Uwajimaya

Uwajimaya Review

This huge, fascinating Japanese supermarket is a feast for the senses. A 30-foot-long red Chinese dragon stretches above colorful mounds of fresh produce and aisles of delicious packaged goods—including spicy peas, sweet crackers, gummy candies, nut mixes, rice snacks, and colorful sweets—from countries throughout Asia. A busy food court serves sushi, Japanese bento-box meals, Chinese stir-fry combos, Korean barbecue, Hawaiian dishes, Vietnamese spring rolls, and an assortment of teas and tapioca drinks. This is the best place to pick up all sorts of snacks; dessert lovers won't know which way to turn first. The housewares section is well stocked with dishes, cookware, appliances, textiles, and gifts. There's also a card section, a Hello Kitty corner, and Yuriko's cosmetics, where you can find Shiseido products that are usually available only in Japan. Last but not least, there's a small branch of the famous Kinokuniya bookstore chain, selling paper goods, pens, stickers, gift items, and many Asian-language books. The large parking lot is free for one hour with a minimum $5 purchase (which will be no problem) or two hours with a minimum $10 purchase—don't forget to have your ticket validated by the cashiers.