In & out

You know, vaguely, the dinner party line: did you know 7-Eleven is amazing in Japan? And yes it is, of course it is. Japanese 7-Eleven, which I beseech you to view as its own entity distinct from all other countries’ franchises of the same name & branding, is but one of several sorts of chains called konbini, which act as a stunningly useful part of daily life in Japan. (Lawson & FamilyMart are the two other big chains of konbini in the country, and everyone has their favorite. I am on team FamilyMart, for noodle reasons.)

You can get cheap, delicious food at konbini everywhere in the country, delivered by a network of independent food-preparation companies on the daily. You can find an ATM at every konbini. You can deposit checks at konbini. You can buy & refill transit cards at konbini. You can buy office supplies & laundry detergent at konbini. You can wire money to & from konbini. You can get proof of Japanese residency at konbini xerox machines. You can pay your income taxes at konbini. Most are open 24/7/365.

They look, on face, to be 7-Elevens from other locales, which is truly the wildest thing about them. Look closer, though, and there is much more. Denser shelves. Heated lockers for to-go tea. People move faster, linger never, are processed through the checkout aisle. They all have the same sounds. Intimacy with the checkout clerks is fleeting, but some people always appear to be regulars, and they are treated with a near-imperceptible amount of grace. You won’t see hot dogs on rollers, slushies, or walls of alcohol - although beer & canned highballs are abundant.

So much has been written about konbini that any text would feel redundant. This one teaches you about the food, and how to swim in one generally. This one talks about 7-Eleven’s stateside challenges; they want to replicate the konbini experience here, but given the comprehensiveness of Japan’s supply chain, as well as the density of most urban areas in Japan, that feels a bit pipe-dreamy to me.