WOW what an amazing store.....Youll get all the Asian groceries you need plus a huge emphasis on Japanese items. There's also a huge section of miscellaneous things so enjoy this mini Don Quixote! If you're here and you're in the mood for some sushi hop on upstairs to Waka Sakura which is amazing. read more

Tokyo Central - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

Get ready for a culinary adventure here! Tokyo Central is a huge Japanese market and just when you think you've seen everything there is to see, you'll turn a corner and realize there is WAY more to see. The sushi selection is huge and tasty. There's lots of hot food to choose from. The dessert selection is pretty large, too. And if you don't feel like any of those, there's a whole food court you can enjoy. I've had their Japanese curry and it was very delicious and comforting Not hungry? No problem. There's a whole kitchen section with useful items and tools for your own cooking, plus a toy and pet section. For my fellow cat owners: There's a section just for Churu treats and a huge variety of them. I've never seen so many in one location. So if your cat is as obsessed with these treats as mine is, you need to come here! There is a parking lot, but it tends to fill up - one time I went and I couldn't get parking because everyone knows how awesome this place is! Best to go during the week or during non-peak times. read more

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What's not to like about this market. We usually visit it after we have lunch at one of the neighboring restaurants. They do have a small food court in this market, which has a fun place, a small bakery, and a cream puff place. There is a small produce section and prepared foods as well. They have a dairy and refrigerated section as well as frozen meats. Lots of drinks and snacks lots of items and dinnerware from Japan as well as Hawaii. There's a really good beauty and health section as well. That has the popular shampoo, lotions, etc. Price is definitely have gone up for the imported items due to tariffs, etc. there's also a small gift and toy area. Service is always super friendly and helpful. Lots of parking out front. Lots of shopping carts. Every time I go, however, the sweet potato warmer isn't ready, but they do feature roasted sweet potatoes. I would come back, but I would not make it my main grocery market. I would definitely use it to fill in for some specialty items, spices, seasonings, and rice. read more

Tokyo Central - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

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Everyone knows that Japanese food is one of the best standards for a Blue Zone landscape because "you are what you eat!" Parts of California is considered blue zone and these can be attributed to food and lifestyle, too. But NOT all stores showcases fine and select Japanese seafood like the Toyota Centrals (2 in this Artesia and Gardena areas). Here, aside from an array of seafood and groceries, they also offer the freshest cut sashimi and sushi in small palatable packages in very affordable prices. There seems to be sold in two competing displays from the front and the back part of the grocery store. One huge part of their collection of nicely cut beef, chicken and pork meats, cleaned and sliced to your own delights. What's imposing is a nicely displayed and select Japanese and American wagyu steaks and cuts, that'll make you buy your favorite meats, ready to be cooked and served during those Lakers Basketball games. There's more, inside the store are a line of freshly cooked Japanese dishes that you don't usually see in Southern California Japanese stores, deliciously prepared a la carte hot foods ready to be enjoyed. If you prefer more restaurant like landscape, they have a sushi restaurant on the second floor or better yet, several smaller restaurants in the southern corner of the stores specializing on Japanese snacks, karate or chicken, and many other hot and newly cooked foods. Come to Tokyo Central and you'll never eat anywhere Japanese anywhere, anymore. What more can you ask? Itadakimas! Let's eat! read more

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This was a much more pleasant experience than I thought. I luckily was there on a Monday afternoon so it didn't feel overly crowded. I was able to get everything I had on my list and since I was visiting from out of town it was a real help. Staff are not that welcoming whether restocking staff or the check out staff. But the store is bright and welcoming with a lot of variety. I got the 3 Brothers shokupan and thought it was on the dry side rather than soft and tender. I also got the inari sushi and it tasted great when I was halfway back home for my road trip. It was the perfect snack/lunch. I am looking forward to coming back. read more

Tokyo Central - Cute greeting cards - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

I go for the freshly made sushi it's fantastic. Service is great. Its a great place to grocery shop all japanese. Highly recommend

