The Best Japanese Products at Costco

There’s a reason Costco is called a “bulk warehouse retailer.” There’s a seemingly endless array of products and aisles at this affordable superstore, and navigating what you should buy can sometimes feel overwhelming — it’s impossible to locate every delicious gem on your own. That’s why we turn to Costco experts when we’re looking for some more informed insight into what we should buy.

Also known as “The Sushi Guy,” Yutack Kang’s Instagram and TikTok bios proudly proclaim that he’s a “Costco fanboy.” Scroll through his social media feed, and it becomes clear that Kang has seemingly reviewed every item at Costco, with a focus on pan-Asian food products. He’s also an authority on making sushi at home, creating YouTube content that teaches home cooks how to make sushi with accessible ingredients, like salmon sourced from popular grocery chains.

To help direct our — and your — next shopping trip at Costco towards the most delicious options possible, Kang shared his favorite Japanese ingredients at this fan-favorite retailer, ranging from sushi staples to the frozen, ready-to-eat items that are actually worth your money.

The Japanese items you should buy at Costco

Ajinomoto Gyoza

Keeping a stash of dumplings in your freezer is an excellent strategy for ensuring you always have a quick dinner option available, but not all frozen dumplings are worthy of becoming a household staple. If you’re on the hunt for Japanese gyoza, Kang says these are “hands down my favorite dumplings at Costco.”

Without needing to add any ingredient besides water, these dumplings develop a crispy skirt as you pan-fry them. According to Kang, “The dumpling skirt turns out perfectly every time, and the included sauce is spot on.” 

He’s not the only fan of these frozen morsels; one Reddit thread proclaims that the Ajinomoto Pork and Chicken Gyoza “are the easiest fried dumplings I have ever made… I highly recommend them since you can just put them in the pan, turn the stovetop on medium-high, and add the water when they sizzle. It’s amazing, like magic!”

Takoyaki

Another find from the freezer aisle, these takoyaki come with 40 balls for around $15. Takoyaki are a popular Japanese street food, consisting of batter cooked in spherical molds and filled with small pieces of octopus. Takoyaki is also all about the sauces on top, which often include options like Japanese mayo, tangy takoyaki sauce, and bonito flakes.

Kang emphasizes that “These taste about 97% as close to what you’d find from a Tokyo street vendor. With the right sauces, it’s a fantastic deal for the quality.” So while these aren’t the same as freshly made takoyaki you’d find in Japan, they’re a convenient and affordable option for enjoying the dish at home.

Atlantic Salmon

Although these Kirkland-brand, frozen salmon filets aren’t labeled as sushi grade, Kang points out in an online review that they meet all of the safety qualifications — they’re farm raised without parasites in their feed, and they’re frozen for the required minimum time period — that you need for enjoying the fish raw.

The content creator details that “While [this is] not a traditional Japanese product, it works beautifully for homemade sushi and sashimi.” Beyond that, in his video review, Kang also praises the salmon for having a fresh, non-fishy flavor and says it’s the easiest salmon option at Costco for making sushi.

Calrose Rice (Kokuho Rose California Supreme)

Because Costco is a bulk retailer, it’s the perfect place to buy large quantities of shelf-stable items, which will last forever and save you money on a per-serving basis. For Kang, this United States-grown, medium-grain rice “is a staple in my kitchen. The quality is great, especially for making sushi at home, and the 25-pound bag is very reasonably priced.”

Kang does note that the label on this rice might look slightly different depending on the state you’re in, so if it doesn’t say “California Rose” at the top, don’t worry.

Fujiya Strawberry Sponge Cake

This airy sponge cake with layers of whipped cream and strawberry-cherry jam comes pre-sliced, and it’s made by Fujiya, a Japanese bakery that’s been open for over a century. After tasting the cake, Kang “was pleasantly surprised by the consistency and flavor, especially for a frozen product.”

This treat isn’t meant to be eaten frozen — you can let it thaw overnight in the fridge — and it’s ideal for anyone who doesn’t like a dessert that’s overly sweet.

The Japanese items you shouldn’t buy at Costco

Kewpie Mayonnaise

To be clear, Kang isn’t saying that you shouldn’t buy this beloved Japanese mayo at all. Instead, he suggests that you shouldn’t be buying Kewpie mayo at Costco. The sushi expert explains that “Costco carries the U.S. formula (sold as Kewpie Japanese-Style Mayonnaise), which unfortunately doesn’t compare to the Japanese version. I actually made a video comparing the two — the taste difference is noticeable, and not in a good way.”

To identify whether Kewpie is made according to the U.S. recipe or the original Japanese version, look at the back of the bottle. The American formula will have water listed as one of the primary ingredients, and the Japanese version will also say “product of Japan” on the container. Here’s hoping Costco adds the original Kewpie to its inventory, but in the meantime we’ll head to specialty retailers or opt for online orders to acquire this tangy, rich mayo.