I live in Melbourne, so I am lucky to have Japanese grocery stores nearby. I often buy my pantry staples there, but for everyday basics like soy sauce, miso and Japanese rice, I also pick them up from Coles, Woolworths, IGA or even local grocery and fruit and vegetable shops when I run out.

This guide is based on what I can find in Melbourne, but many of these ingredients should also be available in other cities across Australia.

Supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths & IGA)

These days, it is quite easy to find basic Japanese ingredients in Australia.

Among the major supermarket chains, I find that some IGA stores have the widest range of Japanese ingredients. In certain stores, you can find a good selection of Spiral brand products, including soy sauce, mirin, sake and miso.

Coles and Woolworths usually carry Obento brand, which also offers a good range of basic ingredients. Other things I often buy from Coles and Woolworths are udon and tofu. It is very handy to be able to find frozen udon at the supermarket.

I often see Kikkoman Tamari soy sauce in these supermarkets. Tamari is a type of Japanese soy sauce made mostly from soybeans, with little or no wheat. Because of this, it has a richer flavour and a deeper umami taste. It is usually great for sashimi or sushi, but it can also be used for cooking. Despite its rich flavour, tamari is often slightly lower in salt than regular soy sauce, and in many cases it can be used in the same amount when cooking.

Soy sauce can feel a little confusing at first, because there are many different types available from different countries. For Japanese cooking, choose a Japanese soy sauce.

Whenever I go to Woolworths, I buy Macro brand tofu. It is great for everyday miso soup.

Japanese Grocery Stores

Japanese grocery stores are still the best place to find the widest range of Japanese ingredients. I usually go there for things like miso, hon mirin, cooking sake, dashi packs, Japanese curry roux and Japanese rice, plus the smaller pantry extras that are harder to find at regular supermarkets.

When I go, I try to buy everything I need for a few Japanese meals at the same time. It saves me from making extra trips later, especially for ingredients I can only find there.

Other Grocery Stores

Some local fruit and vegetable shops are also worth checking. The range depends on the shop, but I often see Japanese pantry brands such as Carwari and Spiral in smaller local grocery stores too.

Asian grocery stores can also be helpful if you want to cook Japanese food more often. They usually have fewer Japanese-specific products than Japanese grocery stores, but many still carry useful pantry basics such as soy sauce, mirin-style seasoning, rice vinegar, noodles and seaweed.

Online Stores

Online stores are useful if you do not live near a Japanese grocery store, or if you want to buy pantry items in one order. I use them more for shelf-stable ingredients like dashi packs, wakame, Japanese rice, sesame oil, sesame seeds and other pantry basics.

Start with These Basic Japanese Pantry Ingredients

If you are new to Japanese cooking, these five pantry ingredients are a good place to begin:

• Soy sauce
• Mirin
• Sake
• Miso
• Dashi (dashi packs)

With soy sauce, mirin, sake, miso and dashi packs, you can make many simple Japanese home dishes without building a large pantry.

Here are a few recipes that use them:

Teriyaki Chicken

Tofu & Wakame Miso Soup

Karaage

Finding Japanese ingredients in Australia can feel much easier once you know where to look. Start with the shops and pantry basics that are easiest for you, and build from there in your own time.

- Tomoka