SHOPPING

The Most Conbini Convenient Planet!?

Ducking over to Conbini, or convenience stores, is part of the daily routine for most Japanese. Conbini appeared in Japan in 1974 when the first 7-Eleven opened. Now mega retailers are all in the game, with more than 42,000 stores operating nationwide. The 7-Eleven chain leads the market, followed by Lawson and Family Mart, all jostling against each other amidst a tough economy and fickle tastes. Here is what makes them so unique, and well... er... so convenient.

1 Service Too Good To Be True

First and foremost, conbini are open 24 hours a day. Customers can get a midnight fix of instant cup noodles using their hot water facility. Or heat up a hot soup with the microwave behind the counter, while booking airline tickets and picking up dry cleaning. Conbini are also the place to go to pay bills, pick up and send parcels, fax documents, order home appliances and buy beer and cigarettes. Packed on the shelves are a whole range of bread, snacks, drinks, salads, bento boxes and anything you need for a last-minute sleepover at a friend’s place. Bills can be settled with a swipe of a mobile phone, a service the younger generation has taken on with enthusiasm. Too easy! The major factor behind convenience stores' meteoric rise to success is their ever-changing line-up of products. A typical convenience store sells more than 4000 products, all tightly stocked in a store of about 100 square meters! Japanese are a fickle bunch. If the flavours of a packet of chips remain the same for half a year, or the selection of cosmetics and magazines are poor, they won’t be coming back. So convenience stores constantly update their stock and produce original Conbini brand products, to maintain demand. Because Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, convenience stores are cornering this potentially huge market as well. The government has planned to take advantage of their ubiquity for the delivery of emergency water and other supplies.

2 For Young and Old Alike

Japan’s Conbini are brightly lit and rarely lifeless at night, making them a major crime deterrent for suburban areas. Even during the winter, young people are seen hanging around the parking lot outside, eating food they just bought after spending hours reading the latest magazines at the shop. If they need to charge their mobile phones, they can pay a nominal fee to plug in their phone instore. Women can get a variety of affordable cosmetics that are exclusive to Conbini franchises, as cosmetics companies have rushed to cash in on the Conbini boom. In a particularly kidfriendly Lawson store, you can change nappies and entertain the kids in the play area while adults get a drink at the bar. Conbini are a onestop source for anything seasonal as well, so you can get a pair of gloves, umbrella, a sunhat and raincoat for a few coins. Conbini are also a happy place for the older generation. Some chains deliver meals to nearby homes and a lot of stores are lowering the counter to adjust to their height and making the aisles wider for wheelchair access. To cater for the aging population, Lawson has started a chain of "Lawson Plus" stores, with a line-up of products like hair dye and false-teeth cleansers. Store signs are printed larger and some even offer massage chairs and blood-pressure machines. The staff are usually friendly, so Conbini are often the first place to go for many to ask directions.

3 Not Just Convenient Conbini Foods

Aside from the standard array of snacks, Conbini’s shelves are chock full of fresh food. Delivery trucks frequently arrive to drop off more food and take away things that haven't sold within a few hours. There are dozens of sushi plates, bento boxes and best of all, onigiri, or rice balls. Onigiri makers have developed the technology specifically to ensure onigiri remains fresh and tasty at the temperature on the shelves. Onigiri is filled with condiments like bonito, salmon flakes, salty plum and mayonnaise tuna, and the seaweed wrapping is packaged so that it remains crisp. Conbini are also home to an astounding variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Many drink manufacturers release their more experimental offerings only at convenience stores, so you can get your fix of quirky flavoured drinks here. There’s also a hot counter usually containing hot pork buns, fried chicken and oden (braised fish cakes and turnips on sticks), which are popular in winter. Then, there is regional variety. Each prefecture has its specialty, so the local convenience stores offer bento boxes catering to local tastes. For example, stores in Okinawa sell original sushi rolls with taco filings, as Mexican Tacos served with rice is a local favorite on the island. Dashi stock used for oden varies depending on the region as well, because Tokyo locals generally prefer saltier, richer flavour than people in the Osaka area.