Some time ago I wrote a short guide to Kyoto’s import stores and also this piece on natural food suppliers, but on both occasions I neglected to add links to some of the online food suppliers available here in Japan. Silly me. Let’s quickly rectify that now.
First up is The Flying Pig. In their own words:
Reasonable prices on imported groceries and general merchandise in Japan? When pigs fly! But that was before Costco Wholesale opened its doors here. Afterwards, there were only two problems left: not everyone can get to a Costco warehouse very easily, and Internet ordering isn’t available. In a nutshell, TheFlyingPig.Com was launched to overcome these issues… Shop the site, pay at the nearest bank or post office, and receive your order in just a few days. It’s as simple as that. LINK
Also, we have The Foreign Buyers Club (Food and Fun from home – Direct to your door!) which sells not only food and groceries but educational items too. As I wrote in my previous article: Living abroad, we all have one little something we miss from home, the absence of which makes our life seem less than complete. Hopefully you’ll be able to find that little something now.
Now for lovers of organic food (and animal lovers too) there is Warabe Mura, again in their own words:
We are a small mail order company situated in land locked Gifu, central Japan, offering home delivery service for the whole of Japan. We are committed to offering traditional natural whole foods that have been grown, whenever possible, organically and locally, processed as little as need be, with absolutely no artificial additives, colourings or flavourings used. Only naturally occurring sweeteners such as brown rice malt, hatomugi malt, are used, and all products are sugar, dairy, egg, fish, and meat free. The natural personal care products are cruelty free and contain no animal products or by-products. The house cleaners are the most environmentally friendly we can find, and all stationary is from recycled sources. We specailize in macrobiotic whole foods and offer an extensive selection that includes traditonally handcrafted shoyu, tamari, miso, Japanese pickles, as well as a wide variety of wild sea vegetables and Japanese pastas. We also offer a large range of imported organic natural whole foods that include herbs & spices, dried fruit & nuts, pastas, sauces, teas, grains, flours and oils. LINK
Seems pretty clear, doesn’t it? And finally, (the only one I’ve actually used myself) good ole Tengu Natural Foods. I’m rather partial to their vegetarian cheeses, organic breads and um, organic beverages… but anyway, I quote:
Tengu is a mail order service for organic vegetarian foods, environmentally sound cleaning supplies and more to make life just that much happier and healthier. We ship anywhere in Japan in just a few days (all things being as they should)… Order by post, fax, phone, email, or right here online in English or Japanese… LINK
I can confirm that theirs is an excellent service, they deliver right to your door, and you can pay cash on arrival or by credit card, your choice. And that’s all I have to say about online suppliers for today. I hope it’s been of use.
Related articles: Natural Food & Import Stores.
Maki Shoten is a little shop brimful of goodies on the east side of Higashioji Dori, just south of the Eiden Mototanaka railway crossing. Among their copious food supplies they have a very impressive cereal selection and apparently, the cheapest cheese in Japan.
shows there is no end to its versatility. I have to tell you, I love the stuff. And what is more I love Kyoto, partly because Marmite is so readily available here. Kyoto is blessed with many import stores so whether you are after Marmite or other intrinsic ingredients for that favorite dish, you shouldn’t have a problem. Here is a short guide to help you find those stores:.JPG)
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