Kashiwa Campus is relatively remote compared to Tokyo, with fewer supermarket options. Here are some recommended places for international food shopping:

 

1.Lalaport

• Conveniently located near the station.

• Stores: Tokyu Store (東急ストア), Waku Waku Hiroba (わくわく広場), Kaldi Coffee.

• Waku Waku Hiroba: Offers half-priced bento boxes after 4 PM.

• The third floor has a variety of restaurants.

2. Gyoumu Super (業務スーパー)

• Affordable bulk food options for students.

• Large packaging requires a bicycle for transportation.

• Sells international foods, including Muslim-friendly options.

 

3. Jason (ジェーソン)

• Known for ultra-low prices, including one-yen items.

• Limited food selection, but great for daily necessities and snacks.

 

4. Okasan (お母さん)

• Large store near the school, often running promotions.

• Eggs can go as low as 99 yen.

• Payment options are limited to cash and PayPay (no credit cards).

• Closes at 8 PM.

 

5. Seisen Ichiba TOP Kashiwanoha (生鮮市場TOP柏の葉)

• Spacious supermarket with reasonable prices.

• Offers evening discounts.

 

6. Convenience Stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart,

• Located near schools, stations, and major streets.

• Quick and convenient, but prices are slightly higher than supermarkets.

 

7. OK (オーケー)

• Rated as Japan’s cheapest supermarket for years.

• Clearly labeled cost-price system.

• Far from school, requiring a 30-minute commute.

 

8. YorkFoods

• Close to school, owned by 7-Eleven.

• Sells many 7-Eleven-branded products at reasonable prices.

Some basic tips on finding vegetarian/vegan food:(shree)

 

​​Finding allergy-friendly, vegetarian, vegan, and halal food in Japan can be challenging, but technology makes it easier to locate suitable options. Here are some essential tips and resources that I use! 

While dining at local restaurants I use some simple phrases to customise dishes to my dietary preferences:

o   while asking for non-meat dishes: お肉入ってないものありますか。(Oniku haitenai mono arimasuka – Anything that doesn’t contain meat?)

o   Requesting to remove meat on a dish: 肉抜きでお願いします。(Niku nuki de onegaishimasu – Please remove the meat.)

Thankfully, many restaurants allow customization. For example, I can ask to remove bacon from a pizza or pasta in family restaurants like Gusto, Jolly Pasta, Olive hills. Moreover, large food chains provide detailed allergy information on their websites which is very useful for finding allergy friendly information. For example:Mos burger, Mc donalds have websites that provide detailed information on ingredients and allergens of each dish they serve. 

Tips on Hunting Vegetarian/ Vegan restaurants:

Some useful websites or apps that I use to look for vegetarian and vegan options are vegemap and happycow. Alternatively、 I also recommend using Google Maps with keywords like “ベジタリアン」(Vegetarian) or “ビーガン」(Vegan). The example photo below shows options near Kashiwanoha-campus station.Beware that some restaurants don’t show up in this filter, in that case it is better to use the app or ask a restaurant to customize your order as mentioned above.