Bách Hoa Việt Kyoto
📍 Address: 26-1 Saiin Shimizu-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 615-0052, Japan
Located in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, roughly halfway between Hankyu ‘Saiin Station’ and ‘Nishikyogoku Station’, ‘Bách Hoa Việt Kyoto (Vietnamese Supermarket)’ has become an indispensable hub for local international students and Asian long-term residents living in Kyoto since its opening in March 2021. It’s a deep-rooted supermarket, known to those in the know, gathering enthusiastic support from local Vietnamese food lovers who claim, ‘If you’re looking for Vietnamese ingredients in Kyoto, this is the best place.’
Stepping inside, you’re immediately enveloped in the vibrant atmosphere and spice aromas, as if you’ve wandered into a local market in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, with carefully selected ingredients sourced directly from Vietnam lining the shelves. Its convenient location near the large ‘Gyomu Super Saiin Store’ and the tool shop ‘Shima Corporation’ makes it easy to drop by during daily errands or after work. With support for smartphone payments like d払い, it’s a highly convenient shop not only for foreign students but also for Japanese customers.
Unique Local Items You’ll Only Find Here and How to Shop Like a Local
The greatest charm of this supermarket lies in its deeply niche selection, rarely found in typical Japanese import food stores. Beyond popular pho noodles and Vietnamese coffee, the shelves are stocked with fresh vegetables like coriander and water spinach, local fish and meat, and even frozen traditional Vietnamese desserts like ‘Chè’, offering a lineup truly akin to what you’d find in Vietnam.
Especially recommended are the various seasonings that allow you to easily recreate authentic Vietnamese flavors at home. A frequent customer favorite, often praised as a ‘must-buy’, is the ‘Chili Lemon Pepper Salt’. With a exquisite balance of sourness and spiciness, it’s a magic powder that instantly adds an Asian flair when sprinkled on meat, seafood, or even french fries. The trick to fully enjoying this store is to start with these easy-to-use seasonings and instant noodles, then gradually explore deeper ingredients such as frozen fish and various spices.
Beyond Vietnamese ingredients, the store also carries niche items from across Southeast Asia, such as Indonesian fermented soybean product ‘Tempeh’. For food enthusiasts who enjoy a multinational dining experience, it’s truly a space where you can experience the thrill of a treasure hunt.
An At-Home Atmosphere Run by a Japanese-Vietnamese Couple
Another charm of ‘Bách Hoa Việt Kyoto’ is the unique local warmth it exudes. The storefront, perhaps a repurposed snack bar, carries a nostalgic Showa-era retro atmosphere. This, combined with the exotic Vietnamese ingredient signs, creates a distinct and unique presence amidst Kyoto’s cityscapes.
The shop is run by a friendly Japanese manager and his Vietnamese wife. Their welcoming personalities ensure that even Japanese beginners ‘who fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine and came to buy ingredients’ are kindly assisted. At the same time, for Vietnamese students and workers, it serves as a small community and exchange hub where they can shop with peace of mind in their native language and share information about their homeland.
Even if you drop by alone, you won’t feel out of place; on the contrary, there’s an inviting atmosphere where you can easily ask, ‘How do I eat this?’ For those who want to immerse themselves in local Asian culture, or simply add new spices to their daily cooking, be sure to bring your own reusable bag and open the door to this deep Vietnamese supermarket.
