Traveling in Tokyo for the first time, I didn’t feel that it is exceptionally expensive. We were actually quite surprise how reasonably priced food and drinks, restaurants, clothes, public transportation and attractions, since Japan is perceived as being a very expensive country.
In my first 2 days there, the only fruits and vegetables I encountered were those presented in Depachika (department store basements which are filled with fine-quality food). The counters selling fruits and vegetables in Depachika are actually gift shops. They are considered luxury gift items and are wrapped, presented and prices as such. I was a bit puzzled at first – could it really be that these are the prices of apples, grapes and melons in Tokyo?
I got my answer to this a few days later, when dining at Tapas Molecule Bar, a one Michelin star restaurant. The chef told us that if we go to supermarkets and markets we’ll find reasonable priced fruits and veggies as well and I indeed encountered them later on.
So how expensive are these fruits you wonder…
How about a 13$/50₪ melon or a 16$/65₪ box of grapes?
100$/390₪ melon wrapped in purple silk paper inside in a wooden box
Feeling this is not luxury enough? Check out this 270$/1050₪ melon
On to grapes.. These ones cost 45$/176₪
Wrapped in big bubble wrap at just 76$/300₪
There’s always the option of purchasing a small bunch of grapes at 13$/52₪
And these 6.5$/25₪ worth of grapes weren’t found in one of those “gift shops”, but in a big supermarket
Apples for 4.5$/17.5₪ a piece
One Tomato for 2$/8₪
Or two for the price of 4$/16₪
Mushrooms, on the other hand, are so cheap. This batch costs 1$/3₪
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