American food in Tokyo: Costco, NFL bars and turkey

You moved to one of the great food cities on the planet, so nobody will feel sorry for you. Still, there are days when only a Costco hot dog, a jar of Jif or a real Thanksgiving bird will do. Here's where Americans in Tokyo find them.

The short version

There are eight Costco warehouses in the greater Tokyo area, including one in Machida inside Tokyo itself. Your US membership card works, but bring a Mastercard or cash [1].
For imported groceries, the classic spots are National Azabu and Meidi-ya in Hiroo, Nissin World Delicatessen in Higashi-Azabu and Kinokuniya near Omotesando [2].
NFL Sundays happen on Monday mornings in Tokyo. Several bars show NFL games, including The Public Six in Roppongi and Sports Bar Fiori in Shinjuku [3].
Thanksgiving (November 26 in 2026) is a regular workday in Japan. Order your turkey early from Costco, an imported grocer or an online butcher [4].

USD conversions use the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of October 30, 2026 (USD 1 = JPY 157.47) [5].

Costco runs in Tokyo

Costco has been in Japan for years and it feels surprisingly familiar: the same warehouse layout, Kirkland Signature products, rotisserie chickens and a food court. Japanese shoppers love it, so weekends get packed.

Warehouses near Tokyo

Warehouse	Where
Tamasakai	Machida, Tokyo [1]
Kawasaki	Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa [1][6]
Kanazawa Seaside	Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa [1]
Zama	Zama, Kanagawa [1]
Makuhari	Mihama-ku, Chiba [1]
Chiba New Town	Inzai, Chiba [1]
Shinmisato	Misato, Saitama, next to the Lalaport mall [1][7]
Iruma	Iruma, Saitama [1]

All of them are outside central Tokyo, and the practical way to go is by car. Kawasaki is one of the easier ones without a car: a bus from JR Kawasaki Station stops a five-minute walk away, and the warehouse is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. [6]. Shinmisato is about a 13-minute walk from Shin-Misato Station on the Musashino Line [7]. Bring a big backpack, or plan on a delivery service for the bulky stuff.

Membership and payment

Your US card works. Costco's US terms say a membership is valid at any Costco warehouse worldwide [1].
Payment is the catch. Costco Japan lists cash, Mastercard, the Costco Shop Card and the Costco Global Card as payment methods. Visa and American Express aren't on that list, so don't count on them [1].
Joining locally. A Japanese Gold Star membership was JPY 5,280 a year (about USD 34) and Executive was JPY 10,560 (about USD 67) when one guide checked in October 2026; anyone 18 or older can join [1]. Confirm current prices at the membership desk.

Mind your space. A Costco haul only makes sense if you have room for it, and most Tokyo apartments and refrigerators are much smaller than the ones back home.

Imported groceries

Japanese supermarkets carry more Western food than you'd expect, and the Kaldi Coffee Farm chain has affordable imported snacks and pantry items at more than a dozen Tokyo stores [2]. For specific US brands, these are the stores Americans lean on:

Store	Neighborhood	Good for
National Azabu	Hiroo, Minato City	Open since 1962; wine, cheese, produce and Western household goods [2]
Nissin World Delicatessen	Higashi-Azabu, Minato City	About 40,000 items and a butcher selling US meat; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. [2]
Meidi-ya	Hiroo (and other branches)	Gourmet imports with English-speaking service at the Hiroo store [2]
Kinokuniya International	Kita-Aoyama, a minute from Omotesando Station	Imported foods from many countries [2]
Motomachi Union	Roppongi, Shinbashi, Kita-Shinjuku	Imported sweets, cheese, wine and beer [2]
Seijo Ishii	Several Tokyo locations	Imported foods and drinks at regular-supermarket prices [2]

That store guide dates from 2023, so check opening hours before you make the trip.

