It was my first visit, and they had a variety of kimchi. I ended up buying around 10,000 yen worth with my father. Among them, the kimchi with fresh oysters was delicious! The milky flavor of the oysters combined with the not-too-spicy kimchi was exquisite. I wonder if it's a limited-time product? I definitely want to buy it again!

On this day of the weekend, I went to Kappabashi Kitchenware Street to buy cooking supplies. I walked back to Ueno from Asakusa Street and decided to stop by the Koreatown in Higashi Ueno. I always visit this shop whenever I come to this area. Established in 1952, this shop is a comprehensive Korean food ingredients store that offers homemade kimchi, side dishes, meat, noodles, seasonings, and anything else you need for Korean cuisine. I always buy their homemade chige hot pot base and barbecue sauce, but this time I also purchased napa cabbage kimchi, toraji (pickled balloon flower roots), and green chili pepper miso pickles. The napa cabbage kimchi is a light version with a balanced mix of spiciness, sweetness, and sourness that I personally enjoy. The toraji, which I bought for the first time here, has a good crunch. As for the green chili peppers, they are extremely spicy, to the point where even someone like me who can handle spiciness well can't eat a whole one. It's recommended to chop them up and use them as a condiment in stir-fries or in small amounts as a garnish. The barbecue sauce worked well with both beef kalbi and black pork ribs, tasting delicious without any strange smells commonly found in store-bought sauces. I definitely need to visit this shop regularly.

I used to visit this place often in the 80s as a member, but it's been a while since my last visit. I accidentally took the wrong turn and there are fewer shops around now. I always end up buying something when I come in. I bought Kimchi, Kejanchan, Jjamppong, and seaweed with red pepper powder. It's still good here, I really like this place. Thank you for the meal.

I came back after a long time on 1/12. They have a good selection of Korean ingredients.

It was just a very ordinary Korean supermarket.

On a certain Saturday afternoon, on my way back from wandering around the Ueno area, I received a kimchi mission from my partner and decided to visit "Marukin" this time. It was around 4:30 PM, and although other shops were still open, I realized that I didn't have much memory of eating here before, so I knew I had to try it this time. I entered the shop and quickly asked for a half portion of kimchi, purchasing about 1kg. I tried their Napa cabbage kimchi (1250 yen). When I got home, I sliced it and served it on the table... It wasn't too spicy and personally, I found it quite easy to eat. The kimchi didn't have an artificial taste and I thought it was delicious. Personally, I feel that among the four kimchi shops in this area, this one is the most mild. The kimchi alley in Ueno... each shop has its own unique character. I really liked the kimchi from this place. My partner had some complaints, but it seems like their preferences are starting to take shape. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

Located in Dongueno Korean Town, this Korean grocery store, "Kimchi Yokocho," is a long-standing establishment with a history of about 60 years. They offer a wide variety of products including handmade foods like kimchi, as well as chili peppers, dried goods, seasonings, and even Korean snacks. It's like a mini-supermarket. Their homemade Napa cabbage kimchi is highly recommended for its unique and delicious flavor. They also have a loyalty card and offer special discounts on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of each month.

Korean Ingredient Store in Okachimachi "Marukin" - Must-Try Kimchi! Located in an area that resembles a Korean town, "Marukin" is a Korean ingredient store in Okachimachi. While there are many delicious yakiniku restaurants nearby that I would like to introduce, this time I want to focus on their kimchi. "Marukin" offers a variety of Korean ingredients, but their kimchi is especially popular. They have different types such as kakuteki, oi kimchi, and changja. My recommended kimchi is the classic "baechu kimchi." You can buy as much as you like to take home, and the point is that it is sold in a lightly pickled state. This lightly pickled state is very delicious and lasts longer, so I always end up buying more. It costs 128 yen per 100g. I usually buy around 1kg each time. Besides eating it as is, you can also use it in dishes like chijimi, pork kimchi, and kimchi hot pot, so it surprisingly runs out quickly. Once you try it for the first time, you'll find yourself reaching for more. Give it a try!