Picked up some meat for yakiniku. Fresh cut, great selection. The meat quality is good and the prices are reasonable. read more

Tokyo Central - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

Tokyo Central is always a solid experience. The food is fresh, flavorful, and consistently well-prepared--everything tastes high quality and authentic. Service was smooth and efficient, and the staff was helpful without being overbearing. The ambiance is clean, organized, and easy to navigate, which makes the whole visit enjoyable. Great spot whether you're grabbing something quick or stocking up on Japanese staples. I'll definitely be back. read more

Decided to come here on a friend's advice. I was hunting for some dashi. I was not disappointed. Many to select from. The Gardena store is the biggest of the chain. Arrived just before lunch, so we decided to try out the food. Selected two types of chicken karaage, tofu, okonomayaki, fried sweet potato, and a spicy salmon hand roll. The marinated karaage was very flavorful, as opposed to the traditional one, which didn't have much flavor. Tofu was good. The salmon roll was very good. The store had a variety of specialty sakes. I purchased a few bottles. Bought a selection of dashi, ponzu, and kewpie mayo. I definitely would go back for lunch and to purchase specialty japanese food items. Excellent find. read more

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Finally got a chance to come by after going to Redondo. It was on the way home and only other Tokyo Central I've gone to is the one in West Covina. The one here definitely blows the West Covina location away not just because of how much bigger it is but there's just so many options from food to household supplies. If you been to Japan, you definitely get a feeling of being back in Japan coming here. From their fresh sushi to their many options of snacks and food, definitely had to try a little bit of everything here. The place is so packed with many offerings but also packed with people. Crowd wasn't too bad but definitely the place to be here. There's also a nice food court here with a few food options. One in West Covina doesn't have a food court here. Just wish I lived closer as it's still a quite a bit of a drive to get here. Plenty of parking here. Staff are nice. Definitely a place to go to for Japanese options. read more

Writing this with you, or the history of it, will simply date me. I watched this building get built. I was simply amazed at the construction and learned that there is something called pre-stress concrete slabs. This was in the late 1990s and it was excavated graded and erected in less than six months. Back then it was known as Marukai Today it is known as Tokyo Central one of the more predominant Japanese Asian food stores in the Gardena Torrance area I did notice they had a lot of Hawaii made items like hurricane popcorn, and Hawaii sun jams So Hawaii people, you do not have to carry those things to continent you can buy it over at the Tokyo Central read more

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This Tokyo Central location is probably my favorite grocery store. It's huge and it is filled to the roof with hidden gems from Japan. While you may not be able to get great value with veggies, there's so much you can find here including: Freshly made bento boxes that are displayed at 10am every morning Cute anime, socks, and Japanese accessories/electronics Cookies, chips, candies, and sweets that are imported directly from Japan Coffees and snacks that are imported directly from Hawaii Amazing restaurants including Waka Sakura, Kagura, a bakery, and a takoyaki store. Rare Japanese drinks (Suntory whiskeys, pocari sweat, sakes, coca cola plus) Sushi and high quality hot pot ingredients DIY Ichiban ramen kits! Your favorite items that you were craving from the conbini from your recent trip to Japan. I can walk around this store for hours. If you just came from Japan or if you dream of one day going to Japan, then I recommend that you peruse this store to get a taste of the country! This is one of the largest Japanese groceries in the area and I highly recommend it. Easy 5 stars. read more

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The one that started it all! For me this was a full days event when I was growing up. We'd travel from antelope valley all the way down to Torrance and we'd spend the day out in Gardena visiting our favorite spots. Tokyo central was one of them. A larger selection of goods it would be easy to spend an hour looking around. Stocked up on the hard to find ingredients and picked up some fresh sushi for the drive home. Bring a cooler! They have ice available by the fish department. You can scoop and take two bags of ice per person to keep things fresh. Really convenient for longer drives. My cousins first time here with us found hidden treasures around every corner. Some food items took her back to her time living in Maui. I love how food can spark an emotion or memory that stays with us throughout our lives. A spoonful can hold a powerful memory in just one bite. read more

