Vietnamese Food Market (Chợ quê Việt Nam)
📍 Address: 4489-1 Kirihishikanae, Iida, Nagano 395-0807, Japan
Located in Iida City, ‘Vietnamese Food Market’ is a Vietnamese supermarket that captivates with its deep selection, mirroring the vibrant energy of the local scene. You’ll find rare seasonings that are absolutely impossible to come across in typical Japanese supermarkets, as well as frozen meats, edible insects, and even frozen durian, all packed tightly. Just looking around the store gives you a taste of exotic charm.
Run by a Japanese owner and his Vietnamese wife in a homely atmosphere, you can also enjoy warm local interactions, such as getting to sample homemade spring rolls if you visit at the right time. For a snack, we recommend ‘Long Coconut’ (approx. 400 yen for 200g). With a thin, crispy texture similar to yatsuhashi, its addictive coconut sweetness makes it a hidden gem among locals. The store also boasts a rich selection of adventurous items, like purple mochi rice zenzai that thickens like kudzu-yu when warmed, and intensely sweet young corn juice.
A note on access: entering the parking lot can be a bit tricky. If you’re heading north from Iida Interchange, you need to get into the left lane before the tunnel, indicate when you see the shop, slow down, and then turn into the parking lot at an angle as if making a U-turn past the shop. As this is a spot where following cars tend to pick up speed, please approach cautiously to avoid a rear-end collision.
Bách Hoá Việt Matsumoto Vietnamese Grocery Store
📍 Address: 3-29-22 Hiratahigashi, Matsumoto, Nagano 399-0014, Japan
In the Matsumoto area, which has few authentic Vietnamese restaurants, this valuable grocery store enjoys immense support from Vietnamese residents and local ethnic food lovers, who say ‘you can’t go wrong here.’ It’s attractive for its reasonable prices compared to other stores, and on weekends, it bustles with international students and long-term residents stocking up.
Inside, you’ll find a wide array of Vietnamese coffee powder and staple seasonings like fish sauce. For first-time Japanese visitors, we recommend the diverse selection of ‘instant pho noodles.’ They make it easy to recreate authentic flavors, and you’ll definitely get hooked after one taste. Sometimes, a cute girl helps her mother run the shop, creating a homely atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’ve stumbled into a small, local store in a Vietnamese town.
Additionally, a banh mi food truck occasionally appears outside the store (mainly on weekends), making it a hub where you can feel the energy of the Vietnamese community. If you want to experience the real local atmosphere, visiting around lunchtime on a weekend is highly recommended.
Xuan Shop Viet Nhat Nagano
📍 Address: TOiGO WEST, Tsurugatomonogoshocho, Nagano, Nagano 380-0834, Japan
Opened in November 2025 on the first floor of ‘TOiGO WEST,’ a multi-purpose complex in Nagano City, this is a new Vietnamese supermarket. Established as a Nagano branch of a corporation that operates Asian food stores nationwide, it features a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Its excellent location makes it easy for shoppers visiting the blood donation center or other shops to casually drop in, wondering ‘What’s this place?’
Beyond staple items like rice paper, pho, and Vietnamese coffee, it boasts a considerably deep selection, including niche frozen foods and unique local spices. On weekdays after work and on holidays, it’s bustling with young Vietnamese people doing their shopping, and the Vietnamese language spoken around you creates the illusion of being on a street corner in Hanoi.
This convenient store caters to a wide range of needs, from short-term travelers looking for ‘nostalgic flavors from their Vietnam trip’ to long-term residents wanting to ‘perfectly recreate their home country’s recipes.’
Sifa Super Store & Food
📍 Address: 2-9-17 Ote, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0874, Japan
While not a Vietnamese supermarket, this Thai grocery specialty store in Matsumoto City is an absolute must-visit if you’re seeking deep Southeast Asian ingredients. With a Thai shop on the first floor selling daily necessities, seasonings, and juices, and an authentic Thai restaurant on the second, it’s so vibrant with local energy that it’s dubbed ‘Thailand in Matsumoto.’
What’s noteworthy is their handling of ‘fresh fruits,’ just like in Thailand. During durian season, you can buy a whole durian for around 4,000 to 6,000 yen, and they’ll even open the shell for you on the spot – a truly intense experience rarely found in Japan. It’s a highly valued store for foreign residents looking for fresh, not frozen, durian.
The second-floor restaurant offers box seats and toys for children, making it a family-friendly space. The dishes prepared by Thai staff deliver ‘authentic spice and umami’ with no compromise, but you can order in Japanese, and they’re happy to adjust the spice level. Enjoying an authentic ethnic lunch after shopping has become a golden route for locals.
Somchai Store
📍 Address: 1-4-6 Minamimachi, Komoro, Nagano 384-0012, Japan
Located in Komoro City, this is a truly authentic Thai restaurant & grocery store operated solely by Thai staff. The intense aroma of herbs and spices that hits you the moment you step inside creates an overwhelming sense of authenticity, making you feel as if you’ve just ‘arrived in Thailand!’ The large number of Thai customers is proof of this store’s genuine nature.
The adjoining grocery shop boasts an incredibly rich selection, where you can find almost any Asian ingredient you desire, including frozen coconut and taro desserts, and niche seasonings. What you absolutely must try in conjunction with your shopping is the restaurant’s cuisine. Among them, ‘Yum Woon Sen’ (glass noodle salad) is an exquisite dish highly praised for its addictive quality, making you want to eat it regularly. Also, the green curry, with its exquisite balance of coconut milk sweetness and exotic spiciness, is best ordered with ‘somen’ noodles, a connoisseur’s choice. The rich soup coats the noodles, delivering a shocking deliciousness.
A note on access: the parking lot in front of the store only accommodates a few cars, and the road in front is busy, so please exercise extreme caution when parking. Service can sometimes take a while, so the key is to allow plenty of time to enjoy a deep Asian experience.
Experience Authentic Southeast Asia in Nagano Prefecture
Due to the large number of Vietnamese and Thai international students and technical trainees living in Nagano Prefecture, there’s a growing number of supermarkets and grocery stores offering ‘truly authentic local flavors’ that haven’t been localized for Japanese palates.
Whether you’re buying rare seasonings and instant noodles unavailable in Japanese supermarkets to try at home, or encountering the deep sight of a fresh durian being opened, each store might seem a bit intimidating at first glance. But if you bravely step inside, friendly local staff and Japanese owners will warmly welcome you. Be sure to add these to your weekend shopping or gourmet tour routes and enjoy a mini overseas trip experience right here in Nagano.
