I went to the store Okay, where I go almost every week. I have been reviewing the story of fighting with customers even during the coronavirus pandemic, but things have started to change slowly since July. The store clerks who used to glare at customers while pushing their carts have started greeting customers. They even bow their heads when entering and exiting the back yard. I was really surprised. Although some of the clerks still block the aisles with cardboard while stocking shelves, the atmosphere among customers seems to have changed. Since the end of June when the state of emergency was lifted, the crowdedness at Okay seemed to have eased a bit. Of course, it still gets very crowded at times. But it seems like there are fewer lines at the registers. Perhaps they have made some improvements in response to feedback, or maybe there have been many similar opinions like mine. The battle that has been going on for years seems to be coming to an end, and Okay is finally becoming a normal supermarket. By the way, the photo is of a rare 169 yen jumbo menchi katsu sandwich and a 39 yen lemon carbonated water. These can only be bought at Okay. Both are delicious. The menchi katsu is mostly filler, but that's not a problem. Recently, I feel safe eating Okay food. Customers are drawn to cheap prices. Expensive items are valued for their quality and longevity, but for daily groceries, people tend to choose the cheaper option. Health is not just about the nutrients we get from the food we buy. The process of shopping also plays a role in our health. Being able to shop safely and comfortably, and having the workers also work with a smile, seems to be the direction we should aim for.

This week's report: On May 16th, it rained all day. I visited the store alone at 3pm. It was unexpectedly empty, so I bought natto, pork, and other items. The number of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo has been decreasing, and more people were out. On May 17th, it was sunny all day. My wife and I visited around noon, and the parking lot was almost full. The store was crowded, with a long line at the checkout where people were trying to maintain some distance. I bought a "Jumbo Menchi Katsu Sandwich" for lunch, which was huge and delicious but gave me heartburn later. The staff at the store never greet customers except at the checkout. I encountered three male staff members at the exit, but they ignored us. Despite the lack of manners, we still go to this store because it is a lifeline for us. The contradictions in the world are felt from here in Kokubunji. It's like an election, where we complain but still participate. Today, I battled with an older male customer while shopping. We return to the battlefield again.

Two weeks ago, I felt scared by the crowds at the Okayama Kokubunji store and decided to prioritize using Summit for a while. But now Summit is also getting crowded, so I was in a bind and decided to visit Okayama again after a long time. Surprisingly, while Okayama was still crowded, the congestion had decreased. For lunch that day, I had a salted mackerel grilled bento for 399 yen (excluding tax). There was a lot of rice, and the side dishes to go with it were also plentiful. The salted mackerel was very delicious, and I was very happy to have grilled fish after a long time. The bento also included chikuwa tempura, one piece of karaage, tamagoyaki, and a small amount of kinpira gobou. It was a wonderful combination. For izakayas that have started offering bento takeout, this could be a threat. However, at Okayama, the waiting time at the register can be quite long, which makes it a bit tough to shop. But looking at the situation on May 2nd alone, Okayama has significantly improved its virus prevention measures. They clearly marked the distance with black tape in the line at the register. Also, possibly due to media calls, there were fewer families with children. The shortage of paper products has also decreased. This time, the shortage of pasta and flour has become more noticeable, but overall, we are really happy that we can use it with peace of mind.

