CHINESE MARKETS
+ SHIBUYA, TOKYO

You’ve moved to Tokyo, you’ve lived here for X-number of years, and you’ve got a taste for Asian cuisine. Regardless of the fact that you’re living in one of the worlds greatest culinary centers, you still have a hankering for steamed chicken feet and canned longan. For Asian imported groceries, there are a few options. Kaldi Coffee is the first that comes to mind, followed by department stores and then a trip to Yokohama’s Chinatown. Most would think that Kaldi fills the gap where normal super markets fall behind in the foreign import food department. Kaldi does have a great selection, but if you’re looking for something a little less brand prestigious, or something with a little more “back-home” flavor, where can you go? Would you think on the 5th floor of a dirty old building with a rickety elevator you’d find an authentic Chinese grocer? You’d be correct if you thought yes, and well rewarded for building the nerve to enter said scummy building. Shibuya is the home to two small but excellent Chinese/S.E. Asian food import shops. It’s time to get your boiled beef ball on.

HONG KONG FOOD SHOP/ASIAN FOOD STORE

Ignore the taped-together sign with the faded photos, ignore the ugly exterior, one quick ride up the elevator and you’re in for a treat. Just like back home in your local Chinatown, VHS rentals of Chinese soap operas, two isles of canned sauces, fruits, vegetables and all sorts of Asian foods. My girlfriend and I were a little nervous about riding the elevator up and finding something completely opposite to what we were expecting/hoping to find. In fact, just before we got to the right floor, we heard some kind of whacking sound which fueled our imaginations in all the wrong ways. As the door opened, there he was, the shopkeeper, chopping up a chicken with a huge knife right in front of the elevator. Politely excusing himself, he invited us in to look around.

The shopkeeper was very friendly and spoke English. I asked about a few of the bottled sauces, and he explained how to cook with them. In the back of the store there’s a big freezer filled with frozen buns and dumplings for steaming and boiling. They had a large variety of meatballs as well as frozen meats. There were lots of different packets of seasonings from all over S.E. Asia. We didn’t walk out empty handed, after picking up some seasonings, snacks, and canned longan(stuffed with pineapple!). Highly recommended. Will post a map soon.

To get to HONG KONG FOOD SHOP/ASIAN FOOD STORE:
1. Exit Shibuya Station on Hachiko side(the famous dog statue meeting place, check your generic guide book).
2. Walk left along the station to the overpass and cross it to the side with the Fingerhut next to the ramen shop.
3. Walk up past the ringer hut and you’ll see an AM/PM and then a little Chinese restaurant.
4. It’s across the street from the Chinese restaurant and up the elevator.
5. Enjoy and happy shopping!

CHINESE FOOD STORE

No doubt you’ve walked by this place at least once near the center of Shibuya. Just past the BIC camera and before the JR train underpass you’ll see the sign outside. Back home in any of our countries, this kind of sign is just an invitation to trouble, but here in Tokyo, aesthetics are still no indication of quality. As the sign states, they sell international telephone cards and Chinese food. Who doesn’t? Take the elevator to the 5th floor and find out what else they sell. Once it opens, you’re greeted by a wall of Chinese teas in pretty little bags. Walk further in and you’ll find a very nice Chinese convenience/grocery store. You won’t find half of these products at your local Tokyu store, and if you do, they won’t be nearly this cheap. The frozen food section was slightly more extensive that I expected. Several frozen Chinese New Year treats can be had including frozen mochi(sticky rice) balls filled with red bean, sesame, and peanut paste. The clerk spoke a little English and was very helpful. Great specialty shop for Chinese products!

To get to CHINESE FOOD STORE:
1. Exit Shibuya Station on the Hachiko side(the famous dog statue meeting place, check your generic guide book).
2. Walk right past the koban(police box) and cross the road.
3. Continue right, past the shop with the fruit characters, the ramen shop, and the Pepper Steak.
4. You’ll see the sign shortly after the Pepper Steak(see photo).
5. Enjoy and happy shopping(don’t fear the creepy exterior!!)!

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