Liquor Stores

[Nozomi]

This is a quick query.
Does anybody know a good liquor store in Tokyo, preferably on the eastern side of town, that sells a wide range of foreign beers and other alcoholic beverages at reasonable prices?

Thanx

Nozomi

[jpyconnection]

In Ueno near the shotengai, where they sell all the fish, there's a department store of sorts that has a super on the 1st floor and in the basement. On one of the upper floors is a huge liquor store that has a good sellection.

As for prices if it's imports you want you'll have to pay more.

Also I've rarely found a liquor store that carries a really decent sellection of foreign beers in Japan...

Good luck!!



Post Edited (08-21-04 10:59)

[Hyakushiki]

If you can go all the way out to Makuhari in Chiba, they've got the French superstore CarreFoure (sorry, don't know how to spell it because I always hear the katakana version) that has a huge selection of foreign beers and many fine spirits. I don't drink, but I do remember being very impressed with the wide variety of beers from around the world.

It isn't cheap, though.

[dipchick]

Try Yamaya. It is an import chain, with locations all over Tokyo (check out thier website) with a very good selection of alcohol and beers (I've even found my favourite mexican beer there - Negro Modelo - not an easy find anywhere outside of Mexico!) at generally very good prices. Thier selection changes constantly, as well.

Campai!

[Frungy]

Yeah, YaMaYa is a lot like Trader Joe's in the States. Lots of international foods, and lots of alcohol. Alcohol tends to be cheaper here than the States... guess it's taxes.

[Kumachan]

How far east are we talking about here?

I'm in Edogawa and there's a great liquor shop not too far from Kasai station. I don't know the name as I don't recognise most of the Kanji, but it's about two blocks south of Kasai station on the Tozai line, right on Kannana dori. The first floor has a lot of snacks/non-alcoholic stuff and the second floor has loads of beer & wine as well as a big frozen food section.

[Frungy]

Oh yeah, and there's a Costco in Kaihin Makuhari. I dunno if it's like in the States... if it is, it probably has tons of wine and spirits.

[sasukene]

The Costcos here in Japan do have huge selections of beer, wine and spirits and the prices are low compared to local liquor stores. Both local and imported. And on most of my visits they have had tastings or wine and or beer. A great place to stock up the fridge but you have to join to buy from there. 2500 yen per year is the membership fee I think, but you can save heaps of cash in just one visit.

[sincity]

Tobu department store (B2) in Ikebukuro station has one of the largest selections of foreign beer in Japan. And if there's something they don't have but you want, talk to the manager. He's very knowledgeable and loves to talk beer. But if you're in a hurry, make a point of not talking to him because he never shuts up.

[swordfishtrombone]

if you want cheap stuff, try Bic Camera (yes, Bic Camera!) in Yurakucho. a surprisingly wide selection of stuff (can't remember about beer, but all kinds of liquor and wine) and very cheap. plus you can accumulate Bic Camera points.

[jaymenna78734]

Im looking for a good shop that sells Japanese beers (not Asahi, Kirin, Suntory or Saporo) but there seems to be a bunch of micro brews, but in cant find more that 2 or 3 in one place!

Yorusiku-nne!

[richard]

jaymenna
Are you in Tokyo? If so, go over to Mitsukoshi Dept. store in Ebisu. Go out the station - (up the escalator) and take the moving sidewalk to the huge plaza at the end of it - you are actually going away from the station - and you can't miss Mitsukoshi. B1 floor has many local brews from Japan ("ji-biru" in Japanese). However prices are slightly higher than the mass market brands, as can be expected. They have a reasonably good selection of wines at reasonable prices too!

Kanpai!
R.

[Theacehimself]

how much can I expect to pay for beer purchased at a store? Im from the US and am used to paying about fifty cents per beer roughly. (all europeans may insert jokes about american beer at this time) How much for a beer in bars roughly?

[jaymenna78734]

Tokyo is an expensive place. ITs pretty normal to pay upwards of $10 for a pint in a bar here. In a store I can imagine paying less tan $1.75-$3 for a US sized beer.

[Gaijin de Moscu]

There are some bars though where you pay 500-800 yen per pint. I recall paying this price... maybe in Osaka though, not Tokyo.

In my apartent block's bar, a pint was 200 yen! Yeeha. It was always empty.

[Kumachan]

Local beer (Yebisu, Sapporo, Asahi etc) bought at your local kombini will usually be around 130-180 yen. Other imported beers can be bought from liqour stores usually starting around 230 yen.
Draught local beer can run you between 200 and 800 yen for a pint depending on the place.
And the Irish pub located in the lobby where I work charges 900yen for a pint of Guinness. Although I did find a place in Roppongi that sold Guinness and Kilkenny pints for 750yen.

[Theacehimself]

cant live without me guinness. I can live without the bud light though.