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If it is late at night, and you need to grab a bite to eat, the convenience store, or conbini, is the perfect place to go. Japan has over 50,000 convenience stores throughout the country that offer fax service, delivery service, ATMs, hot food, Wi-Fi, and more. They even let you pick up tickets for different events and activities. These are the top three picks:


Lawson

Originally an American company, Lawson has a large presence in Japan with over 14,000 locations in addition to their overseas locations in Hawaii and China. The shop can be recognized by its blue sign and white milk jug (homage to the original owner). They sell individual bakery items, drinks, laundry detergent, shirts, and other items that are needed daily. There are four different variations of Lawson: Lawson, Natural Lawson, Lawson Store 100, and SeijoISHI. At Natural Lawson, one can find healthier options with lower calories that are made from natural ingredients. Lawson Store 100 offers processed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other goods for 100 yen each. SeijoISHI is a supermarket owned by Lawson's company.



7-Eleven

At 7-Eleven Japan, shoppers can purchase fried chicken, ice cream, pasta, drinks, and other necessities. Despite its popularity in the U.S., however, Slurpees do not have a large presence in Japan, so it may be hard to find a location that sells them. They also offer tax-free shopping.



Family Mart

At some Family Marts (famima), visitors may be able to sit down and enjoy their meal or drink. They also have free restrooms available, but this depends on the location. Some of the products that they sell are pork buns, boneless fried chicken, and dorayaki. They sell bakery items, sandwiches, drinks, and ice cream as well. Family Mart recently merged with Circle K, which resulted in the Circle K locations changing to Family Marts.