Japan has roughly 56,000 convenience stores (konbini) — 56,147 in June 2026 across the seven chains counted by the Japan Franchise Association — and in any city you are usually a few minutes' walk from one. They are open around the clock, and you can eat, withdraw cash, and send a parcel all in one place. This guide is for visitors and residents alike: the personality of the three big chains, what to eat without missing, how to ask for heating and chopsticks at the register, how to withdraw cash with a foreign-issued card, the various ways to pay, and the non-food functions like copiers and toilets — with rough prices and step-by-step notes.

The Big Three — 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart

Three chains dominate Japan's streets: 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart. Together they run about 53,000 stores in Japan: 21,734 for 7-Eleven and 16,449 for FamilyMart at the end of June 2026, and 14,697 for the Lawson group at the end of February 2026, all as published by the companies. The basic lineup is similar everywhere, but each leans into a different strength. You won't go wrong in any of them, but picking the right one for the job raises your hit rate.

7-Eleven is the largest, with 21,734 stores in Japan at the end of June 2026 (Seven & i's monthly business performance disclosure). Its Seven Premium private-label food is consistently good, so onigiri, bento and desserts all score highly. A big practical plus: stores have a Seven Bank ATM that accepts foreign-issued cards.

Lawson stands out for desserts and a health-conscious range. Its Uchi Café line — especially the premium roll cake and cream puffs — is a longtime favorite, and there is also the upmarket Natural Lawson format. FamilyMart is strongest on hot snacks, best known for its Famichiki fried chicken and a solid fried-food case by the register.

  • 7-Eleven: strong all-round food; Seven Bank ATMs in store for foreign cards
  • Lawson: desserts and health focus
  • FamilyMart: excellent hot snacks (Famichiki and more)

What to Eat — Onigiri, Bento, Hot Snacks, Sweets and Drinks

Onigiri is the safe first choice: a triangular rice ball wrapped in crisp nori seaweed, with a wide range of fillings such as salmon, pickled plum (umeboshi), tuna-mayo and kelp. Prices have been rising and, as of 2026, most sit around 160–200 yen. They are easy to eat on the go without messy hands.

For a full meal, go for a bento — makunouchi sets, rice bowls, even pasta — generally in the 500–700 yen range (as of 2026), and staff will heat it up for you. The hot snacks in the warm case by the register are a signature too: FamilyMart's Famichiki is about 248 yen (price revised March 2026) and Lawson's Karaage-kun runs about 200 yen (before tax).

For sweets, Lawson's cream puffs and roll cake, 7-Eleven's roll cake, and each chain's seasonal ice cream are the classics, generally around 150–400 yen. For drinks, alongside bottled beverages the counter coffee at each chain (roughly 100–150 yen for a regular) is cheap and genuinely good — a daily habit for many locals.

  • Onigiri: mostly around 220 yen before tax (about 237 yen incl. tax), as of August 2026
  • Bento: around 500–700 yen (can be heated)
  • Hot snacks: Famichiki 248 yen incl. tax / Karaage-kun 288 yen incl. tax
  • Sweets: ~150–400 yen / counter coffee ~100–150 yen

Getting Food Heated and Asking for Chopsticks

For bento, steamed buns and hot snacks, before ringing you up the clerk will ask "Atatamemasu ka?" — "Shall I heat this?" Just answer "Hai" (yes, please) or "Iie" (no, thanks). More staff speak some English these days, but pointing and saying "Warm, please" works fine too.

When you buy a bento or noodles, chopsticks, a spoon or a fork are added at the register. If they aren't, or you want extras, say "Hashi o kudasai" (chopsticks, please). To cut plastic waste, some stores now hand these out only on request or charge a small fee. Staff will often bag hot, cold and room-temperature items separately.

Stores with an eat-in corner let you eat on the spot. Eating in can fall outside Japan's reduced consumption-tax rate (treated as dining out), which may change the price slightly, so telling the clerk "I'll eat in" keeps things smooth.

How to Pay — Cash, Transit IC, QR Codes and Credit

Konbini are among the most cashless-friendly places in Japan, with plenty of payment options. Cash of course, but also transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA and other nationally interoperable cards), QR-code apps, credit cards, and each chain's own e-money. Being able to tap or scan even for tiny amounts is part of what makes Japanese konbini so easy.

Transit IC is the tourist-friendly choice: at any store showing the Suica mark you just tap and go. QR apps such as PayPay, d Payment (d-barai), Rakuten Pay and nanaco work at the major chains — but note that domestic QR apps like PayPay generally require topping up from a Japanese bank account or supported card, which is a hurdle for short-term visitors.

