New Emeryville grocery store, Tokyo Central, draws big crowd

Emeryville's newest grocery store, Tokyo Central, doubles as a cultural experience.

It transports you across the Pacific to a mini Japan, with imported snacks, premium seafood, and ready-to-eat Japanese cuisine.

"We started out with a basket, and now we just got a cart because we think we're going to get a lot of stuff," said Jackie Deng. 

Deng and Leah Teodora drove to Emeryville from San Francisco, just to visit the grocery store during its grand opening weekend.

"We just came back from Japan not too long ago, and I saw this on TikTok, and I just missed the feeling of Japan, and I just wanted to come here," said Teodora. 

They say that while it's not quite the same as being in Japan, there are still some unique finds.

"There's some packets of juicy jellies that I've seen at 7/11 in Japan that I haven't seen anywhere else, and I'm so excited that they're here," said Teodora. 

Justin Wang, 8, also found some good stuff.

"I'm most excited about eating all of this," said Justin Wang, pointing to a tray of fresh seafood.

He also found some Japanese soda. Wang went to the store with his mom, Yoyo. They drove about 30 miles from San Ramon. Then, they waited in line for 40 minutes to get inside.

"I think it's too long, yeah," said Yoyo Wang about the line. "I hope we can just walk in. No need to wait in the line."

Dang and Teodora waited about the same amount of time, but said they didn't mind.

"We've been to Disney and the lines are like hours long, so we're not complaining," said Teodora. 

In addition to the market, there's also a restaurant inside. The "Hand Roll Factory" specializes in sushi rolls, rice and sashimi. It's only the second Tokyo Central in Northern California.

Teodora says it was worth traveling across the bridge for a small taste of Japanese culture she loves so much. 

"It's just something you have to experience," said Teodora. "It's different. It's culture shock for sure."