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- Why 7-11 Reigns Supreme In Japan To This Day
Summary
- Japanese 7-11 stores offer a wide variety of foods, including tiny sandwiches (sando), rice balls (onigiri), and lunch boxes (bento) that are perfect for on-the-go eating.
- The culture and busy schedules of Japanese people make 7-11 a convenient and popular choice for quick snacks and meals.
- The sweets and snacks available at Japanese 7-11 stores are unparalleled, with options like dorayaki, mochi, and unique flavors of ice cream. They also offer high-quality ramen and fried chicken that are surprisingly delicious.
Let's get one thing straight: The convenience stores in most Asian countries are not like the convenience stores everywhere else in the world. Specifically, in Japan, convenience stores are more like miniature grocery stores than actual quick-stops. It can be quite overwhelming to talk to one without realizing exactly what a person is about to get themselves into... which is an insane number of foods, novelty items, and, well, anything you could ever need while traveling abroad. Just as there are some foods in Japan everyone needs to try, there are also some stores (7-11) everyone needs to visit.
In particular, 7-11 stores have it all: Lunch foods, dinner ingredients, desserts, coffee, ATMs, and an abundance of restrooms. That makes them pretty valuable to travelers because rather than run all over the place searching for these things separately, 7-11 becomes a one-stop shop for any and all travel, comfort, and food needs. Obviously, the biggest attention-grabber is the food, but these stores carry anything a person could possibly need to make it through the day, sustenance aside.
UPDATE: 2023/11/01 13:54 EST BY NOAH STAATS
Why 7-11 Reigns Supreme In Japan To This Day
This article has been refreshed with new information on the 7-11 brand in Japan and why we think it has continued to shine through all these years. May the East meet the West, even if it's via a fun-loving convenience store!
Let's Talk Sando, Onigiri, And Bento
In all honesty, it's really impossible to walk into a Japanese 7-11 and not walk out with one (or more) of these things. Sando are tiny sandwiches that can be found throughout Japan, and at 7-11 specifically, the most popular is by far the egg salad. Whatever it is that's happening to this sando before it enters a person's mouth is absolutely delicious, and it's altering the way egg salad lovers view the world. Never before have cooked eggs and white bread looked so beautiful together (another favorite katsu, AKA pork cutlet).
Onigiri is something that many are familiar with (especially for those who watch anime or read manga) because it's a popular snack in Japan. They're basically rice balls, but they're so, so much better than any ordinary rice ball. Formed into triangle shapes, onigiri are wrapped in nori (seaweed) but not before being filled with some type of beef, pork, or fish filling. The fillings can vary greatly and can even come in a vegetarian form with fruity filings or onigiri consisting of just rice and some delicious seasoning.
Bento is a big part of lunch in Japan. Bento boxes are sold en mass at convenience stores such as 7-11 and contain everything a person needs to have a satisfying meal, ready for them in one neat, compact box. They can contain anything from fried cutlets to salads, rice, eggs, and even curries or pasta. The diversity from box to box is what makes them so much fun to pick out and eat, and this is definitely a worthy purchase for the traveler whose stomach is growling non-stop.
- Eye-catching items for sale: Tourists can find things like bento boxes, sando, and other regional snacks inside Japanese 7-11 stores.
Japanese People's Busy Schedules = Perfect For 7-11
One of the main reasons we see 7-11 succeed in the Japanese is because of the culture of this country. Much like the United States (where 7-11 also thrives), Japan works hard for most of the week, with people wanting a quick trip for snacks between commuting. 7-11 provides this and more to the everyday worker, often giving great options for an even better price.
In addition, the 7-11 image in Japan is Western, which tends to attract Asian shoppers wanting a new experience. Much like people in the US would try an Asian market, it's the same idea over in Japan. There's something fun about stepping into a Japanese convenience store with the 7-11 logo plastered on the wall. There is also the fact that these convenience stores are open 24 hours, which draws in crowds throughout the week. You may even be able to find an iconic Japanese souvenir at a 7-11 in the country.
Many other stores in Japan close at night, so by 7-11 being open late-night and into the early morning, it can attract and retain shoppers for life. It's a business plan that proves to be working.
- Busy people love 7-11: A big part of Japanese culture is working hard, often leading to people needing a quick fix.
These iconic and vintage shops in Tokyo, Japan, may also be worth checking out.
Sweets And Snacks Are Unrivaled
Back in 2017, 7-11 announced that it was adding dorayaki to its stores. For those who have tried dorayaki, the excitement was real. For those who haven't, well... we recommend heading to your local Asian market and finding it immediately. Consisting of two pancake-like sweet cakes with a sweet filling in between, these are the best snack cakes to come out of Japan. But that's not all they have to offer in the sugar department - mochi, especially warabimochi, are prize possessions in these convenience stores. Another fun dessert is ice cream, but Japanese 7-11s don't just have any ice cream... They have frozen soft-serve that's already in the cone. That's right... The ice cream has already been swirled to perfection in a cone, wrapped, and frozen, ready to be eaten. There's truly something magical about Japan's food scene.
One thing a traveler shouldn't do is underestimate the power of ramen or soba noodles at a 7-11 in Japan. Soba noodles, specifically, are made fresh before being topped with tempura, making for a delicious, warm meal that's perfect to be eaten while on the go. In most 7-11 stores in Japan, visitors will find entire aisles devoted to ramen as well, and the instant ramen everywhere else in the world simply doesn't compare to what can be scooped up in these aisles, and that includes Pringle-flavored noodles. Michelin-star-rated ramen, according to Insider.
Fried chicken and savory breads are also a big part of the 7-11 culture in Japan, as surprising as that might be. What's even more surprising is that both of these things have people coming back for them time and time again. We're not just talking about the average 7-11 chicken strip; we're talking legitimate, Southern-style fried chicken, all found at the local 7-11 in Japan. Accompany that with any number of the store's savory breads - bacon, cheese, corn and mayo, pizza-style buns, and so much more - and a foodie will be set. Occasionally, the bread alone is enough of a meal since many of them are stuffed with tasty and delicious fillings.
- Sweet tooth central: 7-11 stores in Japan often have more sweet treats than Western locations, as well as salty ones (Michelin-star-rated ramen sometimes).