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and others) are widely accepted for purchases. A foreign contactless card can usually just be tapped, so for visitors a practical mix is cash plus a transit IC card, or contactless with a foreign card. Do note that bill-payment services (paying barcoded invoices for utilities and the like) are often cash-only. FamilyMart and Lawson state that only a single payment is accepted. At 7-Eleven, contactless stops working from 10,001 yen and you insert the card instead, and UnionPay credit cards cannot be tapped at all. FamilyMart asks for a PIN from 10,000 yen; Lawson asks for a signature or PIN from 10,000 yen, and for UnionPay a PIN at any amount. All three take single payments only and will not split a purchase across two cards. Prepaid (POSA) cards, stamps, revenue stamps, bill payments and e-money top-ups cannot be paid by card at FamilyMart and Lawson, which state this explicitly.

  • Cash: works everywhere
  • Transit IC: Suica / PASMO / ICOCA etc., tap to pay (best for tourists)
  • QR apps: PayPay / d-barai / Rakuten Pay etc. (usually need a Japanese account or card to top up)
  • Credit: widely accepted; contactless at all three, but over 10,000 yen 7-Eleven switches to insert while FamilyMart and Lawson ask for a PIN or signature

Withdrawing Yen With a Foreign-Issued Card at the ATM

When you need cash, the konbini ATM is your friend. 7-Eleven's Seven Bank ATM is especially reliable for foreign-issued cards, with many machines in stores, stations and airports nationwide, available 365 days a year. Service hours vary slightly by card brand, though. The screen offers twelve languages including Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Thai and Vietnamese.

Seven Bank ATMs accept foreign-issued cards carrying the VISA, PLUS, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, UnionPay (Ginren), American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club marks. The per-transaction withdrawal limit is 100,000 yen, or 30,000 yen for a magnetic-stripe transaction. Service hours run 00:00-24:00 for VISA and Mastercard, 00:10-23:50 for JCB, Discover and UnionPay, 00:05-23:50 for American Express and 00:05-23:55 for Diners Club.

On fees, expect your card issuer's foreign-use fee, and in some cases an ATM usage fee as well (the amount varies by card and transaction). FamilyMart and Lawson ATMs take foreign-issued cards too, but the per-transaction ceiling differs. A Lawson Bank ATM caps a withdrawal at 50,000 yen in 10,000-yen units, with screens in Japanese, English, simplified Chinese and Korean. The compact Japan Post Bank ATMs installed in FamilyMart and similar sites cap foreign-card withdrawals at 50,000 yen, operate 00:05-23:55, and charge 220 yen including tax per withdrawal on some foreign cards. If you need a larger sum, Seven Bank ATMs let you take up to 100,000 yen at once, which means fewer transactions.

  • Marks accepted: VISA / PLUS / Mastercard / Maestro / Cirrus / UnionPay / American Express / JCB / Discover / Diners Club
  • Per-transaction limit: Seven Bank 100,000 yen (30,000 yen magnetic-stripe) / Lawson Bank 50,000 yen / Japan Post Bank ATMs in FamilyMart 50,000 yen or less
  • Availability: 365 days a year / twelve on-screen languages. Service hours vary by card brand
  • Fees: card issuer's fee plus an ATM usage fee (Japan Post Bank charges 220 yen per withdrawal on some foreign cards), as of August 2026

Beyond Food — Copiers, Tickets, Parcels and Toilets

Konbini are not just about food. The multi-copy machine in each store does copying and printing, plus printing from a phone app, USB drive or over Wi-Fi, ID photos, and issuing government documents (in participating municipalities). Just follow the on-screen guide; you usually pay at the register within 30 minutes of finishing.

You can buy tickets too. 7-Eleven uses its in-store terminal/multi-copy machine (Seven Ticket), FamilyMart uses its Famiport-based services, and Lawson uses the Loppi terminal to issue tickets for films, sports, events and leisure facilities. Apply at the terminal, take the printed slip to the register, and pay.

They also handle sending and receiving parcels (the partner courier differs by chain). Add ATMs, utility-bill payment, copying, free Wi-Fi, and the toilets many stores have, and the konbini becomes the place to turn to when you're stuck while traveling. For the toilet, a quick word to the staff is the polite move. All of it depends on the store being open, though. Round-the-clock opening is no longer a given: amid labor shortages more stores close overnight or trim their hours, shops in business districts and tourist areas keep different hours on weekends, and the range on the shelves in rural and residential areas differs from the cities. If you are traveling outside the big cities late at night or early in the morning, plan on the assumption that nothing is open.

