How to shop at a Japanese konbini
What the staff will ask you, how to pay, bags, heating food and where to eat.
Japanese convenience stores are open around the clock and restock several times a day. Most new food arrives on Tuesdays, which is why this site refreshes its list every week. Here is what to expect at the register.
1. Pick up your food
Chilled food is in the fridges along the walls, bento and noodles near the front, bread and sweets in the middle aisles. Items marked as Tokyo-only on this site are made for stores in Tokyo, so you won't find them elsewhere.
2. What the staff will ask you
| You hear | Meaning | Reply |
|---|---|---|
| 温めますか？ (atatame-masu ka) | Shall I heat this up? | はい (hai) yes / 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) no thanks |
| お箸おつけしますか？ (ohashi otsuke shimasu ka) | Do you need chopsticks? | はい / 大丈夫です |
| 袋はご利用ですか？ (fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka) | Do you need a bag? (bags cost a few yen) | お願いします (onegai shimasu) yes please |
| ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ | Do you have a points card? | ないです (nai desu) no |
3. Paying
Cash, major credit cards and transit IC cards such as Suica and PASMO are accepted at the big chains. At many stores you choose the payment method on a small customer-facing screen and insert or tap the card yourself.
4. Hot counter and coffee
Fried chicken, steamed buns and other hot snacks sit in a warmer next to the register. Point and say the name, or show the Japanese name from this site. For coffee, buy a cup at the register first, then pour it yourself at the machine. More on the hot counter →
5. Eating and trash
Some stores have a small eat-in counter. Public trash bins are rare in Tokyo, so keep your packaging until you find one; konbini bins are meant for things bought there.