Ok Store Kokubunji store. A long-established supermarket that has been operating since we were children. It follows the Everyday Low Price strategy, offering extremely cheap prices. Old, cheap, and always crowded = a battlefield. It's like a tense Asian market. Spring 2020. In March, COVID-19 had a significant impact on the lives of us Kokubunji residents. Shortages of masks and toilet paper, panic buying of long-lasting food items. Initially, some customers panicked and rushed to supermarkets due to anxiety. Among the supermarkets, this store was probably the most affected by panic buying. Around the time when schools and universities in Tokyo began to close, there was a weekend where cars lined up on the road leading to the parking lot due to the congestion. It was so crowded that I reluctantly decided not to enter the store. Now, panic buyers are no longer seen, but since the state of emergency was declared on April 5th and office workers like me started working from home, the purchase of groceries at supermarkets has increased. In our household, we visit this store every week, and even on April 10th (Saturday), it was still terribly crowded. Recently, we have been coming to the store in the morning and having lunch with bread or bento from this store. Speaking of bento, a segment on TBS's "Gacchiri Monday" revealed that Ok Store puts a lot of effort into making bento. In recent years, the quality of bento has clearly improved, and they have become so delicious that I no longer feel like eating convenience store bento. And they are cheap. The salmon bento in the photo costs only 299 yen (excluding tax). This is amazing. The pork cutlet sandwich with thick cutlets is priced at 169 yen (excluding tax). And the popular item is the pizza. A whole pizza about the size of a medium pizza costs 469 yen. As of April 10th, they no longer sell quarter-cut pizzas for infection prevention, only whole pizzas. However, they are so popular that they are quickly taken off the shelves, which is quite amusing to watch while waiting in line at the register. In the midst of fighting COVID-19, the store is constantly emptying its shelves due to high demand. From a quiet conversation between the store manager and regular customers, I learned that they are making a lot of profit. Well, that makes sense. The employees are working as our important lifeline amidst the fear. However, this store is probably the most crowded place in Kokubunji City, and people are not able to keep a distance of 1 meter apart. As of April 11, 2020, there is no limit on the number of people entering the store. This store has always had strong influence from customers, but in that sense, it's a bit of a dilemma to even go there.

As I wrote in the pre-article for New Year's Eve 2018, this time I parked my car at the Okayama Kokubunji store, bought "Toshikoshi Soba" at Kokubunji Jingo, and purchased tempura to accompany the New Year's soba at Okayama Kokubunji store. The tempura was very cheap, with the kakiage costing only 100 yen. In addition, I bought shrimp tempura and conger eel tempura, which were priced normally. After enjoying the delicious meal, I was able to count down to the New Year and then visited the nearby Nuki Jinja shrine for Hatsumode, where I received an amulet.

In the past on Tabelog, one of the genres for OK Store Kokubunji store was "Bread" but it has now changed to "Others". I went to Maruetsu Kokubunji Minamiguchi store's Fresh Bakery to buy curry bread. However, that day was the 94 yen bread sale at Maruetsu, and curry bread was excluded from the sale, so they weren't selling it. I was disappointed. In Kokubunji station, there are Andersen and Pompadour where I have bought curry bread many times before, so I was looking for a new place to get curry bread. Then I remembered, OK Store's high-quality Everyday Low Price curry bread. OK Store's bakery uses French flour and I already knew about their quality from buying French bread at OK Store Koganei store. They had spicy curry bread and onion beef curry bread displayed in bags. Although there are concerns about hygiene with reuse tongs, the bagged option seemed better. When I got home, I noticed the calorie information on the label. I personally take "Adult Calorie Limit" (a collaboration drink from FANCL x Daido) to suppress the absorption of sugar and fat during meals, so I don't gain extra fat in my body and actually lose weight. However, seeing the calorie information on the curry bread label still made me curious. I preferred the onion beef curry bread over the spicy curry bread, but the calorie information made it hard to enjoy it in the best situation.

When it comes to a superstore with Everyday Low Prices in Tokyo and Kanagawa, OK Store is the place to go. I am grateful for this store to the point where I used to post about it on my old account. The groceries I buy here are what my family eats every day. And on weekends, we drive there to stock up on supplies. OK Store offers bento boxes for as low as 290 yen and side dishes that are clearly cheaper than regular supermarkets! Of course, they are still more expensive compared to stores like Tamade in Osaka, but the value for money is much higher than buying something from a convenience store. And the bakery section is amazing. The bread made in-store has always been cheap and delicious! The Overnight Late French Bread baguette is my top recommendation. It costs 142 yen before tax for one loaf, and it is delicious!! The bread has a slightly brownish color inside, with a dough that resembles naturally leavened ciabatta. If you didn't know, you would think it came from an expensive bakery. Nowadays, many supermarkets offer tasty bread, but this Overnight Late French Bread is my favorite French bread!＼(^o^)／