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4.5 My only complaints are the parking situation and the heat from the non-grocery areas. I would recommend that you come early because parking can be really annoying but once you get a spot, you're golden. There's so much to see here so it literally took us a couple of hours to go through the store even though I've been here a couple of times before. If you love Sanrio or kawaii products, this is the place for it. They also have tons of skin/beauty products that are worth trying. I left with so much skincare goods that I don't know how I'm going to use it all but I'm going to try my best. I love all the free samples that they have available. It's such a great way to try the food before committing. They have A5 wagyu Japanese meat. Yummmy. I love all the hot food selections too. If we hadn't eaten beforehand, we would have had a feast for sure. There's even a sushi restaurant upstairs but we didn't even bother because we were still full from lunch before. read more

My local Marukai / Tokyo Central! I've been frequenting for 6-7 years now since finding out about it in 2018. I've seen changes throughout the years and although I'm disappointed that they're moving onto generic brands now (JONETZ), their cosmetics section really improved! If you've been to Donki Japan, the cosmetics section looks more like that now. I'm impressed! They have a huge selection too. The only thing that's missing is the catchy song (iykyk). lol Although prices are high, it definitely saves the trouble of shopping and carrying it in luggage while in Japan. Tokyo Central Gardena's food court is one of my favorite (especially with their patio seating), but I do feel their food court needs more options. There used to be a good bakery pre-pandemic, but it slowly died (quality of products got worse over time, etc.). It was unfortunate because I felt it had a lot of potential. :( It'd be nice if there were more Japanese chain options (e.g. Pepper Lunch, CoCo Ichibanya, etc.). Gindaco is a good start! Also, I feel like the patio seating is always closed / has more restrictions than it used to. Other than that, keep up the good work. I look forward to great things planned for the store! read more

Back to Tokyo Central! Great food and lots grocery options! Very reasonable price for the packaged foods to go, especially the sushi. When in town, you should definitely go check out this place. When you can't go to Japan, this is a compromise of a Japanese supermarket place and food stalls to get some yummy Japanese goodies. read more

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The good: This is the best Japanese market I've ever been to. It's huge and has a food court, a gifts (Sanrio things) and cosmetics area, ready and prepared foods like sushi or rice plates, household items like small appliances (Takoyaki pan), a conveyor belt sushi restaurant upstairs, claw machine games, and much more. The claw machine in the front of the store was $1 for one token and I won a figurine from Full Metal Alchemist on my first try. The food court area has a large outdoor seating area that's enclosed. I liked the wooden totem poles inside and the colorful wall tile and art of the building from the outside. It's architecturally interesting. I bought shabu shabu meat and tofu here. The prices were reasonable (all Japanese markets are kind of expensive). The aisles were spacious. The goods were orderly and organized. The bad: The layout is strange. The front left has a bunch of mini fridges with ice cream bars and goes into the gift section. When I exited from there I had grocery items with me but I was in front of the cash registers. I'm unsure if I was supposed to backtrack and go all the way back or not. The interesting: The market feels super spacious and open because of the high ceilings. read more

Tokyo Central - View of market from second floor - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

I love this store - it's like experiential shopping. This place has it all - sushi, meat, fruit + Veggies, hot food bar, beverages (wine, sake, alcohol etc.), Japanese Treats (but no Kit-Kats). 2 Restaurants and kitchen gadgets... Every isle is an adventure with unique options. I always want to try new products - especially the sweet treats. The variety of Pocky flavors is awesome - please get Kit-Kat flavors as well! I had lunch once at the conveyor belt sushi upstairs - reasonable price, quick, fund and tasty. Parking is easy with covered and uncovered spaces. read more