This is a comprehensive Korean food store established in 1952 located on the north side of Higashi-Ueno Kimchi Street. They offer homemade kimchi, side dishes, meat, noodles, seasonings, and everything else you need for Korean cuisine. It's very convenient as you can find everything you need in one place. Whenever I visit Ueno, I always stop by this store. My go-to items are their homemade chige hot pot base and barbecue sauce. Sometimes I also get various types of red chili peppers and kimchi. The chige hot pot base, which is a blend of miso, red chili peppers, dashida, and yangnyeomjang, is a lifesaver as it makes delicious hot pot easily with just one product. It's a must-have item for winter. This time, in addition to my usual purchases, I also got yangnyeomjang from Tsuruhashi Hanaya, garlic soy sauce pickles, and miso pickled green chili peppers. That night, I used the barbecue sauce I bought to make barbecue. The sauce doesn't have the typical artificial smell found in store-bought sauces. It goes well with both cheap and high-quality meat. I tried it with A5-grade meat seasoned with salt and pepper, and it was definitely tastier with this sauce. The garlic and green chili peppers I had with it were very fresh. Especially, the green chili peppers had a thrilling spiciness when eaten raw. When I visited this area this time, I noticed a large high-rise building had been built on the south side. The barbecue restaurant that used to be in front of this store has closed down and been replaced by an Indian restaurant. It seems like the winds of change are blowing in this charmingly exotic neighborhood.

I am in Koreatown in Higashi Ueno. The bamboo shoots I bought at Yaoyashichi Shoten were so big that I couldn't consume them all. I tried to consume them energetically by making bamboo shoot rice twice, soy sauce pickles, miso soup, bamboo shoots and takana with minced meat, but still couldn't finish them. Then, last night, my reviewer friend mentioned bamboo shoot kimchi in her blog. She is a Korean cuisine teacher, so this was a great hint. I can't make kimchi myself, but if I mix it with ready-made kimchi, it should turn out almost the same, right? I headed to Marukin. They have a wide variety of kimchi here, and the store is spacious and easy to shop in. I always end up coming here. I looked at the kimchi in the showcase and asked the lady, "Is this not spicy?" She understood and offered me a taste test. As expected (laughs). I tried the Toraji, which was delicious. Toraji is apparently bellflower root, and it has a good texture. I bought Toraji pickles, Korean scallions, and celery kimchi and mixed them with finely chopped bamboo shoots. It was delicious. Bamboo shoot kimchi is great, thanks to the excellent base kimchi from Marukin.

In the early evening on a regular day, my partner expressed a desire to eat kimchi after a long time, so we decided to visit Ueno's Koreatown. It was around 19:30 and our usual go-to store, Daiichi Bussan, was already closed. We spotted a nearby shop called "Marukin" that was still open and hurried inside. The shop was in the process of closing up, so we quickly purchased half a head of kimchi. I don't have the receipt, but I believe it was priced at less than 1,000 yen for a smaller portion. We brought it home and tried it immediately, finding that it was milder in spiciness compared to what we usually eat, making it more accessible to everyone. I thought about making kimchi hot pot with it, but my partner, who is not a fan of spicy food, strongly opposed the idea, so we gave up on it. My partner, who loves spicy food, seemed a bit unsatisfied with this kimchi. Surprisingly, they consumed most of it within about 3 days, while I didn't get to eat much of it. Next time, I plan to get a larger portion. Thank you for the meal.

JR Ueno Station, it is a 5-minute walk from Hirokoji-guchi or Funabashiguchi. If you take the subway, it is a 3-minute walk from exit 3. The store is located in the East Ueno Korean Town. I often buy kimchi at the Korean Plaza in Shin-Okubo, but on my way back from shopping in Ameyoko, I also frequently purchase kimchi, makgeolli, and tteokbokki here. This time, I bought the following two items and a 1-liter bottle of Nitori Makgeolli: - Napa Cabbage Kimchi 1018g for 1282 yen (126 yen per 100g): This kimchi has a crunchy texture, but it was still a bit fresh when I bought it. I let it sit for about 2 days, and it became perfectly pickled with a mellow flavor. - Susumu-kun 120g for 420 yen: This set includes a little bit of Chanja, squid kimchi, and octopus kimchi. Chanja is great on warm rice or as a snack with drinks. Squid kimchi has a strong flavor and is perfect for ochazuke. Octopus kimchi has a chewy texture, allowing you to taste the sweetness of the octopus. It's great as a snack or with rice. Last visit: 2012.07.16

Cold noodles are M★'s favorite recommendation: ★ Dried Cold Noodles (Kuro Mochi Mochi Shikoshiko) Boil for 7-8 minutes, a little longer than usual for cold noodles. ★ Fresh Cold Noodles (Ichiryoku) Also delicious, boil for 1.5-3 minutes. One Power products are rare in stores these days, so Marukin is a valuable find! ★ Cold Noodle Soup (Sansei Foods) M★ loves this the most, it gives a Korean vibe at home. Other recommendations: ★ Cucumber Kimchi - around 200 yen per bottle, made with large cucumbers and tasty seasoning. ★ Oyster Kimchi - only available in winter, a great snack. ★ Celery Kimchi - a must-try, very delicious. ★ Ichiryoku Cold Noodles - the best according to M★ and even the family loves it. ★ Pyongyang Cold Noodles - good for those who like thin noodles. ★ Various soups available, but M★ prefers this one. ★ Miso Udon - the Korean noodles in this are delicious. ★ Mimiga - M★ doesn't like it. M★ goes to Marukin in Ueno because they love Korean supermarkets.

