[2026 Latest Edition] Perfect as a souvenir! A review of 6 items purchased at the local supermarket TSURUYA

Since purchasing supplies at Nagano camp, I have placed immense trust in the local supermarket "TSURUYA." I picked up some delicious-looking items being sold there. Here’s a lineup perfect for souvenirs.

The locally known supermarket "TSURUYA"

TSURUYA is a supermarket chain operating in Nagano and Gunma prefectures, established in 1950. Apart from its long history, it is popular on social media for its wide selection as a supermarket, featuring local Nagano ingredients and fresh seafood from all over the country.

Trying 6 items bought at TSURUYA

The items I bought are the 6 shown in the image above, and they are all new to me. Let's take a look at my impressions of each after trying them at home and during camping.

"Poppo Milk Gelatin" that allows you to feel the kindness of the Yatsugatake Nobeyama Highlands

The product from TSURUYA is well-known, and it's a kanten made using "Poppo Milk" from the Yatsugatake Nobeyama Plateau (150 yen). It's a solidification of Poppo Milk with kanten, and the packaging is cute, resembling tofu.

By the way, the name "Poppo" is derived from the image of a steam locomotive that ran on the Koumi Line of the National Railways, and the Nobeyama Plateau is the highest point of the railway in JR. The image above was taken by the author.

As for the taste, it feels like a light milk pudding, with a texture similar to almond tofu. The sweetness is mild, giving it a simple flavor as indicated by the retro packaging. It had a gentle taste that seemed delicious for everyone from children to the elderly.

Two classic bottled varieties: "Honey Nuts" and "Apple Butter"

From the jam corner of TSURUYA, we will try "Honey Nuts" (431 yen) and "Apple Butter" (323 yen), both of which have received high ratings on social media.

What surprised me was the "Honey Nuts." The aroma of the longan honey used matches perfectly with the roasted nut flavor, making it very delicious. You can eat it as is, or it seems good to put on toast. Personally, I enjoyed pairing it with alcohol.

The apple butter has the flavor of butter mixed with apple jam, leaning more towards the jam taste rather than a dairy-like flavor. It seems to have a nice vibe to be added to sweets besides toast. And both seem like good souvenirs.

The "Echigo Kinetuki Mochi" has the taste of real mochi.

I usually avoid purchasing the typical cut mochi since I don't feel the flavor of the glutinous rice, but I decided to buy it with the hope of "if it's TSURUYA." It seemed easy to carry, and the cooking method also seemed suitable for the outdoors, so I took it to the campsite.

When I roasted the "Echigo Kinetuki Mochi" (431 yen) at the campsite with charcoal, it seemed like they were particular about the ingredients, as it had a roasted glutinous rice aroma and tasted very delicious, close to freshly pounded mochi. My perspective on commercially sold cut mochi has changed.

High-quality "Corn Potage" in a retort pouch

This is also corn potage that I usually don't buy (247 yen). The common powdered soup that you dissolve in hot water isn't to my taste, and while I like the flavor of the paper-packaged ones, they seem to require more effort to prepare.

What caught my eye was that it's in a retort pouch, which means you can heat it in a water bath without dirtying a pot, and you can prepare a single serving without any leftovers like with paper packs, which leaves a good impression. It's also convenient to carry and perfect for camping.

Unlike powder, the flavor is authentic. The quality was high. Even corn potage, which I wouldn't normally drink unless dining out, seems like something I could enjoy regularly with this. The shelf life also seems long, making it a good souvenir as well. Additionally, there are plenty of flavor variations, and personally, I highly recommend the soup category among this selection.

I was intrigued by the "Shinshu Specialty Mustard Inari (215 yen)" in the deli section.

What caught my attention and I purchased at the deli corner was "Shinshu Specialty Karashi Inari" (215 yen). Although I have been to Nagano several times, I did not know that such a specialty existed. The sweet inari surprisingly matches well with the wasabi, making it very delicious. The combination gives the impression of a relationship similar to "oden" and "wasabi," and thinking that way, it makes perfect sense. I made an unexpected new discovery.

After actually trying these, I once again felt the high level of TSURUYA. Even with genres I don't usually buy, I was able to feel satisfied, increasing my trust further.

I was able to enjoy local specialties like karashi inari, and even though it's a supermarket, I could enjoy a bit of a travel feeling, so please refer to it when you stop by TSURUYA.

Coverage/Writing by Kazuma Tanaka

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