Everyday rules

Convenience stores

Open all night, every night. Food, cash, printing and a clean toilet in one stop.

What to know

  • The three big chains are 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson. You'll also see Ministop, Daily Yamazaki, Seicomart and Poplar.
  • They're open 24 hours. See "Holidays and closures" in part 1 for why that matters over New Year.
  • Larger city stores, especially 7-Eleven, have multilingual ATMs that accept foreign cards.
  • IC cards such as Suica and PASMO work at the till.
  • Most stores have a printer and photocopier. You can also pay bills, post letters and buy concert tickets.
  • There's hot water for instant noodles, and many bigger stores have tables and chairs.
  • The three big chains offer free Wi-Fi.
  • Bins are one of the few places you'll find them. See "Trash" in part 1.
  • Toilets are usually clean and open to shoppers.

psst, the counter display by the till usually has the hot food: fried chicken, steamed buns and oden in winter. Point and they'll bag it.

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