March 23, 2021
National Azabu: Tokyo’s International Supermarket Mecca
Launching online shopping and home delivery
By Metropolis
Living in Tokyo’s great and all, but what’s that one food you miss from your home country? If you’re from the States it might be those ever-so crispy slices of American bacon or that nostalgia-inducing box of cereal that you just can’t find in supermarkets in Japan. If you’re British you might be craving that rich sweetness of a tea-dunked McVities Digestive or a good ol’ can of Heinz Beans. Whatever country you’re from, National Azabu supermarket is the best place to go in Tokyo to hunt for the international foods you’re yearning for.
European cheeses, Aussie beef, German sausages, Mexican taco kits, Indian spices, Indonesian instant noodles, walking into National Azabu is like stepping out of Japan and into a wonderful melting pot of our international homes. The shelves are brimming with imported products that will make you ooh and ahh at the sheer nostalgia and diversity (kid in a candy shop comes to mind).
Use the code metropolis01 at any National Azabu location to receive ¥500 off your shopping! Simply download the National Azabu app and enter the code to receive the ¥500 coupon.
The first supermarket opened in 1962 and has since become something of a grocery mecca for international residents. It soon expanded into three convenient locations in Minamiazabu, Hiroo and Tamagawa, Den-En Chofu.
More than just a supermarket, the establishment has developed a warm sense of community over the years. Customer service manager Dale Toriumi (a Canadian of Japanese ancestry) is often to be found in the aisles showing new shoppers around and communicating with the many regulars; the second floor of the National Azabu location is sometimes transformed into an events space for locals, and the bulletin boards for customers to use has lots of information on what is going on in and around Tokyo.
Being so close to its shoppers in this way means it’s easy for National Azabu to listen to its customers’ needs. As a result, National Azabu features ranges of products that other Japanese supermarkets simply don’t often stock, such as vegan products, halal, kosher, gluten-free, CBD-oil, plant-based and organic items.
It’s not just imported products that the supermarket stocks. In the fruits and vegetables section, products sourced in Japan can be traced back to their prefecture. The supermarket has the name of the prefecture on the product label written in English, as well as a number that corresponds to the prefecture on a map that’s displayed on the supermarket walls, so you can be sure of where every product comes from.
There’s hummus made fresh and delivered every morning by a couple whose husband is originally from Israel. They’re so local that you can visit their restaurant just down the road, located in between Hiroo and Ebisu, and there’s plenty of other local products delivered daily.
To keep up to date with the supermarket’s latest deals and to join the National Azabu community, you can become a member for free and download the National Azabu app. This will also give you access to exclusive special savings on your daily shop and build points towards various rewards.
However, the most exciting news for National Azabu fans and first-time shoppers alike is that the supermarket has now launched an online shopping and delivery service. Whether you’re a busy parent without the time (or the energy) to squeeze grocery shopping into your day; a commuter who’d rather not lug their shopping home on the train, or you’re simply trying to stay home and avoid the city crowds — especially during the coronavirus pandemic — the supermarket can now deliver Tokyo’s top selection of international foods directly to your door.
There’s free home delivery for purchases over ¥5,000 (otherwise it’s ¥550 delivery charge) and you can check the National Azabu site for their delivery areas. Depending on your neighborhood and the time you order, you can also receive same-day delivery. Or, if you prefer, you can also use the “Pick-up and Go” service by shopping online whenever and wherever is convenient for you, then heading to the supermarket at a time slot of your choice to pick up your groceries all carefully bagged by the staff and ready to go. Learn more about delivery and pick-up here.
Use the code metropolis01 at any National Azabu location to receive ¥500 off your shopping! Simply download the National Azabu app and enter the code to receive the ¥500 coupon.
Locations
National Azabu
Mon – Sun 9am – 8pm
03-3442-3181
4-5-2 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047
National Den-en
Mon – Sun 10am – 8pm
03-3721-4161
2-6-21 Tamagawa Den-En-Chofu, Setagaya‐Ku, Tokyo 158-0085
Hiroo Garden Hills
Mon – Sun 10am – 8pm
03-6419-4141
Hiroo Garden Hills H,4-1-11 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0012
