Yes, we’ve seen it for a LOT more than that. It’s always one of the first things MrLapLap buys when he returns to Tokyo as he makes a big batch of “ensalada de pulpo a la gallega” for his father.
Saying that, I have no idea how cooked octopus is graded and how one differentiates the tender kind with that which is like chewing through Bridgestone Rubber.

I usually wind up going to the Makuhari Costco, unless I feel like going to Fugetsu, which is in Shinmisato (despite the transfer to the Keiyo line, Makuhari has the advantage of being in Chiba).

One added bonus to Makuhari is that it is fairly close to the New Otani, and the views in the cafe on the 25th floor or so are quite nice.
(the view is somewhat blocked by the APA - which was originally a Prince - I haven't had the courage to venture there, although if they had a cafe on a higher floor I would visit at least once).

It seems "Sky Cruise Dining & Bar" is on the 50th floor of the APA.

Last year it got a little easier to get to Costco at Makuhari by public transport. A new station, Makuhari Toyosuna, opened on JR Keiyo Line last year (March 18, 2023). Makuhari Toyosuna is convenient for Costco, AEON Mall, Sports Authority, etc. Toyosuna Park right in front of Costco and AEON Mall has a BBQ area, where nice summer weekends can get busy with people doing BBQ with items bought from Costco and AEON Mall. (i.e. do not have to bring stuff from home)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1b4f329fa9.jpg

P.S.
1/2 of the construction cost of Makuhari Toyosuna station was paid by AEON Mall, 1/6 by Chiba prefecture, 1/6 by the city of Chiba, and 1/6 by JR East.

I recently visited the Costco Makuhari branch too.

Had Tokyo/toei subway pass, so took the included subway to Nishi-Funbashi, then paid separate JR fare to Costco.

Going earlier in day is better (i.e. arrive by 10am ) , the subway has express trains AND single JR train, otherwise it takes longer in subway plus you need to take two JR trains from Nishi-Funbashi


Will try to dig up my photos and post later

We went to the Costco near Chiba on my last trip to Japan. We took a taxi from/to the train station. It was quite the experience. My fav:purite item was the large sized Kit-Kat box with about 45 or so small bars inside. I brought a couple of those back to the US. I was also interested in why the hot dogs that in the US are advertised as containing beef are are 100% pork in Japan.

I was today old when I learned that American hot dogs commonly have beef in them.

So I see that Costco’s hot dog story began in 1984 when their supplier provided a hot dog stand to commence trials of their cooked and breaded product. The name of this business? Hebrew National.
https://www.mashed.com/103084/dont-k...cos-1-hot-dog/

Apparently Costco brought the beef sausages over to Japan but local customers didn’t take to them and so Costco continued with the pork kind.
source: https://snowlady.typepad.com/the_sno...-in-japan.html

Costco usa used to have both beef or polish dog (both all beef, just different spices). Now only one beef

https://www.costcohotdog.com/food-menu/hotdog/

Is there a portmanteau for Spiced Beef in the way Spam is made up of Spiced Ham?

It's worth noting that SPAM is a brand name for a pork product that the Hormel company developed. I don't think of it as a generic term for spiced ham. (There are, of course, other ways to spice ham. Many British people love the filling of pork pies, for example, in which the flavor of mace or nutmeg stands out. But only one pork product is known as SPAM).

I guess it's possible that there's a maker of "Speef," "Spicken," and "Spurkey," but I don't think these are appetizing names, and they would probably attract the attention of the lawyers who want to protect the SPAM brand. "Spork," of course, is already taken by a spoon-fork crossover.

Maybe you could launch some other portmanteau-named, spiced-up, food brands - A spiced corn dish under the brand "Scorn." Or a vegan, cream cheese substitute with the branding "Squeam - Kind to cows for those who feel Squeamish."

In Canada we had/have KLIK and KAM, KLIK was "premium pork luncheon meat" (like SPAM) and KAM contained chicken and pork - mechanically resected of course.

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How about "Tofurkey" (also "Tofurky"), I've never had it, but what a hilarious name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofurkey
https://tofurky.com/

FWIW, SPAM used t:p be advertised in the US as "Shoulder of pork and ham."

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8fb66c393.jpeg
Since we’re talking about Spam…