Convenience stores and vending machines in Japan are some of my favourite things. I’ve made a cheat sheet for every day items.
It might sound strange but the combini (convenience store) is a major part of the visit to Japan.
In most countries in the world – it would only be a very, very brave person who dared to eat a “meal” made up of convenience store food but, in Japan, you can find an entire deli section, salads, bakery goods (all delivered daily), household supplies, sweets, alcohol, frozen foods etc.
You can actually get a healthy lunch on the go – and even heat up a lunch plate afterwards. Here are my tips on healthier convenience store options.
Japanese people also use combinis to pay bills and buy concert tickets.
See here for my similar “cheat sheet” for Japanese vending machines.
I cannot even imagine walking out of an Australian 7-Eleven with a dozen fresh eggs, some firm tofu, a salad and range of dressings and pack assorted sushi & sashimi.
Although I am a big believer that part of the whole “Japan experience” is not knowing what you’re ordering and buying at all times I thought I’d give some handy hints for some of the staples at convenience stores to get you started.
(This is , naturally, a constant work in progress as convenience stores in Japan are constantly changing and moving with the trends. Also , different products are available in different brands of combinis.)
MILK & JUICE
FULL CREAM = WHOLE MILK
WATER & DRINKS
HOW TO TELL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS FROM NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
Understandably, many parents don’t want to make a mistake and accidentally buy an alcoholic beverage. The way to tell is alcoholic drinks will have お酒 on the front with a circle around it. Like in the picture below.
BOILED EGGS
Margarine , bread and jam
It is possible to buy white bread, margarine and blueberry or strawberry jam or peanut butter in convenience stores too. ( These are cheaper to purchase in a supermarket but if convenience is your number one priority, this is a good option. You will have additional types of bread to choose from in a supermarket too.)
One of the most popular brands of margarine sold in convenience stores, looks like this :
Ham
Convenience stores sell the perfect amount of ham for when you’re on holidays.
The Famous Egg Sandwiches
These are famous for a reason. They are soooo good and are sold in all major brands of convenience stores.
SWEETS
I think the sweets don’t need translation as it adds to the fun. Japanese sweets are very reasonably priced so why not fill a basket with lots of colourful tricks and have a picnic?
Also, Japanese convenience stores are constantly introducing new flavours (of teas, chocolates, chewing gum) for a limited time only. Keep an eye out for promotional stickers for unusual flavours of the season and grab them while you can. Limited time only is written as 期限限定（kigen gentei).
Here are some of my family’s favourite convenience store treats:
Where have coolish been all my life? This is vanilla ice-cream in a pouch! It’s so great to help avoid the mess of an ice-cream cone. You can even replace the lid if you’re not quite finished and pop it in the freezer again! (Other flavours are sometimes for sale during different seasons.)
I also ingenious idea where @brollyknits told me that she has once used it as an icepack for a child’s hurt chin and, at the same time, it was a built-in bribery for holding it there!
Hold the icepack and eat the contents afterwards! Genius!
Vanilla Bars from Family Mart are sooo yummy too.
And this is the king of all Icecream bars, in my opinion. The cone outside never gets soggy and it doesn’t melt easily.
The quality of the Icecream is also so good. It’s worth keeping an eye open for additional “limited time only” flavours too.
It’s called a JUMBO.
This is what it looks like on the inside
Jyagariko , stick-shaped potato crisps. We all like the “salad” (sounds gross but it isn’t) flavoured ones the best.
My little boy, in particular, adores these little savoury goldfish crackers ( a much lighter and less flavoured goldfish than the U.S. option.)
These little “mini ball” crackers are a little bit sweet and are perfect for toddlers. They are either in my little boys tummy or in between the couch cushions at all times.
My kids LOVE these meatballs from Family Mart.
These are some other amazing snacks that I love but don’t have any English on the packaging. Like these rice crackers with sweet icing called Yuki no Yado.
And these vegan curries are for sale at convenience store, Natural Lawson. They also stock vegan soy meat bolognese and carbonara sauce.
And Natural Lawson also upped their onigiri (rice ball) game and added these to their menu in Summer 2018.
For more onigiri info you may like my post ‘Name that Riceball’ here.
Natural Lawson also stock two flavours of Kombucha made by a company called Wow Food Inc.
For more grocery items that don’t have English on the packaging, see my post here.
I do love how in countryside Japan you will also find many stores have to play down their signage so that it doesn’t take away from the feel. Even McDonalds red becomes brown!
This is 7-Eleven in Takayama.