Saturday was a day for working overtime, but I decided to leave the office early. I felt like having yakiniku (Japanese BBQ), so I got off at Ueno station. There was a recommended restaurant in the Koreatown area of Higashi Ueno, also known as Kimchi Street. This area is filled with yakiniku restaurants and Korean grocery stores, many of which are long-standing establishments. I found the restaurant I was looking for, but I couldn't decide and ended up going into Marukin, a Korean grocery store. They had a wide variety of Korean ingredients, and I couldn't resist buying some. Oh, I could make Gyeranjjim (Korean steamed egg) if I had this dish. So many types of red pepper here. Oh, they have Sujonggwa, it's like a sweet cinnamon punch. And what is Sikhye? But the most impressive thing was the number of types of kimchi they had. I haven't even eaten yet, but I ended up buying some souvenirs first. My purpose for coming here seems to have turned into shopping. I can't wait to have yakiniku. The next day, I tried making Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and Tteokbokki sauce. It was delicious but so spicy. Still, it was really tasty. I added the restaurant to Tabelog (Japanese restaurant review site) since it was listed there. I didn't include the kimchi I bought this time, but I'll add it next time.

I usually love pork products. I enjoy pork feet that are cut and packed in pouches, they are delicious and easy to eat. Braised pork is also tasty. When getting braised pork in blocks, it's better to make a reservation if you can only go at night. I recommend eating it wrapped in fresh leaves with the store's chili miso pickles, like a yakiniku style. I don't buy much of the store's napa cabbage kimchi because I prefer another store's in the same area. The store's celery kimchi is delicious. However, I found out they have oyster kimchi as a winter pre-order item, so I reserved it out of curiosity. I couldn't attend a party and wanted to apologize and bring a gift. Honestly, I don't like raw oysters. So I didn't taste it. Afterwards, I received rave reviews from my drunk friends, saying they want to eat this oyster kimchi again before they die, and demanding I bring it next year even if I don't come. Everyone in the group has a refined palate. I'm relieved. There's nothing better than seeing everyone enjoy it. The deliciousness has been confirmed. Next, I might try reserving pork belly kimchi for myself! *Epilogue: The pork belly kimchi was also delicious, with lots of medicinal flavors. It was fun to try different dishes.

I often make Korean dishes at home, so I often go to buy ingredients. Some of the things I often buy here are frozen oden with rice cakes, spicy rice cakes, salted pollack roe, and perilla leaf kimchi. Today, I came to buy the gochujang that I ran out of, as well as the incredibly delicious pure makgeolli that I got addicted to at Mr. Pak's store in Okubo. When buying this pure makgeolli, the staff always warn me, "Do not tilt it sideways, it will overflow." That's how high the foaming level is for this top-quality makgeolli.

In Tokyo, there is a Koreatown known as "Higashi Ueno Koreatown", which is considered the oldest in the city. Compared to Shin-Okubo, there are fewer shops, but there are many old Korean barbecue restaurants and Korean grocery stores, giving the area a local feel. One of the Korean delis in the area is "Marukin". I visit this store occasionally since it's nearby. They offer various types of kimchi such as regular napa cabbage, radish, and oyster, as well as homemade dishes like gejang and changjorim. It's always fun to decide what to buy, but the classic napa cabbage kimchi is truly delicious. It's sold slightly pickled, so I recommend waiting until it reaches your preferred taste before eating. Personally, I prefer kimchi that's not too sour, and I find it so tasty that I always end up finishing it right after buying it (laughs). It's rich in flavor and I think it would appeal to everyone. Although it's not homemade, they also sell Korean cold noodle soup and noodles here, so I recommend trying it with kimchi on top. Thank you for the meal!

This is a supermarket in Dong-Asakusa Korean Town. They have a wide variety of Korean ingredients, including meat and a variety of chili peppers. I bought Dasida, cold noodles, cold noodle soup, and teppou. I enjoyed cold noodles and spicy intestine stew. I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal.