Looking for a Vietnamese Supermarket in Asakusa? Here are Your Best Allies for Home Cooking!
To all international students and long-term residents searching for ‘Asakusa Vietnamese supermarkets,’ while dedicated Vietnamese grocery ‘specialty stores’ are few in the Asakusa area, you can actually find a scattering of Asian grocery stores stocked with Asian seasonings, and local supermarkets where you can buy specialty cuts (like pig’s ears and offal) essential for authentic Vietnamese home cooking.
This time, we’ve carefully selected and will introduce supermarkets and Asian grocery stores highly recommended for home cooks, which locals genuinely frequent! Reading this will undoubtedly make your life in Asakusa more convenient and enriching.
Nippo Asia Bussan
📍 Address: Sakakibara Tenpo 1F, 5 Chome-17-9 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Located on Senzoku-dori Shopping Street, this is a small, deep Asian grocery store brimming with exotic charm. As you step inside, a sensor chime welcomes you with ‘Huānyíng guānglín (Welcome!)♪’ You’ll feel as if you’ve instantly warped from Japan to a local convenience store somewhere in Asia.
While mainly featuring Chinese imported foods, it’s packed with useful items for substituting Vietnamese ingredients or adding an Asian touch, such as frozen foods like ‘Xiāng mógu gòngwán’ (mushroom meatball), various Asian seasonings, and lychee juice. They also sell unusual snacks often seen on video sites, making it an exciting space just to browse.
Although the selection isn’t as extensive as larger stores, it’s incredibly convenient to have nearby for small top-ups or when you’ve run out of ‘your usual chili oil or spices!’ You can quickly shop even late on weekend nights, making it a reliable ally for Asian international students staying in Asakusa.
Sanpei Store Asakusa
📍 Address: Makida Bldg 1F, 2 Chome-14-16 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0035, Japan
Located in the Nishi-Asakusa area, this is an old-fashioned, community-focused local supermarket. At first glance, it appears to be a typical Japanese local supermarket, but it actually holds the potential to be called a ‘god-tier supermarket’ for Vietnamese international students and Asian residents on medium to long-term stays.
Its biggest appeal is the availability of specialty meat cuts! ‘Pig’s ears (Tai heo),’ ‘pork hearts,’ and ‘pork liver,’ rarely seen in regular supermarkets, are routinely stocked here—and at reasonable prices. The overwhelming advantage is being able to procure these ingredients here for recreating Vietnamese home cooking or authentic appetizers without having to travel far to an Asian market. Furthermore, it’s known for its core lineup of fresh foods, including ‘torisashi’ (chicken sashimi) made from breast meat.
Bento boxes and prepared dishes are also sold cheaply, but some say the quality can vary. The clever way locals utilize it is by treating it strictly as a place for ‘sourcing specialty ingredients to cook yourself.’
Life Asakusa Store
📍 Address: 3 Chome-18-17 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0035, Japan
This large supermarket stands along Kokusai-dori Avenue, quite close to Asakusa’s bustling downtown. Boasting a spacious three-story sales floor, it’s a central hub for daily life in the Asakusa area, as you can find everything you need here, from groceries to daily necessities and even clothing.
Fresh foods like vegetables and meat are available at reasonable prices, making it a great go-to for daily groceries. The appeal of their special offers is high, with reviews saying things like ‘I stopped by and ended up buying steak because it was so cheap!’ Payments are smooth with semi-self-checkout and full self-checkout registers available, supporting QR code payments like PayPay.
Furthermore, the abundant deli section is a strong ally for international students tired of cooking. The quality is particularly high, with passionate fans proclaiming ‘Life’s Mapo Tofu is the best!’ and a wide selection of easy-to-grab items like battera sushi.
Ozeki Asakusa Kaminarimon Store
📍 Address: The Gate Hotel by Hulic 1F, 2 Chome-16-11 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan
Despite being conveniently located just a 2-minute walk from the famous Kaminarimon gate, this supermarket is hugely popular not only with tourists but also with local residents. The store itself has narrow aisles and a compact layout, but it’s densely packed with high-quality ingredients.
Particularly noteworthy is the freshness and wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Seasonal fruits like strawberries line the shelves, and after evenings, you can often find still-fresh vegetables and fruits at half price, making it a must-visit for international students looking to shop affordably and wisely. Meat and seafood (like shrimp) are also of high quality, perfect for days when you want to enjoy a slightly more luxurious home-cooked meal.
The cashier service is also very polite, making shopping exceptionally easy. The acceptance of not only cash but also credit cards and various QR code payments is another welcome point for foreign residents accustomed to Japan’s cashless payment scene.
Smart Shopping Tips & Local Scene in Asakusa Area
While Asakusa is known as a tourist destination, if you venture into the back streets or towards Kokusai-dori Avenue, you’ll find it’s also a ‘supermarket battleground’ with numerous stores. Therefore, the trick to comfortably living in Asakusa is to use different stores according to your lifestyle.
For instance, the golden rule for home-cooking locals is to buy daily bulk vegetables and staple meats at ‘Life Asakusa Store,’ procure essential pig’s ears and offal for Vietnamese cuisine specifically at ‘Sanpei Store,’ and then head to ‘Nippo Asia Bussan’ when you crave local seasonings and spices.
Note that supermarkets around Asakusa often have limited bicycle parking (or it’s located in a distant separate building). Therefore, when cycling for groceries, we recommend thoroughly checking each store’s designated parking rules to avoid issues like illegal parking violations (e.g., bicycle removal).
