The Yata supermarket is a great mid-range option for all your grocery needs. Occupying a considerably large portion of the department store, the supermarket is in the same area as the food court where you can get your ramen or afternoon tea fix. The supermarket stocks a good variety of both local and international products, and at cheaper prices than supermarkets like Great and Citysuper as well.
One of my favorite things about the Yata supermarket is that they stock a lot of Japanese imported products, ranging from instant noodles to fruit jellies. The other day, I was walking around in the supermarket when I realized that I had a random craving for anchovies - you know, those tiny Japanese silver fish that usually come with almonds? Strange, I know, but I've always loved those. I walked over to the snack aisle, thinking that I would just grab it and go, but lo and behold - there was literally a section devoted to anchovies! There were so many to choose from but unfortunately I don't read Japanese so I couldn't make an informed choice. Anyway, I just went by instinct and compared the prices and grams in each to see which was more value for money.
Fruit shopping at Yata is always an adventure. Last week, my mother and I managed to pick up the most gorgeous Japanese peaches for $32 each. Now, we all know peaches aren't the cheapest of all fruits, but $32 for a nice, big and juicy peach was a steal compared to other supermarkets!
Unfortunately, the Yata supermarket is always quite crowded, making it hard to move through the aisles while pushing your trolley. Too many a times that my sandals-wearing feet have been rolled over by relentless trolley-pushers... My advice is to come at night when there's significantly less people, and that way, you can also take advantage of some items that have been marked down because the supermarket wants to get rid of them before the day ends! read more