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Michikusa Gurus

Yoshimi Sugawara
Supermarket Researcher

Published a book in 2012, which she compiled by visiting local supermarkets all over Japan on her own. Since then, she has written numerous books, appeared in newspapers and magazines, appeared on TV, and given lectures to promote the discovery and appeal of everyday foods that have been buried under the surface.
https://www.gotouchisuper.online/about

Michikusa no Tatsujin FAQ

How did you get hooked on local supermarkets?

It was an encounter with Kyoto's "Semi Gyoza" that led me to become a supermarket researcher. These cheap chilled gyoza are a "staple" in supermarkets in the Kansai region, but the package has a design of a cicada on it. Insects are not a good match for food, but why? I wondered why. Nowadays, a quick Internet search would have solved the problem, but at the time, the only way was to call the manufacturer directly, so I made a bold call.　We call it minmin food." (*The accent is imaginary.) That was so funny to me that I decided to call the manufacturer directly. That was so funny, but I had to spread the secret of "local color" that only I knew in the world, so I decided to publish a book about local supermarkets.

Supporter
What are the points that ordinary people don't notice but are interesting here? What are some of the points that people usually don't notice?

When I find "abnormal" hidden everyday food that locals consider "normal," the feeling of digging out is so interesting that I can't stop.

Signpost
What is your "unforgettable destination" and why?

A trip around Japan in a campervan in 2023 is a trip I will never forget. Hokkaido was one of the most impressive places I visited, and my encounter with "octopus sashimi" sold in a supermarket in Wakkanai, the birthplace of the water octopus, was one of the most shocking experiences I have had in recent years. It looked like the "Ohm" from "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. It is actually two gills attached to the inside of what looks like the head (actually the body) of a water octopus, and locals sell them boiled and served with ginger soy sauce. The local fisherman described it as "the taste of a whole octopus in your mouth," and it was a strange mix of octopus-like chewy parts and soft, crumbly texture.

Bag
Is there anything you always take with you on a trip?

A shopping bag with a large cold bag function, a camera, and cutlery.

Coffee

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