Grocery Stores in Japan Are Evolving: Here’s How They Rank in 2025
Key Takeaways
- Aeon tops the list of grocery stores in Japan with national scale and strong digital reach.
- Seiyu and Ito-Yokado lead mid-tier competitors with price and service.
- Life, Summit, and Co-ops serve loyal local shoppers with freshness and trust.
- Japan’s grocery loyalty apps are reshaping how consumers shop and save.
- Regional chains still dominate total food sales despite digital consolidation.
Grocery stores in Japan are more than just retail—they are infrastructure. In 2025, the top grocery chains blend efficiency, loyalty apps, and local nuance to keep millions of Japanese households well-fed and digitally connected. This ranking of the top 10 Japanese supermarket chains reflects the country’s new normal for grocery shopping.
1. Aeon – Japan’s Largest Grocery Chain
As the undisputed leader among grocery stores in Japan, Aeon’s 20,000+ outlets span urban centers and rural outposts. Aeon Japan grocery services extend beyond food: think Wi-Fi, banks, digital kiosks, and the seamless WAON loyalty system. Aeon Digital Grocery leads the online grocery revolution.
2. Ito-Yokado – Premium Meets Practical
Owned by Seven & I Holdings, Ito-Yokado shrank its footprint but refined its offering. Known for its “Seven Premium” goods and accessible in-store experience, it’s among the best supermarkets in Japan for older consumers and families seeking consistency.
3. Seiyu – Budget-Focused, Digitally Sharp
Formerly under Walmart, Seiyu now runs a strong online grocery model. Its Seiyu Net Super app delivers discounts and private-label value, making it a favorite among Tokyo grocery stores for digital-native consumers.
4. Life – Fresh Food, Local Loyalty
Life supermarkets dominate grocery shopping in Japan’s major metros. High-quality produce, seafood, and late-day bento markdowns keep Life popular among commuters and young families.
5. MaxValu – Aeon’s Neighborhood Budget Brand
Compact, essential, and increasingly automated, MaxValu serves as Aeon’s community-facing discount chain. It’s a go-to for daily grocery needs with WAON loyalty integration and growing self-checkout adoption.
6. Don Quijote (Donki) – Late-Night Grocery Convenience
Open 24/7, Donki is more experience than supermarket. Known for its spontaneous deals and snacks, it’s a quirky but critical player among Japanese supermarket chains, especially for urban night owls.
7. Summit – The Neighborhood Favorite
Summit wins loyalty not through scale but through service. With clean layouts, strong fish sections, and reliable pricing, it excels at daily grocery shopping in Japan’s quieter suburbs.
8. Daiei – Aeon’s Legacy Urban Store
Daiei continues under Aeon with 3,000 stores focused on smaller city-center locations. Known for TopValu private labels, it appeals to quick-trip customers in dense areas.
9. Co-op Kobe and Regional Co-ops – Ethical and Local
Co-op grocery stores in Japan are owned by members, trusted by locals, and strong on organic options. While not the cheapest, they thrive on cooperative loyalty and shared values.
10. OK Store – Bulk Shopping, Lean Pricing
OK Store is ideal for those buying in volume. No-frills warehouse design and its OK Club loyalty program make it a practical favorite for large households across the top grocery chains in Japan.
Loyalty and Digital Habits Define Grocery Shopping in Japan
Japan’s top grocery brands now compete as much in-app as in-store. WAON (Aeon), d-point (Docomo), Rakuten Points, and PayPay points are no longer perks—they’re essential. Shoppers actively stack rewards, monitor discounts, and plan around bento markdowns post-7 p.m.
Despite Aeon’s dominance, regional chains remain vital: they account for 80% of general merchandise supermarket (GMS) sales and one-third of all food retail.
A Diverse, Digitally-Savvy Grocery Market
From massive Aeon malls to late-night Donki hauls, Japan’s grocery ecosystem blends national scale with neighborhood loyalty. As digital behavior reshapes the sector, the best supermarkets in Japan will be those that balance freshness, savings, and seamless mobile integration.