What Americans hunt for, and how hard it is to find:

Easy: peanut butter, tortillas, maple syrup, cheddar, bagels, US beef cuts at the import stores.
Findable, but expect sticker shock: boxed mac and cheese, US cereal brands, ranch dressing, root beer, canned pumpkin.
Hard: specific candy, US-size baking chocolate chips, real deli rye.

A time-honored trick: when friends or family visit from the States, send them a shopping list. Check Japan's customs rules on meat products before anyone packs beef jerky.

Watching the NFL, MLB and NBA

The time difference

After US daylight saving ends, Tokyo is 14 hours ahead of New York. That puts Sunday's 1 p.m. Eastern kickoffs at 3 a.m. Monday in Tokyo, the late afternoon games at about 6:25 a.m. and Sunday Night Football at about 10:20 a.m. Monday. The Super Bowl lands on a Monday morning, too, so plenty of Americans take a vacation day or watch at their desks.

Baseball is another story. Major League Baseball is huge here, and Dodgers games in particular draw big Japanese audiences thanks to the team's Japanese stars, so you'll find MLB on screens in bars and even on the news.

Bars that show US sports

A Tokyo sports bar roundup published November 5, 2026 lists these bars as showing NFL games, among others [3]:

Bar	Neighborhood	US sports shown
The Public Six	Roppongi	NFL and NBA [3]
The Public Red	Akasaka	NFL and NBA [3]
Sports Bar Fiori	Shinjuku	NFL, MLB, NBA and UFC [3]
Hobgoblin	Shibuya and Roppongi	NFL [3]
The Footnik	Ebisu and Osaki	NFL and NBA [3]
HUB and 82 Ale House	All over Tokyo	NFL [3]
KITEN!	Koenji	Baseball [3]

Early-morning games mean bar hours matter. Before you set an alarm for a 6 a.m. kickoff, message the bar to ask whether it's opening and which game is on. For the Super Bowl and the playoffs, many bars hold special viewings, and you should book.

Prefer to watch at home? The NFL's streaming service is the usual choice for Americans abroad. Check which games are blacked out or restricted in Japan before you subscribe.

Thanksgiving in Tokyo

Thanksgiving isn't a holiday in Japan. Japan does have Labor Thanksgiving Day (Kinro Kansha no Hi) on November 23, a national holiday that falls on a Monday in 2026, but it has nothing to do with turkey. The real deal, November 26, 2026, is a regular school and work day.

Where to buy a turkey

A 2025 Thanksgiving guide, updated in 2026, lists these sources [4]:

Where	What they sell
Costco	Butterball turkeys and precooked turkey breasts [4]
National Azabu	Whole frozen turkeys from about 6 to 16 pounds, in store or online [4]
Nissin World Delicatessen	Turkeys year-round, from small birds to 20 pounds plus, including smoked [4]
Meidi-ya	Whole turkeys during the holiday season [4]
Niku no Hanamasa	Turkeys by preorder at its many Tokyo branches [4]
The Meat Guy (online)	Whole US turkeys of 8 to 16 pounds and precooked turkey, delivered nationwide [4]
Lucadeli	Roasted turkeys delivered in Tokyo for Thanksgiving and Christmas [4]

Your Thanksgiving game plan

Measure your oven first. Many Tokyo apartments have a small combination microwave oven, not a full-size range. A 12-pound bird may simply not fit. If yours won't, order a roasted turkey or just a breast.
Order by early November. Precooked turkeys often need to be ordered days or weeks ahead [4].
Stock up on the sides early. Canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and fried onions disappear from the import stores as the holiday gets close.
Plan around the workday. Lots of families celebrate on the weekend before or after, or on the November 23 holiday.
Invite your Japanese friends. Green bean casserole will be a cultural exchange all by itself.

Friendsgivings, potlucks and game-day meetups pop up every fall. You'll hear about them in our community group for Americans in Japan.

American food in Tokyo: Costco runs, imported groceries, game-day bars and a Thanksgiving turkey