Western food shops available in Tokyo?

[kawaiineko]

I plan to move to Japan eventually. I have no problem adjusting to Japanese culture and cuisine, however this transition isn't going to instantaneous. I'm wondering if there are "specialty shops" in Tokyo that sell western foods. I would love to learn how to cook Japanese cuisine and learn about Japanese culture, but seeing how I'm not Japanese, it's going to take time for me to adjust.

[Abasio]

Originally Posted by kawaiineko

I plan to move to Japan eventually. I have no problem adjusting to Japanese culture and cuisine, however this transition isn't going to instantaneous. I'm wondering if there are "specialty shops" in Tokyo that sell western foods. I would love to learn how to cook Japanese cuisine and learn about Japanese culture, but seeing how I'm not Japanese, it's going to take time for me to adjust.

Don't worry!
Even in small towns a lot of the restaurants cater for western tastes. Japanese like italian & french & indian etc.
& there are all the burger restaurants.
You can also but a lot of food you will be used to from your local supermarket.

People really do think that Japanese people eat nothing but sushi don't they.

If you love Japan so much do a bit of research

[Hatredcopter]

Yes, there are such shops - even outside of Tokyo. However, in most cases, shops that sell western foods tend to put a hurtin' on your wallet. I learned this quickly while I lived in Nagoya... Best get accustomed to octopus and seaweed as soon as you can

[Nyororin]

Why not just go to the grocery store and buy ingredients then cook your own?

If you`re interested in learning to cook Japanese food, then it shouldn`t be much of a leap to learn to cook the types of foods you enjoy eating in your own country.
I have yet to buy any prepackaged "western" type foods here just because the prices are high enough to make me choke - but I can eat any type of meal I want, anytime I want, by buying the ingredients and cooking them.
(I`m talking raw ingredients, not box mixes.)

[YaksokuDa]

Originally Posted by kawaiineko

I plan to move to Japan eventually. I have no problem adjusting to Japanese culture and cuisine, however this transition isn't going to instantaneous. I'm wondering if there are "specialty shops" in Tokyo that sell western foods. I would love to learn how to cook Japanese cuisine and learn about Japanese culture, but seeing how I'm not Japanese, it's going to take time for me to adjust.

Are you being forced to move to Japan? =__=
If I went to Japan the last thing on my mind would be 'where can I find some western food'.

[kawaiineko]

You know it was very rude of you to make that assumption. I never said I'm unwilling to try Japanese cuisine and learn to cook that way. However I've lived in the United States my entire life; regarding cooking there are things I learned here that I love and I'm not just going to give up (baking for example). Also do you think the transition is going to be instantaneous for me? No, it's going to take time for me to adjust since it's a different culture. Thanks for your sarcasm, it's amusing. No I'm not being forced to Japan. However there are some foods here that quite literally are comfort foods and again I don't want to give those up. You're assuming I've done no research whatsoever on Japanese cuisine and how to prepare it; you're assuming I've done no research on the types of specialty stores available (ones that sell western foods). Again, you're wrong. I can't say just one person did this, because many people who posted on this thread just assumed stuff about me; I want your advice not your assumptions. There is more to eat in Japan then just seafood. They also eat pork and chicken; some people don't care for seafood and I'm one of them. The reason I asked for advice regarding this is because I had such a difficult time finding information about western food stores in Japan. Also depending on where you live, the coast of China is right next to Japan. If I wanted to, I could go to China and buy some of the western foods I desire there. Did you ever think of that? Yes I realize I have to convert Japanese yen to Chinese yuan but there is a people's bank of China in the city of Shanghai (which is the city where I would shop). Basically what I intend to do is tie western cuisine in with Japanese cuisine. Reasons regarding this are simple; I grew up with western cuisine and I'm going to have to eat Japanese cuisine since I'm going to live in Japan (or be dependent of fast food which I refuse to do) You really should learn to read and think about what's being told to you before you make assumptions about people.

[timo]

I hear that some gaijin go down to Guam to get American cereals and other favorite foods; some get it shipped to them in cases from the states. If it were me, I'd try to adjust to the local cuisine.

[AllICanSay]

Aren't there any McDonalds in Japan? just wondering

[YaksokuDa]

Originally Posted by kawaiineko

You know it was very rude of you to make that assumption. I never said I'm unwilling to try Japanese cuisine and learn to cook that way. However I've lived in the United States my entire life; regarding cooking there are things I learned here that I love and I'm not just going to give up (baking for example). Also do you think the transition is going to be instantaneous for me? No, it's going to take time for me to adjust since it's a different culture. Thanks for your sarcasm, it's amusing. No I'm not being forced to Japan. However there are some foods here that quite literally are comfort foods and again I don't want to give those up. You're assuming I've done no research whatsoever on Japanese cuisine and how to prepare it; you're assuming I've done no research on the types of specialty stores available (ones that sell western foods). Again, you're wrong. I can't say just one person did this, because many people who posted on this thread just assumed stuff about me; I want your advice not your assumptions. There is more to eat in Japan then just seafood. They also eat pork and chicken; some people don't care for seafood and I'm one of them. The reason I asked for advice regarding this is because I had such a difficult time finding information about western food stores in Japan. Also depending on where you live, the coast of China is right next to Japan. If I wanted to, I could go to China and buy some of the western foods I desire there. Did you ever think of that? Yes I realize I have to convert Japanese yen to Chinese yuan but there is a people's bank of China in the city of Shanghai (which is the city where I would shop). Basically what I intend to do is tie western cuisine in with Japanese cuisine. Reasons regarding this are simple; I grew up with western cuisine and I'm going to have to eat Japanese cuisine since I'm going to live in Japan (or be dependent of fast food which I refuse to do) You really should learn to read and think about what's being told to you before you make assumptions about people.

Whoa whoa whoa, your assumption of me is very rude
You got me all wrong, mate.
I was just saying what timo said, if you go to Japan eat their food. I eat food, food good, doesn't matter where food come from, food good, me not gunna say "Oh my, my tummy hurts coz I ate something unfirmiliar that doesn't belong to my home land~ OH MY~!"

I could easily just go from my normal diet into one thats different, no problem.

If you want western food order it online, though IMO it's pretty silly. If you want to learn how to cook japanese dishes buy a cook book to tie your "cuisines" together.

Stop confusing "then" and "than".

And I'd just stop being a puff and eat their friggin food.

Sorry for the harshness but, eye for an eye and all that.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kawaiineko

You know it was very rude of you to make that assumption. I never said I'm unwilling to try Japanese cuisine and learn to cook that way. [big cut] You really should learn to read and think about what's being told to you before you make assumptions about people.

You don`t have to snap at anyone. You can get western foods in Japan, but they`re ungodly expensive. However, if you have the type of money to just hop on over to China to pick up whatever you want, whenever you want, then it probably doesn`t matter to you.

I didn`t assume anything about you - and offered constructive advice (Learn to cook your comfort foods from scratch, and make them from readily available ingredients.) but you have gone off on a tirade against everyone.

You expressed openness to learning to cook Japanese foods - you shouldn`t have any problems with learning to make your "comfort foods". You can get practically any ingredients used in "western" foods easily here - just not *prepackaged* foods or mixes.