After enjoying delicious ramen at "Garage" and heading towards my parents' place from the station, I decided to walk to Kokubunji Station. I thought about having another meal on the way, but the large portion of noodles filled me up more than I expected. As I was pondering what to do, I spotted this store. This superstore supports my respected mentor's household finances. It was my first time at this OK Store. Inside, the aisles were crowded with people. The bread section was tucked away in a less noticeable area near the exit. While the sandwiches looked good, I opted for my favorite - the "Cheese-filled Bread." The cheese on the surface was plentiful, crispy, and delicious. However, it was only on the surface, leaving me slightly unsatisfied with the cheese content. Well, shall we walk to the next station?

Panbiza is a personal favorite shop for me because they sell at a reasonable price. I imagine their bread having large ears and less filling, but the prices are just right so I often buy on the go. They have discounts in the evening, so I tend to buy more. I take it home, heat it up, and enjoy it with cheese or ketchup added. It feels like a local bakery with fair prices. I really like it. They also offer affordable bento boxes and side dishes. I wish there was a supermarket like this in my neighborhood.

Actually, I don't know much about "OK Store". It's a supermarket with a significant number of stores mainly in the Kanto region, but there isn't one in the urban area of Hachioji, so I'm not very familiar with it. Since getting married, I've often been asked, "Why isn't there an OK Store in Hachioji?"... I have no idea... When I looked it up, I found out there is one in Minamiosawa, but I don't really have a reason to go there. So, on this day, I had to go to Kokubunji by car, and I was strongly urged to visit OK Store from the morning. Finally, my wish of the first visit came true. Well, the reason was to buy a case of "Kinmugi" beer that I drink every night, so of course, I had no right to refuse. My wife and I walked around the store, and the prepared foods and bento boxes are quite cheap. Having this supermarket nearby would be budget-friendly. If it were near my workplace, I would probably end up buying bento boxes from here every day. I don't go to supermarkets much myself, so my wife has a stronger sense of it, and she confidently said that this is a very cheap and good supermarket. Moreover, it seems that every OK Store is always crowded. And when my wife was lining up at the register with "Suntory New Kinmugi 350ml x24 (2267 yen)", she asked me to get the "Blue Cheese Pizza because it's delicious and cheap" from the bakery next to the register. However, the only one left was the Seafood Pizza. So, I ended up taking the "Homemade Seafood Pizza (469 yen)" since it was cheap. And then my wife said, "Wasn't there a Blue Cheese Pizza even in 1/4 cut?". So, I went back to the bakery as she said and found the sliced pizza "Blue Cheese and 4 Cheese (122 yen)". Ah, this must be it (laughs). On my way back, the "Edamame Croquette (178 yen)" looked delicious, so I picked it up as well. I managed to get what I wanted and went home, and immediately tried my wife's recommended pizza. First bite. Well, this is delicious♪ This is not a pizza dough, but a thick bread dough. It has a chewy and flavorful taste like the inside of a French bread. It's not a luxurious pizza with lots of toppings like delivery pizza, but a simple and delicious one. It felt like an extension of the taste of delicious bread. Nevertheless, considering the price, it's incredibly delicious!! This pizza is unbelievable for a supermarket level. A taste that cheese lovers can't resist. Of course, I also had the "Homemade Seafood Pizza" and "Edamame Croquette" with Kinmugi. The "Homemade Seafood Pizza" was quite rich in ingredients. Octopus, salmon, clams, shrimp, and more, it had a volume that made you think, "Is this a chirashi sushi?" It was delicious too. Buying one slice was the right choice♪ However, OK Store, everything is so cheap. Bento boxes are cheap, starting from the 200 yen range. Deli items are cheap, and even the pizza is cheap! If this store were nearby, it seems like we could always have a dream-like feast when drinking at home♪

