If you're ever in the vicinity of San Jose,
Mitsuwa Marketplace (675 Saratoga, just a block south of I-280), is well worth a detour. Stepping inside this big supermarket is like being teleported to Japan. (Click any image for a larger version.)
The selection is incredible. Above, 40-odd shochus, the Japanese version of soju (distilled rice spirits). Around the corner is an even larger selection of sakes.
This is just part of Mitsuwa's huge pickle department.
Still more pickles.
The miso section. Most of these had only vague English labels that didn't explain the variations.
At the front and one side of the store, there are a couple of restaurants selling hot food and sushi. This ample fried pork cutlet and grilled mackerel bento box set me back all of $6.48. Everything was good except the macaroni salad.
Around the periphery of the store there are a number of
independent shops. Above, some startlingly expensive items from a fancy pastry shop.
Another shop, mysteriously named La Poppo, specializes in sweet-potato pastries.
I would have loved to taste these jewel-like bean-paste candies, but yow! those prices. I suspect these are purchased only as gifts.
Click here for a slideshow of products with wacky labels.
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