Discount Grocery Store – AEON Big Express

Grocery stores of all shapes and sizes can be found throughout Okinawa, but none offer the selection and competitive price of AEON Big Express! Located in Okinawa’s south central city of Ginowan, AEON Big Express is an American sized grocery stores with a large selection and discounted pricing to match.

The best way to describe AEON Big Express is a discount grocery store. Although they have a variety of items that you can find at other stores throughout the island the prices tend to be a bit cheaper here which is a great way to save some money, something increasingly hard to do when purchasing food. Inside AEON Big Express has the feel and shopping experience of an American Big Box store, just without the massive quantities. There are a lot of cardboard boxes of product throughout the store, not everything is organized and there are a lot of people looking for the best possible deal. This can sometimes become very hectic in the busiest parts of the day, especially as more unattended boxes make their way into the center of aisles, but it is manageable if you’re there are the right time.

The layout of AEON Big Express is very much like any other grocery store here in Okinawa. First you will be in the produce section. This section is filled with a variety of produce from all over Japan and some other places as well.

Like other discount stores produce at AEON Big Express is hit or miss. There are times when the produce is fresh, affordable and there is a large variety whereas other time there won’t be much or the produce might look like it has seen better days. Either way I have found that it is a great place to shop especially in the Okinawan summer when local produce is hard to find.

Continuing towards the rear of the store you will find yourself in the fish section. There are a variety of fish products available either fresh or frozen. Pricing is competitive as well. Meats also are available and at decent prices depending on the time of the year and the types of meats that you are wanting to purchase. Like everywhere else in Japan beef is still expensive here as it would be anywhere else.

The entire center of the store is dedicated to everything else you might want out of a grocery store. From dog food to frozen pizza you can find it here. In fact if you’re looking for a killer deal on packaged items then this is the place to check out. You can easily save 10 to 50 yen per item.

AEON Big Express also has a large selection of pre-made foods as well which you can chose from if you’re just passing through and looking for some lunch. Enjoy everything from bento to tempura all fresh and ready for you!

If you want to head out to AEON Big Express there are a few things you should know. First and foremost AEON Big Express is located on the Ginowan Bypass not far from the Ginowan Convention Center. Secondly the store takes yen cash and some credit cards. Some e-money is also excepted here as well. Now for logistics. AEON Big Express is in a shopping center which shares a large parking lot with a handful of other businesses. This can make it hard to find parking especially after 10AM when the other businesses open and most certainly on the weekends. If you want to take advantage of the great discounts it’s best to shop during the week before 10AM if possible.

Have you even shopped at AEON Big Express? Let us know in the comments below!

Groceries – Finding Reasonable Prices Out In Town

One of the questions that I am often asked by those who are here in Okinawa is “Where can I find reasonably priced groceries in Okinawa”. This question usually comes from military members who are familiar with shopping at the base commissaries but have not had the chance to venture out to the grocery stores just outside the gates. Most are looking for reasonably priced food because the commissary prices are unreasonably high on some items. Others are looking for food which has not been shipped in from the US resulting in produce which is fresher, longer. Luckily Okinawa has a number of places where shoppers can get reasonably priced and fresh groceries.

If fresh produce is what you’re interested in then you may want to check out a local Farmer’s Market. These markets are located all over the island and feature various products from Okinawa’s main island as well as the small island’s just off the coast. Unlike farmer’s markets in the US the markets here in Okinawa are structured almost like a grocery store with shelves and food packaged with price tags on the packages for easy sale.

The variety of foods and prices that you find at the farmer’s markets here in Okinawa vary by season and location so be aware that you may have to adjust what you intend to eat based on what is available and in season if you so choose to shop at the farmer’s market. It’s also important to understand that the selection your farmer’s market has available changes not only from day to day but also hour to hour. For the most selection it’s best to visit the farmer’s market early in the day.

Another option for getting reasonably priced food is to visit a local grocery store. Most of the grocery stores here in Okinawa feature some of the same goods that you might find in farmer’s markets as well as goods from other parts of Japan and neighboring countries. The selection also includes fresh foods as well as packaged foods like pasta, canned goods and cookies.

Although some of the deals you can find at grocery stores don’t beat the prices you can find at farmer’s markets on week days there are ways to get better deals on the weekend. The best time to go grocery shopping here in Okinawa in on a Sunday morning (usually at 9AM when the store opens). This is a big shopping day here in Okinawa and there are special sales on everything especially produce, meat and fish. You can save quite a bit of money shopping on Sunday morning as many items are marked down to 99 yen for what is called “Pay Day Sale”. 

So where should you go if you’re new to the island and want to dabble in the art of shopping at a Japanese grocery store? I recommend heading to AEON in Mihama. I realize that this may be far for some of you based on your location but it’s a great place to visit at least once so that you can get your feet wet. Aeon has a large selection of decently priced groceries and the best part is that the store over the years has done it’s best to accommodate to those who cannot read Japanese. English labels are throughout the store helping you find your way around and try out some items that you may not have found otherwise. Once you get the hang of shopping here you can figure out how to get what you need at other grocery stores throughout the island.

That’s my advise on finding reasonably priced (and fresh) produce while here in Okinawa. It’s really not too hard to do if you take the time and put in the effort to actually get out and see what the stores have to offer. The only thing to keep in mind is that although a person, even who eats American cuisine, can get everything they need off base there are a few things that you might not be able to find because the brands are not available here OR because the items are not produced in Japan. It takes a bit of adjustment but you can get it squared away in no time.

Happy shopping!