, but it’s really, really good on congee!
For people living in places without Japanese grocery stores or boksu available in their region, guess we just have to live pricourisely through Beryl.
Found Kewpie mayonnaise a couple of years ago and it is the most delicious mayonnaise I have ever had in my life. I've had homemade mayo gourmet mayos every other conceivable mayonnaise but nothing compares to Kewpie
I LOVE INARI, and my local Asian markets (Japanese included)😍
I miss Japan 😢❤. All their food and snacks so good
Beryl, where do you keep all the leftovers?? how do you have space? would love to see what you do with everything on a daily basis
I love Mitsuwa! This is perfect
Omg i have been to that exact Mistuwa haha. Had friends visit out of state and treated me to it, no idea this chain existed prior. Ate pork ramen and melon bread so good, got loads of JP snacks galore ✨️
In my local asian grocery, kewpie is also sold in 2L jars
I lived in Japan for a few years and I have too say these recommendations were great but just the tip of the iceberg! but...now in the uk and the 'international ' stores that confuse me the most are the polish supermarkets...anything I buy from them is amazing so please beryl, do a polish store vid!
Ah, all the essentials. I live in the Bronx and go to Frontier Market in Hartsdale for my supplies. Easier than crossing the Hudson for me,🙂
What I getfrom Japanese groceries:usukuchi shoyu, koikuchi shoyu, shiromiso, akamiso, short grain rice (seriously, wash these and you can use it for paella; otherwise works fine for risotto; so yeah, it's not like it's only for Asian food), mirin, cooking sake, drinking sake, and something I have no substitute for from the other Asian groceries - katsuobushi or the instant version, hondashi powder. Uncle Roger may put plain MSG in his fried rice but I use hondashi powder. Dashi also works better than chicken stock for seafood paella; if it's paella n-word, you can add soy sauce and mirin (ie basically the stuff for buckwheat noodle soup).
Hey!! My Aunt shops there! She lives in the Weehawken area. I hope you explored the other shops while you were there. There's a mochi donut store inside, that was so addicting. Ube and the Oreo flavor were my favorites. The next time I visit her, I plan on trying out the ramen place inside as well. I tried the onigiri from the supermarket, but was disappointed. But then again it wasn't bad for U.S. grocery store onigiri. I'm surprised Ponzu wasn't recommended. I love using that on fish. Especially on salmon and tuna.
I'm watching just because, as I'm already familiar with shopping for Japanese groceries but I wish I had a store like this near me! 😭
I knew this is filmed in Mitsuwa market in New Jersey the moment I saw it 😂 there is also Japan village in Borough park Brooklyn. It’s not as big as mitsuwa but at least you don’t have to pay a $20-30 toll to get out of nyc to get into New Jersey.
I love Mitsuwa! They have locations in LA. And Kinokuniya bookstore!
Never ever would I take a huge bite of umeboshi. I probably learned that when I was 3. It's excellent but in very tiny doses.
Wow, I haven't had some of those snacks in ages and I've never had a mentai flavored snack. I'll definitely be looking for that one!
When i go to the Japanese grocery store i stock up on good short grain rice, tasty soy sauce, mirin, sake, big long green onions and tofu and daikon and tasty miso.
Japanese food is one of my favorite, I was happy just reading the title