Heisei Market
3160 Steeles Avenue East, Markham
905-305-7300
Going to the supermarket has always been a favourite pastime for me. I love strolling up and down the aisles looking for new products on the shelves. It’s even more interesting when I go to ethnic-based supermarkets because I get to look at fun and unusual products. One of my favourite places to “discover” new things is the supermarket at Japan Town (J-town) called Heisei Market. Located in Markham, it is very convenient for me because it is just off Highway 404.
J-town is owned by a Japanese owner, and all the staff there are Japanese. I’ve recently reviewed the cafeteria Green Tea Café which is a very popular place for lunch among the Asian community. The Heisei Market, on the other hand, is not just popular with Japanese people. The fresh food, the interesting products, and the friend staff definitely attract people of all cultural backgrounds.
The market is not big compared to your local Loblaws but it is packed with Japanese ingredients. Shelf after shelf of soy sauces, curry mixes, Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), rice, vinegar, seaweed, bonito flakes, the list just keeps going and going. One of my favourite parts is the refrigerated area where they have colourful packages of fish cakes, frozen gyoza (Japanese dumplings), sweets like moichi and dango (both are rice dough sweets that are very chewy in texture), and even fresh vegetables often used in Japanese cuisine that I can’t find in local supermarkets.
Another big attraction for me at Heisei Market is the variety of snacks and drinks they carry. One of my all time favourites is the “marble water”, a popular drink among children in Japan (or those who are young at heart like me!). The bottle is closed off by a tiny marble which can be opened by applying pressure with the little gizmo that comes with the bottle. I made a mess the first time I tried to open one, but it’s definitely a lot of fun. The drink is actually a lemon soda (there are newer flavours out there but the traditional lemon soda is still the best). Other favourites of mine include sugarless Oolong tea (for the healthier side of me), gogo no koucha (a brand of milk tea very popular in Japan which gives me a sugar high because it’s very sweet and yummy), peach water, and many more. These drinks go so well with the fun snacks at the market including chips in all sorts of flavours. I always check the labels because some of these snacks’ packaging deceives; just because they look mild and pleasant on the outside, doesn’t mean it is actually mild in taste. I’m the adventurous kind and always love to try the super spicy ones, but when it says super spicy, be prepared for it!
My last highlight is the instant noodles. There are stacks of them and the variety is endless. I love Japanese instant noodles because of all the flavours they have. Everything is packaged well, with a proper lid making it the most convenient thing. Not the healthiest or the most environmentally friendly, but I still enjoy it occasionally; it definitely reminds me of those days when I was broke in Japan. For the more health conscious side of me, I sometimes pick up the readymade lunch boxes and sushi they sell. It is definitely not a No Frills, the prices at J-town are slightly higher for some products because they’re imported from Japan, but I think it’s a really fun experience and the food is good, so it’s worth the extra cost.
