5 Must-Visit Deep-Dive Vietnamese & Asian Grocery Stores Around Kanazawa!

Introduction: Booming in Kanazawa! The Appeal of Deep-Dive Vietnamese & Asian Grocery Stores

In recent years, Kanazawa City and Komatsu City have seen a rapid increase in authentic ‘Vietnamese supermarkets’ and ‘Asian grocery stores,’ bringing genuine local flavors directly to the region. This growth is largely due to the rising number of Vietnamese and other Asian international students and long-term residents.

For local residents and ethnic food enthusiasts who find typical imported food stores lacking, these shops are a treasure trove. They are valuable spots where you can find fresh herbs rare in Japan, authentic seasonings, and even unique frozen meats. Here, we introduce a carefully selected list of must-visit, highly local shops around Kanazawa and Komatsu.

Thực phẩm việt – Komatsu – Shop Việt Nam (Vietnamese Shop)

📍 Address: 50 Ryusuke-machi, Komatsu, Ishikawa 923-0926, Japan

This Vietnamese supermarket in Komatsu perfectly captures the local atmosphere. Step inside, and you’ll find an impressive array of instant noodles, juices, and various seasonings commonly consumed in Vietnam. It’s an ideal selection for those who aren’t satisfied with typical import stores like ‘Kaldi.’

It’s fascinating just to observe what local people eat and what’s popular there. According to reviews, they also sell unique local foods like a Vietnamese sweet potato dessert with a distinct sourness and stickiness. The staff can communicate to some extent in Japanese, making it a comfortable place for first-time visitors to shop.

Shop Viet Nam Kanazawa

📍 Address: Wakou Tsusho, 16-3 Kasaichi-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0851, Japan

‘Shop Viet Nam Kanazawa,’ located in Kasaichi-machi near Kanazawa Station, is a Vietnamese grocery store belonging to the same chain as the Komatsu branch. It used to operate a restaurant on the second floor, but after renovation, it now specializes in selling ingredients such as frozen foods and dried goods. The store is meticulously organized and bustling with customers, from tourists visiting Kanazawa to local Vietnamese residents.

Here, you can find unique items like red adzuki beans, essential for the Vietnamese dessert ‘Chè,’ and unusual snacks made from fresh spring roll wrappers. While the Japanese spoken might be a bit broken, the owner is very kind. There are reviews of the owner allowing customers to park their motorbikes when visiting a nearby Huế-style beef noodle shop, fostering warm, local interactions.

FOODVn – X3

📍 Address: 4F Zeon Building, 1-5-15 Hirooka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0031, Japan

Just a 3-minute walk from Kanazawa Station West Exit, ‘FOODVn – X3’ (Food Bien X3) is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant that quietly opened in 2022 on the 4th floor of a multi-tenant building. The premises seem to utilize a former nightlife establishment, but the interior has been charmingly refurbished in a nostalgic Vietnamese style. During off-peak hours, when it feels like you have the place to yourself, you can enjoy a comfortable atmosphere as if you were in a Vietnamese café.

A definite must-try is their fresh-noodle ‘Pho,’ reportedly sourced directly from Vietnam. Its chewy texture and delicate soup are so exquisite that it’s no wonder locals highly recommend it. You can instantly transform the flavor into an even more authentic taste by adding the satay sauce available at your table. Furthermore, the QR code menu on your smartphone reveals a ‘secret menu’ item: ‘Offal Porridge’ (Cháo lòng), containing various offal such as liver and small intestines. It has a brown color due to the sausage broth used and is an exotic dish rarely seen in Japan. Given the generous portion size, it’s highly recommended to share and enjoy it with friends.

HALY KUAN Nishikanazawa Branch

📍 Address: 1-24 Nishikanazawa, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 921-8054, Japan

Located near Nishikanazawa Station, on the second floor of a sandwich shop, ‘HALY KUAN’ is a multinational supermarket primarily offering Vietnamese ingredients, which relocated from the east side of Kanazawa Station. A restaurant is also attached on the first floor, a welcome feature that allows you to shop and dine simultaneously. Parking is available behind the store.

The biggest feature of this store is its overwhelmingly deep and unique product selection, which you won’t find anywhere else. Besides fresh Southeast Asian produce like green mangoes, green papayas, and fresh lemongrass, the large freezers are packed with frozen duck and frozen durian. They even stock advanced ingredients like fertilized duck eggs (Hột vịt lộn / Balut). A favorite among regulars is ‘mixed rice paper.’ It’s addictive as a snack on its own, but tossing it with green mangoes and water pepper (Tade) leaves makes for a supreme ethnic salad. If you encounter a friendly staff member, you might even get advice on delicious ways to eat these ingredients.

Kanazawa Halal Mart & Asian Spices

📍 Address: Icho-kan, 15-55 Yasue-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0854, Japan

‘Kanazawa Halal Mart & Asian Spices,’ located on Kanazawa Omotesando (Yokoyasue-cho Shopping Street), is a specialty store that covers not only Vietnamese ingredients but also a wide range of South Asian spices and halal foods. While the store isn’t large, it’s packed with spices, beans, Basmati rice, fresh peanuts, and more, serving as a vital lifeline for long-term residents.

Particularly noteworthy are the frozen meats available in the freezer cases: chicken, beef, lamb (mutton), and goat meat. You can purchase cuts of meat that are hard to find in regular supermarkets at reasonable prices. Ethnic stores sometimes get a reputation for being ‘difficult to enter,’ but at this shop, fluent Japanese-speaking staff members warmly welcome you, so you can easily ask questions about spice usage or cooking methods. It’s highly recommended for Japanese people who want to try their hand at making curry or other ethnic dishes.

A Must-Read for Ethnic Food Lovers! Smart Tips for Using Local Grocery Stores

Asian grocery stores around Kanazawa and Komatsu stock ‘real local daily necessities’ that haven’t been adapted for the Japanese market, so you might feel bewildered by unfamiliar packaging and ingredients. In such cases, a smart shopping tip is to utilize the camera input feature of the Google Translate app. Simply hover your camera over the product package to understand its ingredients and usage, making it easier to try unknown seasonings.

Furthermore, these supermarkets offer herbs and produce like green papaya and lemongrass at surprisingly low prices and with excellent freshness. Some stores even have friendly staff who will share cooking tips, so be sure to not only shop but also enjoy local interactions through the authentic food culture.