I accidentally found this place when I first arrived in London. It’s very similar to grocery stores in Japan (only less cramp!). They sell a wide variety of Japanese food and cooking ingredients. Prices are reasonable and not excessively priced over that those in Chinatown.

Japan Centre is for those who craves and misses Japanese Grocery store. Most items (including food) are at reasonable prices. Their take away sushi is worth commending as all of them are prepared fresh on the day and with the freshest ingredients. Although on appearance, the food may not look as nicely presented as those you get from japanese chain sushi restaurants, the quality doesnt compromise. Worth a try even if you are not a sushi virgin.

Staff are extremely friendly in helping me to find the Japanese ingredient that I am looking for (despite my limited Japanese vocabulary). Tried their sushi once. It’s value for money and if you are looking for a quick, nutritious, and cheap lunch - this would be the place to go. A word of warning - the queus during peak hours (i.e. lunch time) can be a little too long. Highly recommended

I stumbled on the Japan Centre completely by chance and have since become a devotee, often making pilgrimages to its incredibly well stocked and fresh supermarket (although sometimes the language barrier can prove a bit tricky when knowing what you’re putting in your basket!). Fantastic authentic in-house restaurant, if a little cramped and basic in décor - the perfect place for a quick bite, although it’s not bargain basement and things can quickly add up. Great fresh sushi available to take away, which is incredibly well-priced and a well-stocked book shop with fashion magazines etc. Highly recommended and very central.

If you walk down Picadilly you might not stop to consider eating at the Japan Centre, given the outside appearance. However, if you go in you’ll discover really good food, made fresh when you order. It’s good value for money and the food itself if really good. I’d recommend the Kara Age set which is deep fried chicken, served with salad, rice, pickles and miso soup. They make sushi fresh all day (and they sell it in their supermarket next door, it’s really good value if you buy it there to take away), as well as noodles, dumplings and desserts including green tea ice cream. The service is good and if you get there before 7pm in the evening you should get a seat.

I’m biased towards any “proper” Japanese shop/restaurant and this is definitely the real deal.

The sushi is absolutely delicious and I would (and do) go out of my way to go there to pick some up even when I’ve got a two hour journey home ahead of me!

The shop has everything you could possibly want. It’s not just about price - sometimes there’s that essential ingredient you need at home that you just can’t find anywhere else.

Plus, if you’re even at all considering going to Japan at some point it’s always worth checking out the Japan Centre’s flights. Unless Air France or Virgin have a direct sale on, the Japan Centre is often extremely competitive to buy a ticket through.

As you’d expect, this place has the perfect sushi! Prices are reasonable and it’s probably some of the best sushi I’ve had in London, even comparing to the likes of Nobu which is essentially the same but with fancier ingredients (and more designer handbags). If you just want basic but very good sushi, you can’t go wrong here. Though beware, we were hungry so over ordered and when the dishes kept arriving one after the other we couldn’t fit everything on the table, so most of it came back to the office with us! An amazing roll full with warm vegetable tempura was incredible and I’ll definitely be going back to order more of that! It doesn’t get the important 5th star because it’s pretty noisy and cramped with the tables and very basic decor, but other than that the food is perfect.

I love Japanese food so when I heard about Japan Centre I was really excited about what I was going to find. I have to say that it didn’t disappointed me at all. The place is fantastic. The ground floor is the supermarket, the basement has a travel agency and the first floor a posh restaurant.
The supermarket has a huge range of Japanese products that are not easy to find in other places. They sell a lot of fresh food (fish and meat) and ready to eat sushi that has amazing value. They also have a small bakery area.
In the last months they have change a bit the distribution of the supermarket (adding some seats to enjoy the sushi in-store) and I hope that even tough is been more famous it will maintain the same quality and prices.

This place is absolutely fantastic if you are a lover of Japanese food then you should definitely visit. It is located next of Piccadilly Circus and has all sorts of Japanese food, from sweets and biscuits to instant noodles. It also has a section selling a selection of Japanese bakery products and cooking utensils.

