Growing Grocery Bill

A lot of people are having some gripes about the cost of food here in Misawa. Its higher than I remember things being back in the states but I understand that things are on the rise back there too. I thought I would share some of what we pay here. Some is way tooo much but some of it isn't so bad.


(Photo is Yokomachi for the Y100 Produce)

Garlic: $17.39 a pound..........White Grapes: $3.22 a pound*
Cherries: $6.33 a pound..........Holopinios: $18.09 a pound
Bananas: $0.99 a pound*..........Strawberries: $4.97 a pound
Loaf Of Bread: $3.66..........1% Milk: $4.70 a half gallon
Can Corn: $0.89...........White Mushrooms:$11.00 a pound
5lb Bag Potatos: $8.00..........Angel Food Cake: $5.38
Apples: $4.66 a pound
* Indicates price when on sale
Again...some of those prices are not that bad but others...good night how can they charge that! There are ways around it in some places. Pass up that bag of fresh garlic and reach for the 32oz jar of Minced Garlic in water for under $4.00 (they just changed the vendor this past week...before we were paying $6.00ish for a pound). Also, a local store has a Y100 (100 yen = $1.00ish) produce day every Tuesday. Want cherries? Pack the family in the car and go to the Cherry farm about 15 or 20 min. from base. For about Y2000 (2000 yen = about $20.00ish) you get all you can eat plus a couple boxes full of them. Want an apple? Head down to the Misawa Train Station and find the Apple Mart across the street for a whole crate of apples around Y1300 (1300 Yen = $13.00ish). We also are able to use a coupon fromt he US for up to 6 months after it expires!
(Photo is the "Apple Store" near the Train station)