  • Multi-copy machine: copy/print (app / USB / Wi-Fi), ID photos, government documents
  • Ticketing: Seven Ticket / Famiport / Loppi
  • Sending and receiving parcels (partner courier varies by chain)
  • ATM, utility payments, free Wi-Fi, toilets — but 24-hour opening is not a given: overnight closures and shorter hours are rising, and hours vary by region

How to Read Japanese Allergen Labels — Nine Mandatory Items, and What the Store Cannot Tell You

Prepacked processed food in Japan must declare the presence of the Consumer Affairs Agency's designated allergens. A revision to the Food Labeling Standards effective 1 April 2026 added cashew nut, so the mandatory list is now nine items: shrimp, crab, walnut, cashew nut, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk and peanut. Cashew comes with a two-year transition period, so products still carrying the older declaration will be on shelves during it. Around twenty further ingredients — almond, sesame, soy, beef, pork, chicken and gelatin among them — are recommended (voluntary) declarations only, and pistachio joined that voluntary list in the same revision.

The scope of the rule matters just as much at the shelf. Only prepacked processed food is covered, so bento, onigiri, sandwiches and noodles carry an ingredient list and an allergen declaration. Items sold unpackaged — the fried chicken, oden and steamed buns by the register — plus anything eaten in at the store, and alcoholic drinks, fall outside the requirement.

Cross-contact is the part a label cannot settle. Under the agency's guidance, a precautionary line such as "this product is made in a factory that also handles X" is recommended rather than required, and may be left off when the frequency and amount of any unintended carry-over are small. Vague wording such as "may contain" is not permitted at all. So the absence of a warning is not proof that nothing got in. The published allergen data itself states that it does not guarantee that no symptoms will occur, and that customers should consult a specialist and judge for themselves. If you have a history of reactions, follow your own doctor's instructions.

  • Nine mandatory items (from 1 April 2026): shrimp, crab, walnut, cashew nut, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk, peanut
  • Cashew has a two-year transition period — labels not yet updated can still be in circulation
  • Pork, beef, chicken, sesame, soy, gelatin and about fourteen others: voluntary declarations only (twenty in all)
  • The rule covers prepacked processed food only — counter fried food, oden, steamed buns, eat-in meals and alcohol are outside it

Halal and Vegan — What You Can Choose, and What Not to Expect

The honest answer is to keep expectations low. As the Japan Tourism Agency's guide notes, halal certification has no single worldwide standard and there are said to be more than 300 certifying bodies around the world, so scanning a shelf for one common mark does not work as a method. Japan's food labeling rules exist to prevent allergic reactions, not to certify whether a product fits a religious or ethical diet — that is the starting point.

What catches people out is how animal ingredients arrive in disguise. The same guide lists, for Muslim travelers, not only pork itself but pork-derived material in emulsifiers, shortening, gelatin and collagen, along with alcohol including mirin. Vegans also avoid honey and gelatin on top of eggs and dairy, and dashi — used constantly in Japanese cooking — often comes from bonito or other animal sources. Pork, beef, chicken and gelatin are voluntary declarations, so the allergen line alone will not tell you; you have to read the ingredient list itself.

In practice, the shorter the ingredient list, the easier the call. Note too that "emulsifier" is unrelated to the allergen "milk", but nothing on the pack tells you whether it came from a plant or a pig. When the list defeats you, the honest move is not to guess.

At the Shelf — Plant-Based Options and a Last Check

The quickest way to find plant-based options is to start from products with short ingredient lists: a plain salt onigiri, umeboshi or kombu rice balls, dry-roasted nuts, fruit, plain bread. The longer the list, the more routes there are for something animal-derived to get in.

The steamed-bun case sometimes hides a plant-based option such as anman (sweet red-bean bun). The fried items by the register, on the other hand, share a fryer and a batch of oil with meat and fish, so skip them if cross-contact is a concern.

The last check is best done before you are standing at the shelf. All three chains publish ingredient and allergen data on their own sites, covering not just bento and onigiri but the unlabeled counter items — fried food, oden, steamed buns. The listings are in Japanese as a rule, so pair them with a translation app.

  • The ingredient list and allergen declaration on the pack are the final word (in the lumped format, at the end of the ingredient field)
  • Salt onigiri and umeboshi rice balls are clear plant-based options
  • Hot snacks share fryer oil — mind cross-contact
  • If you cannot tell, do not buy it — the chains publish data for counter items too

Sources & References