Next door there is also a restaurant serving sushi. However the biggest attraction for me is the take away sushi service. Here you can buy sushi starting at £2.00 and it is all made fresh everyday. It is by far the cheapest sushi you can get in the central London area and makes a great snack or just a quick lunch!

As a sushi lover this place is absolutely fantastic. There is always a huge variety of sushi on offer which makes it a tough time deciding what to eat at lunchtime!

California rolls at less than £3 for eight pieces is a steal compared to eating in at various Japanese restaurants in the area. There’s also a good selection of drinks and desserts available too.

Definitely recommend if you’re looking for cheap and cheerful Japanese food to takeaway.

If you need to find some Japanese ingredient that you can’t seem to find in other asian groceries, the downstairs part of The Japan Centre will no doubt have it. Be prepared to push past all the people though lining up for the freshly prepared foods, all at reasonable prices.

I prefer to eat upstairs where you might have to wait for a table, but you get even more freshly made foods. More suitable for a lunch with the hordes of people that are constantly walking back and forth, it’s probably not the best place if you want a meal in a more relaxed or intimate environment.

I became an addict of this place while doing my work experience in London, and was amazed at the low price of sushi here. £1 for 6 little nori (i think) or £2.50 for 8 massive californian rolls, makes it cheaper than M&S and Wasabi, and it’s all fresh. It’s a good idea to come here with friends so you can mix and match types of sushi and split the cost. There isn’t a lot of room to eat in here, so unless you’re early, I’d recommend going elsewhere. I need to explore the other floors more as I’m obsessed with Japan!

This is a great place to stock up on Japanese food and other things. There is a small daiso (100ystore) as well - but unfortunately it doesn’t cost 100y! There is a bookstore with Japanese books and reference and study books. There is also a travel agent who specialises in Japan trips.

Decent, convenient and affordable. For the restaurant, do not expect to sit for long, as this is the type of place looking for churn, fast in, fast out. I prefer the supermarket, nice selection at prices which are not sky high.
Much prefer the sushi here than other “specialized” sushi fast food places in London!

If you’re into Japanese food and cooking, this is a must. Not only can you buy fresh sushi, (it’s often being prepared right in front of you, especially if you go to the downstairs counter) but you can also lay your hands on all sorts of Japanese food, condiments and vital ingredients that your local supermarket probably won’t have. Good things to look out for are the ramen noodles, the vast selection of green teas, the sushi rolling mats, seaweed products and bento accessories. They have all the unusual Japanese canned drinks and confectionery for anyone who likes those, myriad varieties of prawn crackers (great for pre-dinner nibbles), and all the requisite sauces (mirin, teriyaki etc). I stocked up with at-home bento sets by ordering online from the Japan Centre website - not only are the products well-priced, the delivery is inexpensive and quick, which is important if you’re not always near Piccadilly.
The Japan Centre also offers cookery courses, like how to make your own sushi.

Nice & central in London, (practically) next to an exit of the piccadilly tube station, they have a good selection of fresh takeaway sushi ready prepared (& really well priced which is fab!!) in the main entrance, then further back store items for sale like some chinaware & prepackaged grocery items.
Well sized & friendly - I really like grabbing some sushi from here & taking down to St James’ Park nearby for an impromptu picnic when the weather is nice!

Great for a Sushi lunch and at very affordable prices. Plus everything is so fresh and the mini market provides a great variety snacks. The restaurant on the ground floor however is a bit pricey for what it offers.

Great value sushis and an amazing selection of 100% Japanese products (for London). The music will definitely make you feel you are in Tokyo.

I love the sushi in here - it is really fresh and very low priced - and amazing value for Central London.

As for the rest, well excellent selection of Japanese goods at a reasonable price.

Definitely worth going for the Sushi.

As a Japanese, this place saves my food life! I like the supermarket there to get ingredents. In terms of price, since I know the actual price in Japan, this is headache. But in UK, I still have to appreciate that I can get Japanese foods without asking mum to send.
I think this is good place for non- Japanese poeple to introduce the culture and foods though most of Japanese foods look over-priced …