This place is an institution. It's considered the largest Japanese Market in the Metro Los Angeles area. My family and I have been coming here for years and unfortunately, I had not had the chance to review it. You can easily spend two hours in here, between looking at the premade food, eating in one of the restaurants in here or shopping for groceries . the parking lot can be super full at any time, and BEWARE because people dont look both ways walking , backing up or driving here. Park as far away as you can from the entrance to avoid any situation because people really cannot drive safely and I can't even stress this enough here. There are three or four parts to this market . There is a sushi restaurant upstairs. There is a food court downstairs. there is a prepared food section. There is the rest of the market. The items here are mostly all Japanese items imported, or made locally . The produce here is always super fresh and our items you will not find from any other market. The price is a little more expensive but you do get quality. This was unfortunately, my very first time at the hot food bar and I don't know what I was missing my whole life . I spent a good 30 minutes here trying to figure out what to get. read more

Tokyo Central - Curry Katsu - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

What a great store. I've been to other Tokyo Central stores and this one is by far the biggest and cleanest one. So much variety in hot deli, sushi, and snack aisle. They even have their own dedicated miso aisle! I spent over an hour here looking at everything and I sure hought go by a lot where. Staff super friendly and things are always in stock. Prices on everything and clearly marked. Upon entering this store you have many various little stores that seem ramen udon or sushi. Bathrooms are also clean. On the right side you see claw machines where you can play and get goodies. At the back of the store is the fridge or frozen ramen area with a special aisle for various miso. Fresh product also in the back area. Front areas were tons of snacks and mochi so that was good. Far left area was not food but more dry goods and products like makeup to dishes to skincare. So much to see and displayed well. Plenty of parking around this store. Security guard in the front so you feel safe. Best of all is if you buy cold or refrigerated items, they will give you free ice or ice packs to take home so your items won't soil. Will definitely be back here soon! read more

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I went to return the bread today, since I purchased yesterday that has a 4/11 date sticker. I found out there was another date sticker underneath which is the date of 4/9. The newer date sticker was on the old date sticker so it is hiding and dishonest way of selling the bread. read more

Tokyo Central - Date of 4/11 - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

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This market is HUUUUUGE!!!!!!! I was not able to look at everything from wall to wall, gotta save some for next time!!!! Had an AMAZING time!!!! Got some candy and beauty items, a few groceries as well. The service was great, the place is extremely organized with a huge selection of items, well stock, clean, and charming. Parking was a tiny bit hard to get at first, the place was very busy. Recommended read more

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Uh Supermarket Tourist series didn't really go very far. But this one should be on your list. PARKING easy and plenty. It is VERY far from easy public transportation. SERVICE weekend service with a smile It's chaos in there, but manageable FOOD Buffet it really good. Some vegetarian options. Restaurant upstairs is an experience. The sushi is on par with some you'll find downstairs, but more variety and custom made. Plus excellent estimated time for reservations. (Within 15 minutes) Food vendors downstairs are fun and affordable. Not many vegetarian options. Inside Regular shopping aisles. Outside Seating to eat your food. Advice. EAT. Then shop. It's priced better than "Asian aisle" in most regular groceries. And MUCH better prices than any online stores. You'll find "direct from Japan" items here too. read more

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Tokyo Central literally has everything you can think of - home items, kitchen tools, toys, beauty products, a variety of food, a small food court, and a restaurant upstairs. The store is spaced out pretty well so even when it's busy, it doesn't feel that way because there are so many different sections and aisles. We mainly came for the food and can confirm they had a great selection, especially in the prepared foods section. We bought the seared salmon nigiri, and it was easily one of the best grocery store sushi items we've had. My son also wanted a hami melon and when we cut it open at home, it was crunchy, super sweet, and delicious. We also tried this fluffy steamed cake made with sweet potato that was surprisingly really delicious. We also tried the takoyaki from the food court, and it was actually the best one I've had so far. I'm not usually a fan of takoyaki but we got one with a yuzu ponzu sauce and it was really fresh, crispy, and flavorful. We'll have to come back to try the sushi restaurant upstairs, but overall it was great! read more

Tokyo Central - Really delicious fluffy steamed cake - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

