Japan is full of surprises, from its spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and nature, to its culture and traditions; but what really stands out to people are the convenience stores,or “konbini”.
What is a konbini?
Konbini (コンビニ) is a Japanese convenience store, shortened from the fuller konbiniensu sutoa (コンビニエンスストア).
The very first konbini store opened in Toyosu, Tokyo, in 1969 and it was a 7-eleven (which is still active today!)
Konbinis are so loved because of the wide range of products that they offer: clothes, stationery, make-up, cigarettes, a variety of hot and cold drinks, go-to smoothies, and, most importantly, high quality food. But its also a place where residents can pay their household bills, buy football tickets and withdraw cash from the ATM machines. In the biggest cities, most of them stay open 24 hours a day.
At this point it’s safe to say you get why they are so popular here.
A research has shown that there are 50,000 konbinis all over the country. But wich one is more popular?
To this day, 7-eleven is it is the biggest chain store with over 22,000 konbinis all over Japan! It’s also the most preferred one, followed by Family Mart (16,200) and Lawson (15,000).
There are other chain stores, less known to tourists but still very popular among residents: Mini stop, Daily Yamazaki, Seicomart
What to buy in a konbini
There are so many products, but the clients know that the food is remarkable. You can’ t come to Japan without eating there, and one way or another, trust me that you’ll end up in one of them!
The most popular items are:
- ONIGIRI
Onigiri (お握り or 御握り), also known as omusubi (お結び) or nigirimeshi (握り飯), is a Japanese rice ball made from white rice. It is usually formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes, and wrapped in nori (seaweed).
7-Eleven offers a variety of onigiri, including flavors like Teriyaki Salmon, Grilled Salmon Belly, and even unique options like Five Cheese and Octopus with Wasabi. These rice balls are inspired by Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese cuisine, providing a taste of Asia at affordable prices. There is a big request as they became “viral” between tourists, so make sure to grab them before they sell out!
2. SANDWICHES
Konbini offer a great variety of sandwiches, both savory and sweet!
The most popular one is the egg salad sandwich, loved by tourists and residents, but the strawberry whipped cream sandwich is no joke either! the bread is so soft and the cream so fresh!! Strawberries are a great deal here in Japan.You can find multiple varities, with different shades, colors and taste as well!
3. KONBINI COUNTER
Near the counters you will find the hot plate section, filled with skewers of meat, spring rolls, fried sausage, hash brown and more!. Locals here love the fried chicken, or Famichiki, even though there is a dispute as to what convenience store does the best famichiki: Family Mart or Lawson. Up to you to decide! The food is pre-heated and ready to eat.
Hacks about konbini that you should know
Apart from having great food, konbini offer multiple services to locals and tourists.
-Free hot water for your noodle. When you buy a cup of noodles, you can prepare them inside the store. Usually there is a counter just for that
-Microwave counter, to heat your noodles or freshly made gyoza!
-You can print or scan what you need, via USB or cloud. Usually the printer is near the entrance or the counter
-Pick up online orders from Amazon, Rakuten
– Lockers to send or receive packages
-Free wi-fi in many branches