88 replies to this topic

[fenyx66]

Ok, I am going to add some of my combini favorites. Lawson Pizza-man are awesome for a quick snack or breakfast, I have to use a lot of self control or I would eat them all the time. 7/11 used to have rice and tonkatsu with a curry over it. That was really good, but I haven't seen them in 2005. 7/11's oden is pretty good, but kind of salty, they also have some really nice tan tan men in giant red and black bowl that you cook at home, those are really good, but I think they are seasonal because I haven't seen those in a while too. There is a new Karubi stamina beef bowl that has a good flavor but the meat is sometimes tough and too fatty.

[srhcb]

WOW!

About the only thing I ever bought to eat at a 7/11 here was a bag of Cheetos and a pack of peanut butter cups!

SB (Must visit Japan some day)

[chocomoo]

The 7-11 stores in Taipei sold tea eggs - I never tried them, but the spicey smell (as in five-spice, not hot pepper spice) greeted me every time I walked into a 7-11.

[GlorifiedRice]

Cool Beans!

I found this cool YouTube video that someone made strolling through a Combini...
The song is perfect!

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Dv3vFSZptSs

And this is a great site, great fun:
http://www.konbini-life.com/
(Page 7, Pepsi Carnivale? the last paragraph is too funny for words!)

[JasonTrue]

In my experience, "The Girl From Ipanema" would be the most appropriate soundtrack. But that's true almost anywhere background music is played in Japan...

[GlorifiedRice]

By the way, has anyone heard that they are trying to bring the Japanese style Combini stateside?

http://www.famima-usa.com/

[Hiroyuki]

By the way, has anyone heard that they are trying to bring the Japanese style Combini stateside?

http://www.famima-usa.com/

I have, but I didn't know that it was run by Family Mart and the name was Famima!! .

[srhcb]

And this is a great site, great fun:
http://www.konbini-life.com/

WOW!

If they're selling American franchises, I'm interested.

SB (was born in the wrong time and place)

[kimosabe]

Ohhh, how I miss conbini! Lawson, Family Mart, Hot Spar...there is nothing in the States that compares. What I would give to be able to get an onigiri, nikuman, or the daikon from the oden here anytime of the day.

I have to add to the love for the pizza-man; shoot, or any of the -"man." When I go back to visit my family (still in Okinawa) I looove to grab an anman for breakfast. Yum.

Has anyone been to those Family Mart-run stores in California? Sure looks similar...and tasty :)

[GlorifiedRice]

I am obsessed with the Combini at the moment!

Combini and Ajinomoto Frozen Karaage!

[hungrykoala]

Has anyone been to those Family Mart-run stores in California? Sure looks similar...and tasty :)

i live in pasadena, ca, and 2 or 3 famima!! (the sign really does have both exclamation pts, ha!) have opened up in a 10 block radius of my place. i adore their onigiri (so far i've had the kombu and cooked salmon filling) and hand rolls (mentaiko and spicy squid is my favorite). i haven't tried the entrees, but they have stuff like fettucine alfredo and loco moco as well as a bunch of desserts.

pasadena's a terrible place for late night snacks, so i'm quite happy to have these stores near me. i also know that there have been some store openings in LA proper.

[kimosabe]

Has anyone been to those Family Mart-run stores in California? Sure looks similar...and tasty :)

i live in pasadena, ca, and 2 or 3 famima!! (the sign really does have both exclamation pts, ha!) have opened up in a 10 block radius of my place. i adore their onigiri (so far i've had the kombu and cooked salmon filling) and hand rolls (mentaiko and spicy squid is my favorite). i haven't tried the entrees, but they have stuff like fettucine alfredo and loco moco as well as a bunch of desserts.

pasadena's a terrible place for late night snacks, so i'm quite happy to have these stores near me. i also know that there have been some store openings in LA proper.

oh, you lucky lucky girl. How much do they charge for onigiri? I always love them because they are so cheap--105 yen (a bit less than $1) for a tasty miso one.

[GlorifiedRice]

Im going to call Famima!! tomorrow and see if they can bring one to the King of Prussia area...
Its got the largest retail mall in the country (Mall Of America is bigger ONLY cause it has hotels and amusements) and all the highways join up in that area...
It is a prime area.
Its commute city.

