Japanese convenience store food: what to buy
Japan's konbini （コンビニ) — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson — are not like convenience stores anywhere else. The food is genuinely good, absurdly cheap, and open 24 hours. Travelers who skip konbini are leaving money and great meals on the table.
The must-tries
- おにぎり Onigiri (¥140–200) — rice balls with fillings. Shake （鮭 salmon), mentaiko （明太子 spicy cod roe), kombu （昆布 kelp). The nori is wrapped separately to stay crisp — pull tab 1, then 2, then 3.
- たまごサンド Egg sandwich (¥250–300) — famously fluffy; FamilyMart's is the cult favorite.
- からあげクン Karaage-kun — Lawson's fried chicken bites in flavors like regular, red (spicy), and cheese.
- お弁当 Bento (¥500–700) — full lunch boxes. Staff will microwave it: "atatamete kudasai" （温めてください — "please heat it").
- 肉まん Nikuman — steamed pork buns, a winter staple.
- プリン Purin — Japanese custard pudding, far better than it has any right to be.
How it works
- Grab what you want; pay at the register. Most take cards and IC cards (Suica).
- They'll ask "atatamemasu ka?" — "shall I heat it?" Say "hai" for yes.
- "Hashi wa irimasu ka?" — "do you need chopsticks?" "Hai, kudasai".
- There's usually a small eat-in corner; otherwise, parks and train platforms are your dining room.
The fried chicken hierarchy (seriously)
Konbini fried chicken is a whole subculture. Lawson's Karaage-kun, FamilyMart's Famichiki, and 7-Eleven's Nana Chicken each have loyalists. Try all three; pick your fighter.
What to drink
- Canned coffee (Boss, Georgia) — hot or cold, from ¥120.
- Mugi-cha （麦茶 barley tea) — unsweetened, refreshing, caffeine-free.
- Strong Zero / Horoyoi — cheap canned chuuhai if you want a drink.