It's like Costco, but for Japanese products! Food court? Check. Free samples? Check. Terrible parking? Check. Lots of items you want but don't need? Check. Long checkout lines? Double check. Now if only they would sell in bulk! I've been shopping here for over two decades now. My parents still have their Marukai membership cards, back when you had to pay a fee to shop here (just like Costco hmm). We often go for shabu shabu ingredients, bento boxes, instant ramen packs, fresh sushi, frozen foods, pastries, snacks, and other pantry staples. Selection is great and prices are mostly reasonable. They have made several improvements, I like the wider aisles and the addition of self checkout stations. It's less cluttered overall and items are more neatly organized. Not the best food court around, but it has a more polished look to it after the remodel. The new conveyor belt sushi restaurant on the second floor is worth visiting, separate review to follow. Tokyo Central is located along Artesia Boulevard, across from In-N-Out. You can enter using the driveway next to Wendy's if you're on Western. The crowds and parking challenges make grocery trips here a little more complicated than your average supermarket run. But I don't mind too much, I can spend hours wandering the aisles here! Useless fun fact: everyone knows that Tokyo Central shares the same parent company as Don Quijote. You'll see their penguin mascot on signs and labels. But not everyone knows that luxury grocer Gelson's is also under the same umbrella! read more

Tokyo Central - Santa Barbara Uni - Gardena, California - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

This place will satisfy all your Japanese cravings! One star off for how crowded both the parking lot and the store can get during the weekend. They should consider opening a second location nearby or figure out how to manage the crowds. There is a food hall with several restaurants and also a hot bar. You can also get fresh ready made sushi to your hearts content. Grocery pricing is reasonable. read more

Great selections, price are not adjusted to exchange rate, but well worth going. Great food selection, I personally like the chicken one which has amazing variation including ramen. Register staff and bagger unfortunately has become "Americanized", nothing really to compliment there based on observation while waiting. Not a single greeting to the customer says total amount. I think other supermarkets stores has better staffs than this location both in service and attitude. 残念ながらこんなサービスのレベル。 2 stars minus for price and register staff/bagger Otherwise very clean and great selections. read more

Get transported to Japan instantly when shopping at Tokyo Central for all your Japanese necessities and goods! I don't often shop for Japanese food, but shopping here is a wake-up call to come here more often. This specific Tokyo Central is the biggest I've seen; there's even an upstairs! I couldn't check it out, but I definitely will next time. Right when you walk in, there are fresh meals, and everyone is swarming it because they put 20% off their meals at night to get rid of them. I knew I had to swoop in and grab a meal! All those pre-cooked meals or sushi platters are decently priced. I grabbed a yakisoba and chicken teriyaki plate. I noticed that the meats and produce are cheap and have different cuts of meat compared to American markets. My girlfriend shops here often, so if she weren't with me, I would need to figure out where to start or know what's good! read more

Walking into Tokyo Central felt like stepping right back into Japan. Aisles packed with everything from fresh sushi and bento boxes to Japanese snacks, ramen, and hard-to-find sauces--it's a treasure hunt in the best way. The produce and seafood sections were impressive, and the shelves are lined with things you just don't see in regular markets. My kids especially loved their deli selections--sushi, hot foods, and more. It's not just a grocery store, it's an experience. I found myself grabbing way more than I planned because every aisle had something that reminded me of traveling through Tokyo. Between the food court, where you can get authentic Japanese curry, the unique drinks, and the shelves stacked with candies and instant noodles, you can easily lose track of time here. Pro tip: they discount sushi toward the end of the day, so timing your visit right is a win. And the service--wow. We asked about salty dry plum, and instead of just pointing, one of the staff walked us there and even recommended a couple of new products to try. That kind of hospitality makes the place stand out even more. For anyone who misses Japan or just loves Japanese food and culture, this place is a must. I left happy, stocked up, and already planning my next visit. read more

What's not to love about this Tokyo Central location?! Plenty of parking. Clean environment and courteous employees. Love the assortment of sushi and ready to eat foods. There's a whole other section on the left with Beauty, cooking, and cleaning supplies. Sensory overload. This is a place you can spend endless time exploring and if you're hungry there are restaurants up front. I'll definitely be back to explore some more of what Tokyo Central has to offer! read more