[kimosabe]

GlorifiedRice, my mind is on the same track. I sent them an email this morning mentioning that Austin is full of rich yuppies that would gobble up their stuff in a heartbeat.

[hungrykoala]

oh, you lucky lucky girl. How much do they charge for onigiri? I always love them because they are so cheap--105 yen (a bit less than $1) for a tasty miso one.

i think it's under $2 for the onigiri. i went there today and got a seaweed salad and a spicy tuna roll for about $8 total. the prices for the rolls aren't mindblowing, but it's better than the kind available at nearby gourmet supermarkets. never tried miso, sounds tasty!

[GlorifiedRice]

For anyone who lives in the Philadelphia, NJ, De, MD area AND has been to Japanese Combinis, is a Wawa Mkt the closest thing we have to a Combini?
Im always curious cause the Wawa has very fresh things and healthy eats...

BTW- this is a cam outside of a Lawsons, it refreshes fast.
http://akashi.vipliv...ex.cgi?livecam3


Oh BTW would the Japanese posters here like me to take pics of the inside of three popular American Convenience Stores including 7-11?
Just so you can see how the originals are?

Edited by GlorifiedRice, 05 January 2007 - 07:45 PM.

[Hiroyuki]

Oh BTW would the Japanese posters here like me to take pics of the inside of three popular American Convenience Stores including 7-11?
Just so you can see how the originals are?

Thanks, post some photos here! I'd like to see them.

[GlorifiedRice]

Can someone tell me what these three Combinis are?

http://i12.tinypic.com/4if7d3b.jpg


Also, Ive been real busy but I hope to get those pics of 7-11 taken soon

[Hiroyuki]

Left one: MMK stands for multimedia kiosk. I didn't know anything about it, I googled and found it's not a conbini but a multifunctional information terminal.
from here.
Middle one: I din't know anything about Timely, either. I found you can find their stores in and around Aichi.
Right one: Conbini called Sun Every.
I found this map, which shows the ratio of their stores to all conbini in each prefecture as a percentage.

So, what are those signs supposed to mean to you??

[GlorifiedRice]

http://www.natural-l...ex.html#anchor1


BTW These are making my mouth water!!!!

[pirate]

A very interesting post. I'm looking forward to the future ones. Would it be against the rules to post the name of the store at which the purchase was made?

[Hiroyuki]

I found this great webpage, "Prefecture-by-prefecture market share details", created by an individual not by a corporation.
According to this, in 2000, Sun Every has a market share of 0.64 in Japan (16th place) (based on the number of stores), and Timely 0.37% (19th place), but it has a large share of 16.5% in Gifu prefecture. Neither convini has any stores in Niigata prefecture; no wonder I know nothing about them.
Top page of the site

[torakris]

I have never seen either of those stores here in Yokohama either.

pirate,
there is nothing wrong at all with posting the names of stores, in fact I would love to hear what others recommend and where to find it.

[teamboom]

My boyfriend and I are currently in Tsuyama in the Okayama Prefecture and there is a Lawson that is about 2 minutes from the house we are staying at.

Let me tell you, the Lawson folks already know us and wave at us when we pass by!
It's super affordable and pretty good food, especially for us students!!

I have yet to try the oden but I probably will before we leave on Saturday to go to Tokyo!

The service at the konbini is amazing as well! Lawson is definitely one place I am going to miss when I get back home.

[GlorifiedRice]

So, what are those signs supposed to mean to you??

