If you are traveler, perhaps there is not opportunity. But you have to stay in Japan for a long time, you might have to use supermarket.
I think Japanese supermarket has unknown point for foreign people. So in this article, I will introduce about Japanese supermarket.
1．About Japanese supermarket
Japanese supermarket can be divided 4 types.
1-1．Total supermarket
Total supermarket sells various goods. Foods, clothing, everyday items, etc. Then usually they are economic.
So the advantage of this supermarket is all of shopping could be at the same time. If the shopping were common store, you have to go food store, clothing store, drugs store, and so on. It is inconvenient.
However using total supermarket, going to another store is not needed. And it is very convenience.
1-2．Food supermarket
Food supermarket is specialized in food. Usually this type is not big.
However, a lot of cheep food are sold. Then saving living expenses is suited.
This supermarket's good point is limited time sale. In this sale, some items focusing in food are discounted.
1-3．Clothing supermarket
There are supermarkets in specialized on the clothing.
Actually clothing are in the Total supermarkets. However they don't have so many items. However clothing supermarkets have many kind.
1-4．Professional use supermarket
In professional supermarkets items are cheep. However, they sell the products in large amounts.
For example, general food supermarket sell the meat that is from 200 grams to 600 grams. But in professional supermarket, the meat is over 2kg.
2．The difference of Japanese supermarket between foreign supermarket
According to website, impressions of foreigners about Japanese supermarket are various. However, some impressions stand out.
So I will introduce them.
2-1．Small size foods are sold
Some foreigners say convenient point is the supermarkets sell the food products by small size.
Depending on countries, many countries sell the products by big amounts. So they have to big size. However in Japanese supermarket it iｍpossible to buy small size food. And it felt convenience.
2-2．Selling bento in evening
Some foreigners said the convenience point is selling bento inevening.
Sometimes business people has no time to cook meal. But, supermarkets sell bento in evening, they can have a dinner instantly.
2-3．Time sale
"Time sale is so good” some foreigners said.
The country's supermarkets would not have time sale. And they were excited about the price of products.
3．Important points of shopping Japanese supermarket
There are some important points using Japanese supermarkets.
3-1．Explanation of English is very little
Usually, Japanese supermarkets don't have English explanation. So you should have knowledge of Japanese products.
For example, package of meat, there is only Japanese explanation. So it would be difficult to know it.
3-2．Stuff cannot speak English basically
Japanese people are not good at English speaking. Then, Stuffs of supermarket also difficult to speak English.
3-3．About time sale
The time sale is so good. But it is first served. So you have to hurry up on the start.
3-4．Distress goods
Usually, supermarkets sell foods very cheep as distress goods on the time the supermarket would be closed. For example, meat, fish, and sometimes bento.
3-5．Returning goods
Returning goods is not easy in usual. Especially, food can not be returned.
Perhaps clothing would be possible, but you have to keep the receipt.
3-6．Point card
The supermarket has original point cards. If you make the point card, you can have some advantages. For example, it is point returns.
3-7．Electronic money
Recently, people can buy with electronic money. And Japanese supermarkets can be acceptable them.
But all of them can not be used. You should take care it.
3-8．Choosing depending on the situation
Actually, all of products can be sold in supermarket. But I guess you should think about another shops, especially 100 yen shops.
You know, 100 yen shops have many useful products. So if you would go to shopping, you should see around the supermarket.
Japanese supermarkets are very convenient. And if you come to Japan for a long time, the supermarket would be useful. But, using Japanese supermarket is needed studying Japanese. Do your best!
