Last updated on October 10th, 2026 at 01:42 am
Shopping Like A Local
It’s seems to be fairly common knowledge that food costs in Japan are some of the highest in the world. So, if you really want to live like a local, you just need to get wise on the best ways to get the most for your money when buying groceries in Japan. That’s exactly why we wanted to put some grocery shopping tips together for ALTs living in Japan – we want to help you get the most out of your money. Read on for handy tips on the cost of groceries in Japan and how not to break the bank.
Points mean prizes
Start by getting point cards for any supermarkets you’ll be frequenting. The great thing is that, like many UK supermarkets, nearly EVERY store chain has one, and getting the points is like free money. Use your points to significantly reduce the average food costs when living in Japan – you’ll be amazed at the savings you can make on the cost of your groceries!
One of the more popular ones, from the Aeon group even offers 2x or 5x points on certain dates every month at their supermarkets which can result in huge savings on your grocery shopping. The card is also valid for use at Mini-Stop convenience stores. In addition to that there are always bonus points on many items which can add up quickly. Points can then be redeemed 1 for 1 to spendable yen.
Make sure you take your own reusable bag, as nearly every supermarket will offer a small “eco-discount”, usually ¥2 for doing so. And remember, the goal here is to live like a local – you want to be savvy with your savings and do what you can to reduce the cost of groceries in Japan. In addition to the store branded cards, there are also point cards that have a consortium of different businesses as members. Ponta is a good example fo this, as are Rakten Super Points (Rakuten) and D-Points (docomo).
Timing is everything
Seasonality is so important if you want to save money on your grocery shopping in Japan – buying ingredients that are in season means that what you’re buying is more than likely to be grown in Japan, resulting in lower prices. Do some research around seasonal produce in Japan and start to get accustomed to what’s in season when.
In addition, most stores will have a discounted day each week with many featured produce items on sale. Meat… let’s face it many westerners love…love…LOVE meat!
Prepare for the prepared
Finally, Japanese supermarkets are well known for their amazing variety of prepared foods.
While they may be moderately priced, you can always find a bargain if you just can’t bear to cook and go usually between 8-9pm, when nearly everything is marked town to half price. Just look for the stickers which are usually red to show the mark-downs – it’s a great way to reduce your average food costs when living in Japan.
It’s quite common for shoppers to linger around the display table waiting for the staff to apply the discount stickers, at which point it becomes a free-for-all.
Over anything else, try new things, and you may just find something you never knew you couldn’t live without.
You can find so many ins and outs to live like a local in Japan. Hopefully, with some of these tips, you’ll be able to get around town and get yourself fed well. Another time we’ll look at other local secrets like using a convenience store to its maximum potential.
Salary:
Range of 2.4 to 3.0 million yen annually for 12-month contracts
Location:
All across Japan
Working conditions:
- Salary range of 2.4 to 3.0 million yen annually for 12-month contracts
- 1 year contract (renewable by mutual agreement)
- Work Mondays to Fridays with scheduled teaching hours between 8 am and 5 pm (there will be a few times a year when schools will have special evenings or weekend events)
- Enrollment in National Health or Pension schemes, Employment Insurance and Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance
- 10 paid holidays a year (5 planned), with breaks during the summer and winter school holidays
Requirements:
- Be a university graduate with at least a bachelor’s degree in any major (If you are graduating in the next six months, you can still apply ahead of time)
- Can evidence having at least 12 years of education where the language of instruction in all courses was English
- Professional in all aspects of behavior, in being a team-player, and in being flexible, cheerful, and energetic