This is a supermarket that has been around in Kokubunji for a long time. There are 63 stores in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama (as of 2012), and it is known as a super cheap supermarket that has even been featured on TV. Their bento and side dish corner offers extremely low prices. You can buy bento for 270 yen, and onigiri for 50 yen. They also have a wide variety of side dishes including fried foods, sushi, salads, simmered dishes, grilled fish & chicken, and more. They bake bread in-store, and all the bread is quite delicious. And it's super cheap. I recommend trying the following items: - Rosukatsu (pork cutlet) bento for 290 yen (made with Musashino pork). It may look small, but the cutlet is amazing. The breading is as thick as the meat and crispy. The seasoning is good, sweet and savory, and very tasty. The rice is a bit mushy though. My wife always says, "Why do you always eat that? It doesn't look delicious at all." But the cost performance is excellent. I really love it. *The meat has a lot of fat. - Handmade cut seafood pizza for 122 yen. The dough is like bread with tomato sauce and toppings, mostly concentrated in the center. These toppings are clearly not specifically prepared for this pizza, probably items sold at the supermarket. I think it's quite delicious compared to regular pizza bread from a bakery. The whole pizza is also available for around 450 yen. The ingredients are plentiful and cheap. The store is always crowded, with Oké freaks gathering every day. Tired-looking housewives, crying children, fathers who won't move from the sashimi corner, part-time employees stocking shelves while almost colliding with customers... It's like watching a market in Southeast Asia. Amidst the hustle and bustle, sharpen your senses and shop. They also sell alcohol, so buying snacks and drinks here for a party will definitely be the cheapest option. *This supermarket has achieved 500 reviews. Thank you to all the readers for your support. I chose this as the 500th review because Oké has the most direct impact on our household budget. (Utilization rate at home is over 60%) The warm dishes that my wife makes with the ingredients bought here make me feel happier than eating out. With gratitude for those days, I will post a slightly harsh review but please understand.

This time, I will review only the bakery section of OK Store. OK Overnight Retro French Bread @ 149 yen Mini Croissant Set (10 mini croissants, 5 chocolate croissants) @ 336 yen Recommended by my reviewer, calory, who retired from Tabelog. This is my third time coming to buy the Overnight Retro Bread baked at this bakery. The first two times, I couldn't buy it because it was sold out by the time I arrived. Well, OK Store is used about once every 1-2 months, and it's cheap for various things. At home, we mainly buy things that last long, like boxed items and drinks, and we don't buy much bread. But this time, I reconsidered, it's delicious. The French bread is soft, but that's OK. The mini croissants have a good amount of butter and taste delicious. The chocolate croissants reminded me of Miyabi's Danish-style chocolate bread (maybe I'm praising it too much). I ate them for dinner with German potato salad, liver paste, and some roast beef I received as a gift, and the breads complemented the meal well. I will buy them again.

This is one of my favorite supermarkets. The attraction lies in the low prices due to bulk purchases, but the downside is that the products may lack freshness and become too familiar. That's why they are cheap, though. A hidden gem here is the freshly baked bread in the store, which is highly recommended. It competes with other products in terms of price but is delicious. I got hooked on the chewy bread series, such as the chewy loaf, Danish, and sandwich. If you catch the time sale, you may even get a 50% discount. Just be aware that they may deteriorate somewhat, but don't underestimate their taste.

