I was trying to go to the Sapporo Costco last week. I gave up a few hundred meters away from the parking lot as the line to get in created a traffic jam. It was a Sunday.

In my post above, I mentioned that there is a convenience store-sized version of Costco called ミニコス (Minicos) in Sapporo (and other locations throughout Japan) where you can buy a smaller selection of Costco goods, so you should be able to bypass the crowds, but the downside is you won't have access to all of Costco products. https://hre-net.com/keizai/ryutu/70916/

A liquor shop near us has a Costco goods corner with chocolate, nuts etc. that I guess works for them.

I see one MiniCos opened about 30 minutes from the Costco Kobe warehouse.

In the past there were a couple re-sellers in Kobe but they were focused on returns/damaged goods.

Costco prices have increased a fair bit this past year. Dates we like were ¥900, now ¥1,400. Cheese was ¥100/100g, now ¥130-150. Still, I can make back the annual membership fee after a few purchases of nuts and coffee, things that are very expensive in Japanese supermarkets.

We stocked up there before heading to a condo in Niseko. Had enough food for the week.

Quite a few years ago, on Japanese TV, I saw a program about a Japanese family who traveled to the US once or twice a year and bought a huge amount products including cars, IIRC, and the savings they made each year offset the imprt duties and taxes they paid by a very wide margin. Of course, ideally, you'd want the yen to be weak vis-a-vis the dollar for the greatest savings.

Good to see you again the other day; thanks for taking the time to meet up!

Adding some additional information for visitors (like myself) interested in doing this, +1 and I visited the Makuhari store yesterday starting in Shinjuku and transferring to the Keiyō Line at Tokyo Station. It was a nice reminder to me that despite how beautiful the Tokyo Station is from the outside, spelunking the innards of the complex can weaken the spirit. The Keiyō Line platform is far and deep from the rest of the tracks in Tokyo Station, basically to the point it's really a separate station connected by a long passageway.

The ride out to Costco Makuhari is pretty straightforward once you make sure you get in the correct train that stops at the new Makuharitoyosuna Station (avoid the express trains and stick to the local). Our train had ample seats, especially once the folks going to Tokyo Disneyland got off. From the station, it's a very quick five minute walk to the Costco, which is easily seen. The adjacent AEON Mall complex had a decent assortment of food and beverage items and very clean bathrooms in case one isn't up to standing in line at the Food Court for a 180 JPY Hot Dog and Soda Combo (cheaper than in the US, given the current exchange rate). The 780 JPY shrimp katsu burger did spark some interest, though.

Very much enjoyed the items on the ground floor, including the large number of sushi items, wagyu beef, and lots of interesting snacks. The 1.8L bottles of KI NO BI gin were tempting but our suitcases are already full of omiyage.

It is somewhere between an hour to 90 minutes minutes to/from the Costco to Tokyo Station so it can be done in part of a day with time to do other things.

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Keiyō Line route from Tokyo Station
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I was pretty confused ... From the map, it appears that you visited Costco's Makuhari store by taking the Keiyō Line from Tokyo station.

FWIW, Machida is a city on the West side of Tokyo which has another Costco (Tamasakai) within its city boundaries. The Keio railway company operates lines from Shinjuku and Shibuya to destinations West of Tokyo - with a station at Tamasakai, near the Tamasakai Costco store.

Can you see why I was confused?

I agree. It's a disservice to call it Tokyo station. Recommended transfer time from JR to Keiyō Line is 20 minutes. The Keiyō Line is closer to Yurakucho station than it is to the JR lines at Tokyo station.My preference would be to skip the Tokyo station area altogether and ride the Yurakucho line to Shin-Kiba.

Oops; my gaijin mistake; will correct upthread we went to Makuhari. Thanks!

Sorry jib71 ! We were originally thinking about going to Machida rather than Makuhari and I promise I gave the long explanation of Keio vs Keiyo, but…

I remembered that the Keiyo line transfer was bad but apparently 20 years of not living in Tokyo made my memory of just how bad a little fuzzy. Won’t make that mistake again.

And as penance for not training my man properly, a gratuitous photo of Costco cod sperm.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0c952557a.jpeg

I blame the railway operators. Having a Keio and a Keiyo in the same city is reckless:

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The money shot!

The part about continuing on from Tokyo Disney was my clue that this was the Costco in the Makuhari area.

Having repeatedly wheeled an infant in a pushchair from central Tokyo to Maihama, I can confirm that the Yurakucho line to Shin-Kiba route is (from my perspective) the easiest route (Nagatacho station gives a step-free transfer from the Namboku line)

Ok, I am a bit afraid to ask but feel I might learn of a weird new recipe - what JP dish(es) could use 0.4kg of milt? I don't think I've ever been served that much shirako at once, versus say crab roe or a plate of shrimp with eggs (evidently "berried shrimp"?)

Those carrots are impressively large, especially for organic (was not said but why else include the pic?).

I think you're supposed to divide the 400g of milt into, say, 50g portions.
Not much in Costco is packaged for individuals to consume in one sitting.

The two people I live with could easily devour that much tarako, pretty sure they could handle 50-100g milt portions lightly floured and sautéed in olive oil with garlic and spaghetti.
Any leftovers could be seasoned, again, dusted with flour and fried in butter to spread on toast for breakfast

Calcifer’s photo of cod milt was the second I got to see shared yesterday by people I’ve actually met.

That cooked octopus seems ever so cheap!

I think that’s the per 100 gram price on the sign.