I’m an American mom living in Japan, and grocery shopping here is a far superior experience than it is in the US

I used to do one big, weekly grocery haul in the US, but now I stop into the Japanese store for smaller purchases three to four times per week.

Ever since my daughter reached the toddler stage, she’s become an exceptionally pickier eater. I find myself frequenting the grocery store in Japan more often, desperate to find something she’ll actually eat. 

Luckily, Japanese grocery stores make it easy to stop in for a few items at a time.

During my first trip to a Japanese grocery store, I learned that getting a big cart and stocking up on groceries for the next one-to-two weeks isn’t the norm here. It’s quite common to go to the grocery store three-to-four times per week.

In fact, many stores I’ve visited here don’t even have large shopping carts. Instead, you’ll find a cart closer to the size of a grocery basket.