An Ode to the Japanese Konbini

The legendary convenience stores are gonna be what I miss most about Japan.

7 Eleven in Tokyo as the sun comes up. Photo by the author.

It’s Saturday morning here in Tokyo. Earlier I went to the convenience store (konbini) and picked up a couple of onigiri (rice balls) for my girlfriend Coco and me, as well as a doughnut and two coffees.

It’s my last week living in Japan after two and a half years. The feeling is surreal. What am I gonna miss most about Japan? Honestly, the konbini. I’m kidding, but not really. I have a real, profound love for this Japanese phenomenon.

There are a handful of konbini brands in Japan, with the main three — 7 Eleven, Family Mart, and Lawsons — found on nearly every block in the major cities and scattered throughout the countryside.

Each brand has its quirks, pros and cons.

Convenience stores all stock the same things in Japan — meals (yes real, edible, dare I say sometimes healthy-ish meals!) snacks, beverages, tobacco and alcohol, beauty products, as well as miscellaneous office and home supplies.

There’s even basic clothing for, I imagine, when a businessperson spills coffee on their button down and needs a fresh one before a meeting, or when someone needs an impromptu extra layer in the cold.