In Japan, the rising cost of food is forcing people to come up with new ways to save money. Many families are struggling to afford basic ingredients, and they are finding creative alternatives to manage their daily meals. Vegetables, a key part of the Japanese diet, have become very expensive, leading many people to grow their own food at home or find cheaper substitutes.
This situation has made life difficult for many, but it has also encouraged innovative solutions. People are using food scraps to grow vegetables, finding cheaper alternatives for their favorite dishes, and changing their daily eating habits. This article explores how people in Japan are dealing with soaring food prices and adjusting to these financial challenges.
The Struggle to Afford Traditional Dishes
For many Japanese families, certain traditional dishes are a source of comfort. One such dish is okonomiyaki, a savory pancake that is popular in Hiroshima. However, making this dish has become difficult because one of its main ingredients, cabbage, has tripled in price.
A homemaker, Kirina Mochizuki, shared her struggle in preparing okonomiyaki for her family. She now visits the supermarket daily, looking for discounted cabbage. When she cannot find it at a reasonable price, she replaces it with dried seaweed.
“I never thought that okonomiyaki would become a luxury,” she said. To save money, she has even started growing leeks in a glass of water using the discarded root base.
This is not just her problem—many families across Japan are facing similar challenges. Inflation, which was not a major issue in Japan for many years, is now affecting daily life.
Rising Prices of Essential Foods
Recent data shows that the price of cabbage in Tokyo has more than tripled compared to the previous year. The increase in vegetable prices has forced people to eat fewer vegetables, which could impact health in the long run.
The situation is worsened by the rising cost of rice. The central bank has stated that rice prices are expected to remain high until at least 2026. In December alone, wholesale rice prices surged by 60% compared to the same time the previous year.
With these price hikes, many families have had to change their eating habits. Some are turning to furikake, a dried seasoning that is sprinkled over rice. It is a cheaper alternative to full meals, and its sales have reached record levels.
Mochizuki, like many others, has already reduced spending in other areas, but the continuous rise in food prices is making it harder to manage household expenses.
Government’s Efforts to Ease the Burden
The Japanese government is aware of the struggles faced by its people and has taken some steps to help. Last year, the government introduced an economic support package that provides cash payouts to low-income households.
Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture is considering new measures to lower food prices. One of the proposed solutions is to allow the government to sell stockpiled rice to agricultural cooperatives. This could help bring down the price of rice for consumers.
Despite these efforts, many families are still struggling, and the long-term impact of these policies remains uncertain.
Home Gardening as a Solution
With food prices rising, some people have turned to home gardening as a way to save money. Kazuki Nakata, a 37-year-old YouTuber, started growing vegetables at home during the pandemic. What started as a simple hobby has now gained him almost 90,000 followers on YouTube, where he shares tips on growing food at home.
Nakata’s method is simple—he uses store-bought vegetables and grows new ones in water containers, without using soil. In the past two weeks alone, he has gained 4,500 new subscribers, as more people are interested in growing their own food.
Nakata quit his job in 2023 to focus full-time on urban farming. He now grows 47 different types of vegetables in creative ways. He uses plastic bottles, beer cans, and even his bicycle basket as containers for his plants.
Challenges of Growing Food at Home
While home gardening helps reduce food expenses, it is not without challenges. Nakata and his family have made many sacrifices to support his indoor farming efforts.
For instance, during the hot summer months, they had to sleep without air conditioning. His wife also struggles to breastfeed their newborn in the living room because the curtains must remain open to provide sunlight for the plants.
Despite these difficulties, Nakata remains committed to home gardening. He recently managed to grow cabbage leaves in a kitchen bowl using a vegetable core and liquid fertilizers. This will be the subject of his next YouTube video, where he hopes to help more people learn about affordable food-growing techniques.
“Home gardening has really helped us cut down on food costs,” he said. “I want to share what I’ve learned with others who are struggling with high prices.”
The Future of Food Prices in Japan
The rising cost of food is a major concern for Japanese households. While some people have found creative solutions, such as home gardening and food substitutes, these are only short-term fixes. If food prices continue to rise, it could have serious effects on public health and the economy.
The Japanese government is trying to find ways to control inflation and make essential food items more affordable. However, until these measures take effect, people will have to continue finding new ways to adapt.
As more people turn to home gardening and other money-saving techniques, Japan may see a shift in how people approach food consumption. Whether these changes will become permanent or are just temporary solutions remains to be seen.
