Last Sunday night we quickly drove to the nearest grocery shop to buy a few things for dinner. At least that was the intention. We drove to the Kinokuniya International Supermarket that recently opened in the basement of the new AO building in Aoyama, one of Tokyo coolest. Generally one of us waits in the car while the other goes in (to avoid parking or fines) but we saw the underground parking on the side of the building and drove in. As only in Japan happens, a high tech automatic elevator took the car away and we walked inside the little Italian cafe part of the supermarket, just in case one needs an aperetif before or after the shopping...
Kinokuniya was founded in 1953 as a grocery store and developed into one of the classiest and priecest international supermarket in Japan. Japanese selected food as well as ingredients to cook Italian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and French food abound on the shelves. The vegatables and the fruit look so perfect you would think they were picked up in the garden of Eden. Belgian chocolate, Norwegian brown waffles, shortbread as well as delicate Japanese mochi are among the varieties of superior quality goodies one can find just next to the Boulangerie-Patisserie area where all sorts of bread, scones and croissant are baked daily. Next to a very well stocked wine cellar you could stop and indulge in good cheeses from France and Italy, cured meat from Denmark, Germany and Italy, foie gras and other similar delicatessen. For coffee lovers, fresh beans from all over the world just next to the sushi stand.
We strolled around as if we were in Alice's Wonderland, buying premium Sukiyaki beef and broth, tofu, leeks and mushroom for dinner, Thai noodles, curries and Tapioca pudding for another soon-to-be dinner, pate de campagne and baguette as appetizers and Blue Mountain coffee beans from Jamaica.
A Japanese man in uniform took our bags, provided us with a paid ticket for the parking and asked us to follow him. Two minutes later the car was magically lifted by the elevator from the underground parking and we were on our way, almost feeling pampered. Royal shopping in Tokyo!
Kinokuniya was founded in 1953 as a grocery store and developed into one of the classiest and priecest international supermarket in Japan. Japanese selected food as well as ingredients to cook Italian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and French food abound on the shelves. The vegatables and the fruit look so perfect you would think they were picked up in the garden of Eden. Belgian chocolate, Norwegian brown waffles, shortbread as well as delicate Japanese mochi are among the varieties of superior quality goodies one can find just next to the Boulangerie-Patisserie area where all sorts of bread, scones and croissant are baked daily. Next to a very well stocked wine cellar you could stop and indulge in good cheeses from France and Italy, cured meat from Denmark, Germany and Italy, foie gras and other similar delicatessen. For coffee lovers, fresh beans from all over the world just next to the sushi stand.
We strolled around as if we were in Alice's Wonderland, buying premium Sukiyaki beef and broth, tofu, leeks and mushroom for dinner, Thai noodles, curries and Tapioca pudding for another soon-to-be dinner, pate de campagne and baguette as appetizers and Blue Mountain coffee beans from Jamaica.
A Japanese man in uniform took our bags, provided us with a paid ticket for the parking and asked us to follow him. Two minutes later the car was magically lifted by the elevator from the underground parking and we were on our way, almost feeling pampered. Royal shopping in Tokyo!
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