I have posted many reviews of the OK supermarket bento boxes. I have criticized the customer service in the past, and I apologize for being a picky reviewer, but it seems that the customer service has greatly improved. The atmosphere inside the store has also improved, despite the small space. There have been improvements in the efficiency of the checkout process and other details, which has helped to alleviate crowding. My family now knows the best times to shop without crowds, thanks to which we can shop comfortably. We still visit OK every weekend to stock up. This time, I want to introduce OK's yakisoba and takoyaki. Earlier this year, I was shocked by the disappointing taste of Inageya's giant takoyaki, and recently I was saddened by the takoyaki in a bento box from Seiyu. So, I decided to try OK's yakisoba and takoyaki. To cut to the chase, they were delicious. First, the takoyaki. Supermarket takoyaki is usually deep-fried, resulting in greasiness and hollow insides. This makes the flour part taste bad. However, OK's takoyaki has hollow insides and a plump texture. It might also be frozen, but it tastes similar to freshly grilled takoyaki. And the yakisoba. The seasoning is good, with a spicy sauce that shows attention to detail. The cabbage and meat are also good. Both items were cheap, so I ended up eating two in a row and felt quite full. I have been reviewing OK's bento boxes for over five years, and back then, there was not much information about their production or planning. They were just cheap and gave an uneasy feeling. I had an image of them being "shabby" bento boxes. However, their system and efforts were showcased on TV, and I was amazed by their dedication. Until today, it seems like they have released cheap and quite delicious bento boxes, as if I had unintentionally raised my own standards. They may be a bit more expensive, but they still can't quite match the quality of Summit's bento boxes. However, in terms of cost performance, OK is unrivaled. In the fierce battle of supermarket bento boxes, I think the most threatened are convenience store bento boxes. Finally, I want to share the best parking spot that my family has discovered recently. The most popular spot is near the entrance of the parking lot, but it is crowded with cars and people coming and going, leading to many issues. Instead, we recommend parking in the spot marked with a red circle, further away from the entrance. It may be a bit far from the entrance when you arrive, but when you leave, it is the shortest distance to another exit, making it the most convenient. It is also almost always empty, ensuring that you can park easily.

On December 16, 2021, Inageya Kokubunji Higashi Koigakubo store opened. I was interested in how this would affect the long-established supermarket Ok in between Honcho and Honda. On December 18, our weekly shopping day arrived. My wife chose to go to Ok store. Yes, the choice made by the housewife was Ok. However, my wife had already visited Inageya on December 16. So the conclusion was already drawn. I was very curious about the change in foot traffic at Ok. When I visited, Ok was just as usual. Perhaps there has been some impact from the opening of Lopia in May 2021 and now Inageya, but Ok has remained steadfast in their Everyday Low Price. The fresh produce was adequate and reasonably priced. Quality control is necessary as this store honestly stocks even lower quality items. Sometimes it's surprisingly bad. However, everything is definitely cheap. Modest but easily comparable items like Nokyo milk are even 1 yen cheaper. Frozen foods are also extremely affordable. There may not be a wide variety of products, but conversely, they do not stock items that cannot be sourced cheaply. The most easily noticeable affordability is in their bento boxes. While the overall volume may be modest, their makunouchi and katsudon bento boxes are over 100 yen cheaper than other stores and still taste great. This time, I bought tempura soba provided by a food manufacturer from Saitama, which was being sold for 298 yen at Inageya. I noticed that Ok was selling it for 279 yen and tried it. The taste was delicious, but I experienced severe heartburn after eating it. I thought once was enough. The spring rolls from Ok, which I ate together, had a crispy skin and were very delicious, so I am confident that they were not the cause of the heartburn. In hindsight, I should have chosen the salted mackerel bento from Ok instead of the tempura soba. This Ok store has nearly 50 years of history, so the layout is old. The aisles are narrow, and the small backroom may be why cardboard boxes are stacked on top of the shelves, creating a sense of crowding. There are always staff restocking, and the cardboard boxes obstruct the aisles. Recently, they have finally started greeting customers, but before, there was only a sense of tension. It felt like a battlefield just to survive. But even in such a place, my wife chooses Ok. I deeply realized that affordability is still the deciding factor.

221202 Okay Kokubunji Store Salt Grilled Mackerel Bento 323 yen

220218 Okay Kokubunji Store, Loin Cutlet Bowl for 322 yen.