Depachika & supermarket half-price sticker complete guide 2026

Depachika and Japanese supermarket discount culture fully covered. Depachika (department store basement food halls) is called "the world's greatest food concert" — ¥500-2,000 buys Japan's top-tier sushi, bento, and prepared dishes. Plus, the time-discount culture where "half-off / 30% OFF" stickers appear 1-2 hours before closing moves tourists who learn about it. Same for supermarkets — hitting the evening discount window means meals at ¥300-500.

TL;DR — depachika / supermarket playbook

• Depachika: Mitsukoshi, Isetan, Daimaru, Matsuzakaya, Takashimaya, Tokyu basement food halls
• Price range: sushi ¥1,000-3,000, bento ¥800-2,500, prepared dishes ¥300-1,000
• Half-off sticker time: 1-2 hours before closing (19:00-20:00 sweet spot; regional earlier)
• Payment: all card OK + IC + mobile pay
• Recommended cards: Wise / Revolut
• Supermarket discount: 18:00-20:00 sweet spot, 20-50% OFF
• Cheaper and tastier than hotel breakfast

1. What is depachika?

A Japanese cultural treasure

Depa-chika = abbreviation of "department" + "basement food hall". The Japanese department store standard is luxury brands 1F-B2F, food hall in basement.

Major depachika and their character

2. Five categories to buy at depachika

1. Sushi / sashimi

• Kyubey (Isetan) / Ginza Kyubey: ¥3,000-8,000, branch of the Ginza-famous shop
• Revolving sushi shop packs: ¥1,500-2,500
• Tuna sashimi pack: ¥1,000-3,000

2. Bento

• "Japan's best" bento:
  • Mitsukoshi "shojin bento": ¥1,500-2,500
  • Isetan "prepared-dish bento": ¥1,200-2,000
  • Takashimaya "Japanese-food bento": ¥1,500-3,000

3. Prepared dishes (sides)

• Karaage / tempura / yakitori: ¥300-800/item
• Croquettes / menchikatsu: ¥200-400/each
• Salads / vinegared dishes: ¥300-600

4. Wagashi (Japanese sweets)

• Dorayaki / daifuku / yokan: ¥150-500/each
• Seasonal limited (sakura-mochi, chestnut yokan etc.): ¥300-800
• Isetan "Toraya", Mitsukoshi "Tsuruya Hachiman" and other legacy

5. Western sweets

• Mont blanc / cheesecake / tart: ¥400-1,000/each
• "Pierre Hermé" / "Jean-Paul Hévin" and other high-end French in depachika

3. Half-off sticker time (time service)

When the half-off stickers appear

1-2 hours before closing the discount gradually starts.

• Depachika: 19:00 from 20% OFF → 19:30 from 30% OFF → 20:00 from 50% OFF
• Regional department stores: 18:00 start
• Just before close (20:30-21:00): 50-70% OFF also

Half-off golden hour

• Tokyo depachika (Isetan, Daimaru etc.): 19:30-20:30
• Kansai depachika (Daimaru Umeda etc.): 19:00-20:00
• Regional department stores: 18:30-19:30

What never gets half-off stickers

• High-end sushi booths (e.g. Kyubey) rarely discount
• Wagashi / Western sweets often no discount even at close

4. Supermarket discount culture

Japanese supermarket 3-tier system

Discount time

• AEON / Seiyu etc.: 18:00-19:00 from 20-50% OFF
• Gyomu Super: high discount-sticker frequency
• Discount days are weekly Mon / Thu / Sat (chain-dependent)

Recommended supermarket for tourists

Seijo Ishii (high-end, near many JR stations): imported cheese, wine, bread, prepared dishes, salads. Evening discount turns Japan's top-tier prepared dishes into ¥500-1,000.

5. Depachika / supermarket payment

Best payment UX in Japan

Apple Pay's Suica/PASMO is strongest. Tap to pass, email receipts (some shops).

6. Compared with hotel breakfast

Hotel breakfast comparison

• Luxury hotel breakfast: ¥3,000-5,500/person
• Business hotel breakfast buffet: ¥1,200-2,000/person
• Depachika bento breakfast: ¥800-1,500/person (¥400-750 at half-off sticker)
• Konbini breakfast: ¥500-800/person

→ Buying depachika bento the night before and eating the next morning is the tourist savings royal road.

7. Depachika mastery tips

Use the tasting corner actively

Tastings of prepared dishes / wagashi are free to enjoy. Tiny ¥10-50 tastings at 5-10 shops sharpens purchase decisions.

Buy with packaging

Have it gift-wrapped and a carry-paper bag transforms it. ¥0-200 packaging fee typical.

"Please add an ice pack"

"Hoiken irete moraemasu ka? (Can you add an ice pack?)" gets a freezing ice pack added for free. Important in summer.

Wi-Fi environment

Free department store Wi-Fi, 1-minute registration.

FAQ

Q: Can tourists enter depachika?

A: Anyone can enter freely, no admission. Open until ~22:00; regional 20-21:00.

Q: When do half-off stickers reliably appear?

A: Definite from 1 hour before close. Gradually appearing from 19:00, peak at 20:00.

Q: What currency does depachika accept?

A: JPY only, no foreign currency exchange. Credit cards billed at mid-market rate.

Q: Are there kid-friendly bento?

A: Kids bento ¥500-1,000, including toy-attached or animal-shaped rice ones.

Q: Vegetarian options?

A: "Shojin-ryori bento" (Buddhist vegetarian) at ¥1,500-2,500, meat-fish-free Japanese-style bento.

Related articles

Food × Money

• #157 Sushi money guide
• #158 Ramen money guide
• #159 Izakaya money guide
• #160 Konbini money guide

Areas (depachika meccas)

• #147 Ginza money pillar (Mitsukoshi, Matsuya)
• #142 Shinjuku money pillar (Isetan, Odakyu)
• #143 Shibuya money pillar (Tokyu, Seibu)
• #144 Osaka money pillar (Daimaru Umeda, Hankyu)

Cards / Payment

• #15 Wise vs Revolut vs bank cards
• #137 Best card for Japan travel
• #4 Cash vs card in Japan

Last verified: 2026-05-21. Check Yen Finder home for live rate data.