SpicesBite

Buying Indian Spices in Japan

Also known as: indian grocery japan, where to buy spices in japan

SpicesBite editorialLast reviewed September 2026

What this guide solves

Where to actually buy cumin, coriander and garam masala in Japan — the Indian and Nepali grocers every big city has, the five spices to start with, and why the 100g bag at an ethnic grocer beats the supermarket jar on price and freshness both.

Where it goes wrong

Buying 'curry powder' at a Japanese supermarket and wondering why nothing tastes like the restaurant is the standard first mistake. Supermarket spice aisles carry small jars at high prices, often slow-moving and stale, while the ingredients the restaurant food actually starts from — whole cumin, coriander seed, real chilli powder — sit in 100g bags at an Indian grocer for a fraction of the price.

The method

  1. 1. Find an Indian or Nepali grocer — Most big cities in Japan have at least one, plus online stores that ship nationwide. Search 'インド食材店' with your city name, or ask at any Indian or Nepali restaurant.
  2. 2. Start with five spices — Cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala. That five covers the base of most North Indian and Nepali home cooking; everything else is incremental.
  3. 3. Buy whole where possible — Whole cumin, coriander and cardamom hold their character for a year or two; ground fades within months. Whole is also cheaper per usable serving.
  4. 4. Check the pack date or the shop's turnover — A dated pack is best. Otherwise judge the shop: a dusty jar on a quiet shelf was ground long ago, while shops with restaurant customers restock constantly.
  5. 5. Budget ¥250–900 per bag — 100g–500g bags across that range — more spice than a home kitchen finishes in a season, at a lower price than one supermarket jar.

Pro tips

  • Nepali, Thai and Chinese grocers carry overlapping staples — cumin, turmeric, cardamom — often cheaper than the dedicated Indian shop.
  • McCormick-style jars at Japanese supermarkets cost roughly three times as much for a fifth of the amount. Fine in a pinch, wrong as a habit.
  • Store spices dark, cool and airtight — a closed cupboard away from the stove, not the counter beside the burner.
  • Never freeze spices: condensation on each thaw cakes them and kills the aroma faster than room temperature does.

Dishes this helps you cook

  • Chicken Curry — The everyday bone-in curry — browned onion, tomato and spice, with no cream.
  • Dal Tadka — Yellow lentils finished with spices bloomed in hot ghee and poured over at the table.
  • Butter Chicken — Tandoori chicken finished in a tomato and cream gravy — mild, and deliberately so.

Spices it uses

Other cooking guides