Much like everything in Japan, Japanese convenience stores are on another level. Here’s everything you need to know about the top stores and what to buy when you’re there!

Convenience stores, or “konbini” are open 24/7- this includes major holidays! They offer everything from food to tech to home goods.

In a country as food-focused as Japan, konbinis act as stops for a quick but nourishing snack. If you opt for buying something to eat, make sure you enjoy it at the convenience store’s designated eating area as it is considered impolite to eat while walking on the street in Japan.

There are 3 main konbinis you will come across in Japan, each with their own specialty. 

Lawson

Lawson is my favorite konbini- mostly because it specializes in sweets! The flavors and desserts change with the seasons, so there’s always something new to taste. It also has a collaboration with popular Japanese brand MUJI, so you can find a selection of their snacks and products here too.

• Uchi Café strawberry milk- I love strawberry milk, and this is one of my favorites. Complete with chunks of fresh strawberry, it’s a perfect sweet snack.
• Black truffle fried chicken- While chicken is not known as Lawson’s specialty, this shockingly black fried chicken always piqued my interest. Its flavor is wonderful, a rather luxurious black truffle taste from the konbini!
• Lawson Sweets pudding tart- A wonderfully custardy dessert, this is a great sweet to pick up at the end of the day.
• MUJI baumkuchen- This German-born cake has been perfected by the Japanese- and is sold in a bar-shaped snack size. My favorite flavors are matcha, purple sweet potato, and maple.

7-11

You probably know of 7-11, but its Japanese version is unlike any other around the world. Here, the local favorite is the konbini’s bento boxes. At 7-11, I also like to buy:

• 7-11 brand sweet potato and milk buns- The flavor of these buns is reminiscent of cookie dough, but “not too sweet.”

Family Mart

• Socks- The socks I got from Family Mart are the best I have ever used- I have many pairs! They are odor resistant, so your feet will always smell fresh while wearing them.
• FamiChiki- Family Mart’s own karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), this snack is a local favorite!

General items to buy at most any convenience store:

Food

• Onigiri- I love onigiri- and these little rice balls make the perfect snack. Available at every konbini, they are affordable, quick, and have a bit of protein too! The tuna and salmon versions are always my favorite, but you can also find some more local flavors like umeboshi.
• Yawataya Isogoro snacks- This brand specializes in shichimi togarashi, a Japanese seven spice blend. Their snacks come in flavors like togarashi and sansho, perfect for those who like spicy food.
• Fruit cups- Fruits can be really expensive in Japan- but the options are konbinis are pretty good and not too pricey. I particularly like the cups with grapefruit.
• Cake Biscuits- I have no idea how these biscuits taste so good, they truly taste like the classic cream and strawberry cakes you see all over Japan!
• Japanese candy- Japan truly has some of the most interesting and delicious candies of any country I’ve visited. Their fruit flavors taste like fresh fruit! My favorites are grapefruit and pineapple Hi-Chews as well as the super chewy Tough Gummies.

Drinks

• Hot Yuzu Lemonade- One of my favorite things at konbinis is the hot drink section. This hot yuzu lemonade is the first thing I drink as soon as I arrive in Japan!
• Ito En Koi Cha- This hot tea is my favorite packaged green tea. Super potent, it’s great for feeling nourished. I would drink at least one a day while in Japan!
• Karada Sukoyaka Tea- “healthy body tea,” this drink helps with digestion and overall health.
• Meiji R-1 The Gold- A probiotic yogurt drink great for your gut microbiome.
• Fibe-Mini- Perfect for after a large meal, or when you’re fresh off the plane, this little fiber shot helps keep things regular (if you get me).
• Pokka Sapporo Kireto Lemon 2700- This energy shot has the juice of an entire lemon- perfect for a dose of vitamin C before a busy day. These little shots also saved me when I had a bad cold in Tokyo.

Other

• Fully charged portable chargers- Super convenient for when you’re exploring a city and rapidly losing battery. The portable charger I bought from a Tokyo 7-11 is the best I have ever used.
• Sabrina brand warming stockings- Excellent for the chilly winter months, these stockings will keep you warm no matter your outfit.
• Heating pads and heated clothing- In the winter months, every konbini’s first display will be full of products to keep you cozy and warm- and they really work! I particularly like the heating pads for the bottoms of your feet.
• Face masks- Konbinis have a surprising amount of beauty products, and you even sometimes find some really high end face masks here!
• Elleair Luxury Moisturizing Lotion Tissues- The most incredibly soft and wonderful tissues I have ever used. It is considered impolite to publicly blow your nose in Japan, so make sure to duck into a nearby bathroom to use these.