Cocos Nakamura — Supermarket in Asagaya, Tokyo

Cocos Nakamura is a branch of the Cocos Nakamura chain, and what belongs to this branch is its position on Asagayaminami in Asagaya, a few minutes from Asagaya station. The footprint is modest: you walk in, take a basket, and the whole shop is in front of you. That smallness is the shape of the visit.

The meat is the counter to build a basket around. It is the thing worth carrying home from this shop, and it holds up whether you are cooking that night or freezing half. The fish runs alongside it and is just as good a reason to come, with quality that sits comfortably against what you pay.

Roasted sweet potatoes are the other draw, sold here with a following that keeps people coming back for them. Those same sweet potatoes are where the price has climbed year on year, so buy them knowing that.

The shop is cramped, and the aisles get awkward when it fills up. The store takes deliveries on the street, which is a nuisance if you are walking past. None of that changes what the meat and fish are; it changes how pleasant the ten minutes inside are.

Spend lands around ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 for a basket, and Suginami Ward shopping vouchers and PayPay both work here, which takes the edge off a full basket. There is bicycle parking, so arriving on two wheels is straightforward.