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What a gem! This is a really neat asian market with a lot of stuff inside! So much variety in the items. I came for the food court, and it didn't disappoint. The treats I got were a true perfect five stars. I will be back again. Highly recommend a visit here! read more

Tokyo Central - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

This Tokyo Central market is the largest one I've been too and has everything! Groceries, household items, small food court, skin/body care, toys, etc. I'm always able to find the things that I need here and the prices are reasonable. They recently did a revamp of the market and now the ready-to-eat food section has slightly expanded and there's a new rotating sushi bar restaurant in the upper level. This location has it's own parking lot with lots of spaces, but it can get crowded during peak lunch time and on the weekends. read more

This is the biggest location I've been too. It was like sensory overload. They had so many selections of food, housewares, and beauty. I was hoping they had the hair mask I use, but it was sold out. My family bought 12 round shaped fruits for the new year. Everyone was friendly. The store was packed. We couldn't move around much unless we excused ourselves to walk around them. My old coworker recommended this location because of the variety of food. It seemed like everyone was here to shop for the new year! read more

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I KEEP SAYING THIS. Although I LOVE my local Tokyo Central, I have to say it's the weakest one in terms of how impressive and expansive it is. After going to the Tokyo Central in Gardena, I am convinced this is the most impressive and powerful one, only to be rivaled by San Diego's 3 separate buildings. The architecture is unique from the get go, sort of looking like a fancy green house from the front. They do have a bustling food court with lots of yummy foods ranging from takoyaki, to katsu, to baked goods. The market itself is 2 stories, but I believe the top floor is meant for staff only. Regardless, it is QUITE SPACIOUS with lots of items and products that I don't see at my local Tokyo Central, nor do I see at the Marukai that I visit here and there during Little Tokyo trips. There's a lot more anime and kawaii merchandise as well as home goods, kitchenwares, and décor that I don't often see. Like... I even saw them selling bathing suits here too! The hot foods and deli bar is quite expansive. If I weren't in such a hurry, I think I'd be lost in here for another hour or so. There's a lot to look at and see, even if you've been to the other Tokyo Centrals and if you don't need to buy anything. Hopefully I can head back here again soon! read more

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Tokyo Central is such a fun and expansive Asian market that has just about everything you could want. From food to skincare to kitchenware, the selection is huge and it is a great place to explore if you are looking for authentic Asian products. The market also has a mini food court with tempting options like takoyaki that I am definitely coming back to try. What makes it even better is that on the second floor you will find Waka Sakura, an amazing conveyor belt sushi restaurant that is absolutely worth checking out. Between the massive variety in the market, the food court, and the incredible sushi upstairs, Tokyo Central is a must visit spot that has something for everyone. read more

Great place to shop for all Japanese. They have packed and ready to eat food and hot food stand. The sushi restaurant is upstairs. Ample parking. read more

Several options for Japanese beer fans! Probably the largest display of Japanese beer in the USA with friendly prices. read more

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Highly Recommend! Absolutely the best selection for Japanese products and food. They even have a store where you can buy household products! I love it here! The sushi is always a must buy! Try a bit of everything and definitely check out the ramen isle read more

Tokyo Central - International Grocery Near Me - Gardena, California

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### 2023 review 39/100 ### O.M.G. I could spend a couple hours happily walking each and every aisle at this huge Marukai/Tokyo Central! Huge 'coz I usually go to the nearby small one on Sawtelle. Was in the neighborhood for lunch and popped in to pick up couple items but def have to make a trip out to stock up. Convenient easy parking. Staff friendly tho language barrier but I fall back on "point and smile" method :) hehe read more

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A great selection of Japanese ready-made foods and imported grocery items. This market has a much wider selection of items than one can imagine, and stepping foot in this store was quite overwhelming at first! The snack section is my favorite section and has items that I only saw in my travels to Japan. A must visit if a fan of Japanese goods/culture! read more

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