Accidentally walking or deliberately strolling into our Japanese grocery store online can go in 2 ways. You either know just what you need & want to try, or you’re left speechless at the luxury of flavors KitKat bars come in! Well, that’s the thing with Japanese grocery stores - there’s everything you’ve ever dreamed of & so much more. Aside from having a myriad of variations of all the beloved classic treats, such as canned coffee, chocolate bars, & even cold brew tea, our online Japanese grocery store is a place that hides those pantry staples you didn’t know you needed.

Japanese cuisine, and all the goodies that are stocked up in our online grocery shop, are not only symbolizing the food culture boasting umami. No, the Japanese meal preparation and consumption has a customary rule, it’s a ritual of a sort. Whether it’s a homemade set of Unagi & Maguro you’re having for dinner or trying to warm yourself through with a hearty Miso soup whenever coming down with a cold, you commence with "itadakimasu," meaning to receive food humbly! Naturally, it could be a challenging task to pronounce, but you'll get there after much more homemade deliciousness! Or if it ever gets tougher than you expect (and it probably will), Nihongo Master will be excited to help you learn Japanese by dedicating just 15 minutes a day! Now you’re probably thinking about all the 15 minutes you’ve spent trying to do, you know…Anything to just spend away those 15 minutes, when in an alternative reality, you could’ve been learning Japanese online! While you are probably eyeing that resolution you made for New Year’s, let us supply you with all the must-haves from our Japanese grocery store online, so you learn, eat & snack like a Japanese!

Browsing through our online Japanese grocery store, you might want to shadow your face with your palm - everything is so bright, fun, exciting & rainbow-ish. So, for you to not get lured away with eye-candy (which, in the end, will turn out to be equally moreish), here are our finds on what every home cook & foodie needs in their pantry to broaden their horizons with unmatched flavors from Japan.

Coming in Hot, It’s Japanese Rice
Japan and rice are in a long-term relationship, so the significance of the flawless pairing is evident to all! However, the driving force behind Japanese food culture & economy has confused foodies worldwide. Is there a home cook who has not googled what kind of rice sushi calls for? We don’t think so. To not delve deeper & get lost into the rice world, we came prepared with answers - it’s Japanese short-grain rice you need for sushi or any other traditional Japanese dish. Luckily, you can buy various short-grain rice cultivars in our collection, characterized by a perfectly sticky consistency yet firm texture. It doesn’t get mushy & plump, so your roll stays in shape.

Everything For Miso Soup, aka Comfort in a Bowl
This sipping soup is Japan’s favorite; some say, more than ¾ of Japanese people treat themselves to its goodness every day. So, if you want to feel included, there are some Miso soup essentials you should stock up on from our Japanese grocery store online. Despite the initial thought, savory & umami Miso soup is easy to master. It consists of Dashi, aka cold-brewed kombu, & chewy, veggie add-ins, tofu & seaweed. For starters, all you need is Japanese miso paste, dried seaweed & bonito flakes - all of that you’ll find in our Japanese grocery store online. The best thing is that Miso is unbelievably versatile; it tastes equally delicious with vegan and vegetarian tweaks, too. The crucial part of the preparation process is dashi-making. Soaking up your seaweed might sound easy, but getting perfectly-balanced umami flavors is challenging. So, if you prefer to skip over the potion-making, we have combined some of the favorite miso soup bases from Japan in our selection.

Cooking Made Easy with Mirin Sauce
Buying mirin sauce is the secret weapon to mastering Japanese cuisine. The staple cooking rice wine is the shortcut to replicating authentic umami, and subtle tang Asian dishes pride themselves on. You can use it for tenderizing meat dishes, glazing beef and fish, or even flavoring traditional soups. However, keep in mind that its superpowers go beyond traditional Japanese &, generally, Eastern Asian cuisine. Simply substitute your garlic butter with mirin rendition & top your tenderloins or salmon steak with flavors you never knew you could love so much. Congratulations, you’ve just discovered a new staple go-to!

Versatility Itself, Meet Udon Noodles
It’s no surprise that Japanese noodles made a list; however, we want to declare our love for Udon noodles. With addictively chewy texture and balanced flavor, Udon noodles are picky eater-approved. They are the thickest traditional Japanese noodles, boasting 4-6 millimeters in diameter. The chubby figure shows how Udon retains more flavor than buckwheat Soba noodles. Traditionally made with wheat flour, they shine equally in stir-fries, Miso soup mentioned above, and any other renditions you can come up with! To enjoy it traditionally, prepare it with Kakejiru, umami Dashi broth, and slurp!

 Famous Sokenbicha Tea by Coca-Cola
If you’ve never heard of Sokenbicha tea, we advise you to buckle up because this unique treat can & will take you by surprise. It was 1993, Coca-Cola was determined to go big with a new product, and when there’s a determination, there’s a result, too. The beloved company created a unique range of Japanese-style cold brew tea inspired by the teachings of Kampo (Japanese-Chinese traditional medicine). Sokenbicha typically combines various tea & herbs to charge you up with a lively aroma. Some blends include ginseng, guava leaves, young barley, and everything else imaginable. Luckily for you, when parched, you can enjoy 9 herbs cold brew from Coca-Cola just by shopping in our Japanese grocery store online!

Japanese Mochi Cakes For Snack-turdays!
Sometimes we just get in the mood when we crave something without knowing what exactly it is that we want. Well, for most of the time, Mochi cakes do a terrific job of withering away our cravings and satisfying them with ease. You know why?! Because these moreish Japanese rice cakes are chewy, smooth, and prettiest bite-sized treats you’ve ever seen. Luckily for you, our online selection is packed with flavors you’ll love: chocolate, orange, blueberry, and, of course, matcha mochi are waiting to take their pride of place in your snack drawer. And we’re ready to let you in on a delicious secret: mochi cake tastes incredibly good when paired with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. Try it out, and thank us later for your new favorite quick dessert recipe!

 Refreshingly Fizzy Ramune Soda
Introduced in 1884, Ramune soda is one of the staple drinks in Japan, loved for its soft carbonation and signature flavor ranging from Muscat grape to Yuzu. Once you get to browsing, you’ll notice the unique looks it’s adorned with - Ramune soda comes in a Codd-neck bottle, which is sealed with a marble. Once pushed inside, marble rattles the drink to keep fizzy bubbles alive. So, to experience Japanese soda in its flair, it’s Ramune you should go after!

Finally, On-the-go Japanese canned coffee by UCC!
If tea concoction or fizzy soda isn’t of your vice, we’d like to introduce you to canned coffee. It’s not any kind of canned, but the UCC rendition, ready-to-energize brew. Generally, Japan likes its coffee fast & flavorful. The famous UCC coffee company pioneered the market in 1969 with the first-ever canned coffee with milk, and the Japanese commute to work has never been the same since. Japanese canned & bottled coffee uses special technology to provide as much flavor in convenient packaging as possible, so don’t expect water-down caffeine; it’s delicious and comes in handy when needed.

Now, typically, after a hearty Udon soup, yuzu mochi for a dessert, and a fabled Coca-Cola tea, it’d be a time to say “gochisou-sama,” meaning you’re full & enjoyed your meal. However, before you go on a quest to get down to the nitty-gritty of our Japanese grocery store online, we have to admit to just a tiny thing. Our Japanese grocery store online is a maze for foodies, where you go in, maybe even not wanting a thing, and end up stuck at the dead end with 15 dying-to-try treats & intriguing sauces in your cart! So, there’s no way you’re coming back with only 8 of the new additions to your pantry (we might be projecting, but, hey, just giving a heads up). So, go on, and Ganbatte!