supa!! ICS info

Supermarkets in and around KIT

Mostly this is relevant to ICS students that are going to stay at the Tobata campus dorms, if you don't know this is where you're staying.

Firstly, the closest supermarket is called Spina, it's pretty damn close, two minutes by bike depending on how fast you ride. It's pretty cheap but it closes at 8pm, it has most things you need - including alcohol (so much alcohol!!) , a tiny 100yen (plus GST so 105yen) section etc. There are no butchershops or seafood stores, it's all precut prepackaged in the supermarkets.

Meat is EXPENSIVE, you can find 'aussie beef' but unless it's on special.... chicken is by far the most available in Kyushu.

The variety of fruit isn't fantastic, it's pretty much apples, bananas, NZ golden kiwis (yeah random), normal kiwis, oranges...

The cheapest supermarket ever in western Japan is called Trial. The best damn place ever, it's a little far, you'd only go there by bike and you couldn't technically bring a lot back but it's huge, it's 24 hours and so cheap! Everything is there - electronics (hair dyers, memory sticks, vacuum) , bikes, cheapass clothes you'd never wear, some furniture, pillows, you name it.
If you go there i suggest you buy meat at the beginning of the week and try to stay away from the cheap stuff - it's cheap already and let's just say my first adventure didn't turn out well.

There's no BBQ sauce. I found one small packet but it was expensive and had about 200mL in it - not worth it.
There isn't much chinese stuff either - there's oyster sauce of all things - but other sauces and ingredients nope.

Supermarkets in Japan also tend to make obento and little side dishes in case you're lazy. Croquettes, tempura etc. At the end of the day they sell those cheaper cos it's all made fresh.

The last supermarket you're likely to visit is about five minutes by bike. It's called Marushoku. Here you can find sour cream (oh thank whoever is above), and lots more variety than Spina. It closes at 10pm. It also has a bakery that sells imitation bagels...