culture Japanese food Sightseeing

Green Store: A Local Supermarket in Yuza, Yamagata with Shockingly Good Fruit Sandwiches

Yuza is not a place that is famous as a tourist destination, nor is it a town that appears prominently in guidebooks.

While in Yuza, I happened to stop by a local supermarket called Green Store.
It is an ordinary regional supermarket. The store is not large, and the exterior does not look special in any way.

But when I saw the fruit sandwiches lined up in one corner of the store, I stopped in my tracks.
They looked so striking that I honestly thought, “Wait… they sell this here?”
And then I noticed that local people were picking them up one after another.

Moments like this—discovering something truly local while traveling—are often what stay with you the longest.

In this article, I will introduce Green Store, a local supermarket in Yuza, Yamagata, and the shockingly good fruit sandwiches I found there.

Yuza Is Worth Visiting for These Fruit Sandwiches Alone

Have you ever had a fruit sandwich?
In large cities like Tokyo, you can find them quite easily.

But in the small town of Yuza, Yamagata, there is a local supermarket that sells truly exceptional fruit sandwiches.

To be honest, most Japanese travelers have barely heard of Yuza.
Yet local people line up to buy these fruit sandwiches, and there are even people who come to the store just for them.

Just because it’s a local place doesn’t mean you should underestimate it.
These fruit sandwiches are genuinely outstanding, and I highly recommend them.

The shelves are packed all the way to the back.

Note:
The store opens at 9:30 a.m.
If you want to buy fruit sandwiches, you should aim to arrive around 9:30.
By around 4:00 p.m., they are almost completely sold out.

What Is Green Store?

Address:
90-1 Kyoden, Yuza, Akumi District, Yamagata
(View on Google Maps)

Nearest Station:
Yuza Station

Green Store is a local supermarket in Yuza, Yamagata.
It is not a chain—this is the only store.
The floor space is not very large, about the size of a slightly bigger convenience store.

The nearest station is Yuza Station, and it is about a five-minute walk from there.

Although the fruit sandwiches are by far the most famous item,
the other sandwiches and prepared foods are also very popular and highly original.

Like Taie in Hokkaido,Green Store is a local supermarket with remarkably high-quality products.

If you visited Mt. Yudono by rental car, I recommend extending your trip to Yuza.
You may end up having a surprisingly memorable food experience.

Inside Green Store

I will show you the inside of Green Store through photos.

They also sell regular sandwiches.

 Unique prepared dishes. These are also delicious.
Fruit sandwiches around 9:30 a.m. More will be displayed on the upper shelf later.
The fruit sandwich section at around 4:00 p.m. on another day. Almost completely sold out.

The Whisky Distilleries in Yuza

There are two whisky distilleries in Yuza.

Gakkogawa whisky is sold at only a limited number of locations.
You can find partner shops on their official website.
As of 2025, their whisky is not yet fully matured, so what is currently sold is new make spirit (new pot).

Yuza whisky is sold at souvenir shops in Yamagata Station
and at supermarkets in Yuza.

Information as of November 3, 2025.