Day 11 of eating at 100 Asian restaurants in the DMV, and this one’s as much a grocery adventure as it is a meal. Marufuji‘s an 18,000 square foot Japanese market in Vienna, and it’s the kind of spot where you walk in for a couple of groceries and walk out with a bento, a bag of snacks you didn’t plan on, and a very full belly.
It’s stocked with sashimi grade fish, Japanese A5 wagyu, prepared foods, homewares, and a whole gachapon section right by the door (yes, an actual gachapon wall, lol). But the real reason I’m telling you guys to go? The food court inside serves some of the best udon I’ve had in the DMV, and I don’t say that lightly. If you’re anywhere near Tysons and you love Japanese food, Marufuji’s a must, and the Niku Tama Udon’s the thing to get.
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What Makes Marufuji Japanese Market Worth Visiting in NoVa
Here’s the thing about Marufuji: it’s not just a grocery run, it’s a whole experience. It opened in early 2025 as the first DC-area location for the team behind the Maruichi markets up in New England, and you can tell they went all in. There’s a fish counter with sashimi grade cuts flown in from Japan, A5 wagyu ribeye (the real deal, and priced like it), a pastry case full of fresh cream puffs, a grab-and-go wall of onigiri and bento, and aisles of pantry finds you won’t get at your regular grocery store.
What really sets it apart from your average Asian market though is that food court in the back. A lot of markets stick a sad little counter in the corner and call it a day. Marufuji built an actual cafe with a menu worth driving for, so you can shop AND eat a legit meal in one trip. That combo’s what makes it a standout.
What to Order at Marufuji
Here’s everything my friend and I got this time around, plus what I’d point you toward:
Niku Tama Udon ($15.99)
This was SO good! The noodles are imported from Kamogawa Tenobe Somen in Okayama Prefecture, and the texture was honestly sublime, this perfect springy chew I couldn’t get enough of. It comes with sweet, tender beef and a slow cooked egg, and every component just worked together. I could not get enough of it. This is the bowl I’d send you here for. I’m already plotting my return trip to try the curry udon, which I hear’s their bestseller.
Tonkatsu Teishoku ($14.99)
Reallllly tasty tonkatsu, and a great value at under fifteen bucks. The pork was juicy and the breading was SO crispy, exactly the crunch you want from a good katsu. It comes as a teishoku (that means a set meal) with rice, miso soup, some pickled sides, and dipping sauce, so you’re leaving full. If you’re bringing someone who’s not sold on udon yet, this is the safe, crowd-pleasing order.
Souffle Cheesecake ($4.50)
Save room for this one. It’s soft, airy, and delicately fluffy, and it reminded us of Korean castella if you guys have had that before. It sits somewhere between a sponge cake and a cheesecake, so it’s light instead of heavy, which makes it the perfect little finish after a big meal. At $4.50, it’s a steal, and so yum!
Also in the haul: the iced strawberry matcha latte and mango matcha latte ($9 each). Both were solid, but the strawberry one reigned supreme, so that’s the one I’d order.
Is Marufuji Connected to Maruichi Japanese Market?
Kind of. Marufuji’s run by the same company (Fuji Mart Corp) behind the Maruichi Japanese markets up in New England, and the Tysons store is their first in the DC area. They just use the Marufuji name for this particular location, so if you’ve spotted “Maruichi” online and got a little confused, that’s why.
Either way, what you’re walking into is a proper Japanese market: imported groceries, a real fish counter, prepared foods, and that food court. It’s the only location in the whole DMV, so this is THE one to hit.
The Vibe and Experience
Come hungry and give yourself time, because you’re going to want to wander. The market’s big and bright, the food court’s a counter-service cafe with around 48 seats, and there’s that gachapon section up front that’s a genuinely fun little detour on your way in.
It’s great to browse solo, but it’s also easy to make a whole outing of it with a friend the way I did: shop the aisles, grab lunch, split a dessert. Just know it can get busy, and the parking lot’s shared with the rest of the Tysons 3 center, so it fills up at peak times. And if you’re making a NoVA Asian food run of it, Banh Mi Oi in Falls Church is just up the road with maybe the best banh mi around.
Good to Know
- 📍 8520 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA (inside the Tysons 3 shopping center)
- Hours: 9am to 9pm daily
- The food court’s counter service, so no reservations, just order and grab a seat
- Food court prices are super reasonable (most dishes run about $9 to $16); the specialty market stuff climbs higher (that A5 wagyu ribeye’s around $100 a pound, and the uni goes way up from there)
- Parking’s a shared surface lot with the rest of the center, so it can get congested at peak hours
- Worth browsing even if you’re not shopping: the sashimi grade fish counter, the pastry case with fresh cream puffs, the grab-and-go onigiri and bento, and the gachapon up front
- It’s the only Marufuji in the DMV, so it’s worth the drive if you’re coming from out of the area
- Still got a sweet tooth after that souffle cheesecake? The Kunafa Truck is parked right here in Vienna too
Would I Go Back to Marufuji?
YES, and I already know what I’m ordering. Marufuji’s the kind of place I’m already planning to head back to, both for that udon and for a proper market run. That udon’s some of the best I’ve had in the DMV, and the food court punches way above what you’d expect from a grocery store. If you’re a Japanese food lover, come for the Niku Tama Udon and stay for the wagyu and the gachapon.
Have you guys been to Marufuji yet? Let me know what you order in the comments, Nomsters! And if you beat me to that curry udon, I’m going to need a full report. Save this one for your next Tysons trip.