I was bored and when Im bored, I make link lists.
Its fun and you find interesting links and stuff along the journey.
I was trying to compile a list of all the homepages of all the Combinis in Japan...
(I already made a list of all the franchise restaurants and supermarkets in the USA)

This is what I have so far...

http://www.lawson.co.jp/index.html

http://www.natural-lawson.co.jp/

http://www.sej.co.jp/index.html

http://www.family.co.jp/

http://www.circleksunkus.jp/

http://www.hotsparcvs.co.jp/

http://www.seicomart.co.jp/

http://www.ampm.co.jp/home.html

http://www.saveon.co.jp/

http://www.ministop.co.jp/

http://www.poplar-cvs.co.jp/

http://www.c-store.co.jp/

http://www.daily-yam...o.jp/index.html

http://www.cocostore.jp/

http://www.three-f.co.jp/

http://www.shop99.co.jp/

http://www.kyushu-cvs.co.jp/every/

http://www.an3.jp/index.html

http://www.tac-mate.com/

http://www.pipit.ne.jp/

http://www.applemart.co.jp/

http://www.cicomart.co.jp/

http://shinsengumihonbu.com/


I cant find websites for these:


JC (JR Convinience)
Snackpia
Timesmart
THREE EIGHT
KURASHI HOUSE
Heart-in
RIC Mart
Camel Mart
Hiromaru Chains
Hot Spa
Sunevery,
Kurashi House Group,
Heart-in,
Everyone,
Timely,
Tic-Tac
KCS (Kanto Convenience Society),
Shop and Life,

[Hiroyuki]

OK, GlorifiedRice, I don't share your interest in konvini, but searching for konbini-related info was interesting, and made me realize that konbini come and go!
Here are some results:
JC (JR Convinience)
Formely called JC and now NEWDAYS,run by EAST JAPAN KIOSK
http://www.ej-kiosk....n/index_new.cgi

Snackpia
No info. Is it really a convine chain?

Timesmart
Now a subsidiary of Shinozakiya
http://www.shinozakiya.com/

THREE EIGHT
run by Poplar
http://www.poplar-cvs.co.jp/

KURASHI HOUSE
also run by Poplar

Seikatu Saika (生活彩家) is also run by Poplar.

Heart-in
run by WEST JAPAN RAILWAY DAILY SERVICE NET COMPANY Co., Ltd.
http://www.dailyservice.co.jp/
Daily-in is also run by the same company.

RIC Mart
Apparently, they don't have a website.

Camel Mart
Once run by Camel Mart Japan, which transferred some of their stores to Family Mart.
Some Camel Mart stores are still run by individuals.

Hiromaru Chains
Purchased by Poplar.

Hot Spa
http://www.hotsparcvs.co.jp/

Sunevery,
No website. "Yamazaki Daily Store" and "Sunevery" are being switched to "Daily Yamazaki".
http://www.daily-yam...o.jp/index.html
http://www.daily365.net/index.html

Kurashi House Group,
Same as Kurashi House?

Everyone,
http://www.kyushu-cv...very/index.html

Timely,
Now part of Yamazaki
http://www.yamazakipan.co.jp/

Tic-Tac
Now a subsidiary of Poplar.

KCS (Kanto Convenience Society),
http://www.kcs-hp.com/

Shop and Life,
Purchased by CICO MART CO., LTD., which went bunkrupt in 2005.

[GlorifiedRice]

Cool Beans Hiroyuki...

[sk_ward]

Since it has been so cold recently, I've been looking for warmer things to eat during lunch. In any conbini, the assortment of "just add hot water" types of soups is very impressive! It's not just cup o' noodle style soups, but also soba, udon, harusame, and even kanten noodles. All kinds of vegetable soups, chicken stews, and miso soups are also available. The sodium content in most of them is horrible, but you can manage to find some that actually aren't that bad for you. I was on a harusame noodle soup kick for a while, but today and yesterday I enjoyed the chicken cream stew. Soup along with an onigiri is a pretty decent quick lunch!

[torakris]

I picked this up at a 7-11 yesterday for lunch.
Pasta (spaghetti) salad with grilled chicken and a Japanese dressing. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought it would and it was also more filling than I thought it would be.

[shinju]

I guess they don't call it the lazy days of summer for no reason....

convenient store lunch again....



Mine is the soba, Hide chose a corokke (croquette) burger.
This soba was soooo good! It had deep fried gobo (burdock root), scallions, carrots and grated daikon, I don't think I have ever licked a bowl clean before.

Everyone in Japan, run out to 7-11 now!

Torakris - that gobo looks so good. Never thought of deep fried gobo with soba. Great combination!