SORABYCO | Life in Japan

I love yakiimo , the roasted sweet potatoes sold ready to eat at supermarkets in Japan. They are warm, sweet, and especially tempting when the weather gets cooler. But I do not buy yakiimo every time I want a sweet potato. For everyday eating, I usually buy uncooked sweet potatoes at the supermarket and steam them at home. My method is simple. I wash the sweet potatoes, cut off both ends, place them in a steamer over cold water, and start heating from there. I steam them slowly over low heat and check the thickest part with a chopstick or skewer. Once they are soft all the way through, I take them out, cut them in half lengthwise, and leave them uncovered for about 5 to 10 minutes before eating. It is different from roasted yakiimo, but that is part of what I like about it. Steaming gives me sweet, moist sweet potatoes that I can easily enjoy at home. After making them this way many times, it has become our usual way of cooking sweet potatoes at home—almost like our own little family r...

If someone asks me to name my favorite fruit, I never need time to think. My answer is always Kyoho grapes.  I loved them long before moving to Japan, but living here has completely changed the way I shop for fruit. Back home, I rarely paid attention to grape varieties. In Japan, supermarket shelves start filling with Kyoho, Pione, Shine Muscat, Nagano Purple, and other beautifully packaged grapes from late summer into autumn. At first, I assumed every grape had to be peeled. Then I saw people eating Shine Muscat grapes with the skin still on. I remember standing in my kitchen with the first bunch I bought, wondering whether I was really supposed to eat the whole grape. After rinsing one and trying it, I understood immediately. The skin was thin, crisp, and easy to chew. So, can you eat grape skins? Yes, but some Japanese grape varieties are much easier to eat with the skin on than others. Shine Muscat and Nagano Purple are commonly eaten whole, while many people still peel thicker...

When I first started living in Japan, I did not think much about where I shopped. A supermarket was for food, and a drugstore was for medicine. That was about as far as my understanding went. After living here for many years, my shopping routine looks completely different. We usually go to a supermarket for vegetables and dinner ingredients, a home center for detergent and cat supplies, Gyomu Super for frozen food, and Hanamasa when we want to buy meat in larger quantities. The destination changes with the shopping list. It took me a while to realize that these stores are not simply different versions of the same place. Each one has its own role in everyday life. For anyone who has recently moved to Japan, here is how I have learned to use supermarkets, drugstores, home centers, Gyomu Super, Hanamasa, and other everyday shops. Supermarkets are still the center of everyday shopping For fresh food and daily meals, supermarkets are the stores I visit most often. Vegetables, meat, fish, eg...

I used to think grocery shopping in Japan was simple: go to the nearest supermarket, buy what I needed, and come home. For a long time, I never paid much attention to the day of the week. Then I began noticing that eggs were often cheaper on one day, vegetables on another, and bento boxes suddenly had discount stickers in the evening. The same supermarket could feel surprisingly different depending on when I visited. Many Japanese supermarkets have their own weekly sale days, point campaigns, and evening markdown schedules. However, there is no single day when every supermarket in Japan becomes cheaper. Even stores belonging to the same chain may offer different promotions depending on the area and the customers who shop there. Nobody really explains this when you first start living in Japan, but learning the habits of the supermarkets near you can make everyday shopping a little easier. Why Tuesdays Often Stand Out at Japanese Supermarkets Many supermarkets in Japan hold weekday promo...