Konbini: コンビニ (konbini), the Japanese convenience store
A konbini is a Japanese convenience store. The word コンビニ (konbini, “convenience store”) is short for コンビニエンスストア (konbiniensu sutoa), the English words "convenience store" said the Japanese way. Some English sites spell it conbini. It's the same word.
A konbini is more than a place to buy snacks. You can eat a hot meal there, pay a bill, take out cash, print a ticket or send a parcel, at almost any hour. It's also one of the first places a visitor uses real Japanese, because the staff ask a handful of questions at the till, and they ask them in much the same way every time.
This guide covers the big chains, what a store does, and the words you'll hear, with what to say back.
How to pronounce konbini
Say it in four short beats: ko-n-bi-ni. The vowels are short, and the ん is a beat of its own. Give each beat the same weight and you'll be understood.
The word is written in katakana, the script Japanese uses for loanwords: コ, ン, ビ and ニ. If katakana is new to you, start with What is Katakana?.
The name says what the stores are for. They're small, they sell food, drinks and everyday goods, and they're built around being quick and close. A dictionary marks コンビニ as an abbreviation of the longer word.
The big konbini chains: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson
Three chains dominate: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson. A fourth, Ministop, is known for freshly made food and soft-serve ice cream.
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| セブンイレブン | セブンイレブン | sebunirebun | 7-Eleven (convenience store chain) | Red, green and orange signs; the largest by store count |
| ファミリーマート | ファミリーマート | famiriimāto | FamilyMart (convenience store chain) | Green and blue signs, known for hot snacks |
| ローソン | ローソン | rōson | Lawson (convenience store) | Popular for desserts |
Japan has roughly 56,700 convenience stores: 56,703 in April 2026, in the government's commercial survey. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-02. The largest chain, Seven-Eleven Japan, ran 21,787 stores at the end of August 2025.
Yes, 7-Eleven is a konbini, and in Japan it's the biggest one.
Where the chains came from
- 7-Eleven. It started as the Southland Ice Company in 1927, traded as Tote'm Stores until 1946, and took the name 7-Eleven for its hours, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Japanese supermarket company Ito-Yokado signed a licence deal in 1973, and the first Japanese store opened in May 1974 in Toyosu, Tokyo.
- Lawson. The name comes from J.J. Lawson, an Ohio dairy owner who began a milk shop in 1939. The first Japanese store opened in June 1975 in Toyonaka, Osaka.
- FamilyMart. The first store opened in Sayama, Saitama, in 1973. The trading company Itochu bought the whole chain in 2020.
Does Japan own 7-Eleven now?
Yes, 7-Eleven, Inc., the American company, is owned through Seven-Eleven Japan, which is part of the Japanese company Seven & i Holdings. A takeover bid from the company Couche-Tard was rejected as too low in 2024 and abandoned in July 2025. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-02.
Which chain is best?
It's a matter of taste, and the answer changes with the shelf. Travel guides often say 7-Eleven is known for its food and its cash machines, Lawson for desserts, and FamilyMart for hot snacks such as fried chicken. Try all three.
What you can do at a Japanese convenience store
Food and drink come first. Most stores sell a 弁当 (べんとう, bentō, “bento”) (a boxed meal), the rice ball おにぎり (onigiri, “onigiri”), sandwiches, hot snacks and desserts. There's an 電子レンジ (でんしレンジ, denshirenji, “microwave oven”) behind the counter, so staff can heat a meal for you.
The services are what surprise first-time visitors:
- Cash. The Seven Bank cash machines in 7-Eleven stores accept cards issued overseas.
- Paying bills. You can pay 公共料金 (こうきょうりょうきん, kōkyōryōkin, “public utilities charge”) at the till.
- Parcels. Stores send and receive 宅配便 (たくはいびん, takuhaibin, “express home delivery service”).
- Copying and printing. A multifunction machine does コピー (kopii, “copy”), printing and scanning, and prints event tickets.
Opening hours are shifting. Most stores used to be open 24 hours, and Japanese Wikipedia says about one in ten now has shorter hours (2024 figure).
What they say when you walk in: いらっしゃいませ
Staff greet you as you enter with いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase, “welcome”). It's said to every customer, and it isn't a question. You don't have to answer. A nod is plenty, and many customers say nothing. For greetings you do use, see hello in Japanese.
When you've paid, staff say ありがとうございました (arigatōgozaimashita, “thank you”), the past form, as the sale is finished. You can answer ありがとうございます (arigatōgozaimasu, “thank you”) or just nod. For more ways to answer, see how to say thank you in Japanese.
At the till: the questions staff ask, and what to say back
The wording changes from chain to chain and from clerk to clerk. These are common wordings. The "You say" column works almost everywhere.
| Staff ask | It means | You say |
|---|---|---|
| 温めますか? (atatamemasu ka?) | Shall I heat it? | はい、お願いします (hai, onegai shimasu) for yes, or 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) for no |
| お箸はお付けしますか? (ohashi wa otsuke shimasu ka?) | Would you like chopsticks? | はい、お願いします or 大丈夫です |
| 袋はご利用ですか? (fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka?) | Do you need a bag? | 袋をお願いします (fukuro o onegai shimasu) or 大丈夫です |
| ポイントカードはお持ちですか? (pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?) | Do you have a point card? | ないです (nai desu), meaning I don't |
| レシートはご利用ですか? (reshīto wa go-riyō desu ka?) | Do you need the receipt? | はい、お願いします or 大丈夫です |
| こちらでお召し上がりですか? (kochira de omeshiagari desu ka?) | Will you eat here? | はい (hai) or 持ち帰りです (mochikaeri desu), for takeaway |
| お支払いはどうなさいますか? (oshiharai wa dō nasaimasu ka?) | How would you like to pay? | 現金でお願いします (genkin de onegai shimasu), cash, please |
ご利用ですか is the polite "will you use it?", so you may hear the same question as 袋は要りますか? (fukuro wa irimasu ka?) or レシートはいりますか? (reshīto wa irimasu ka?), which is plainer. Staff also say お弁当温めますか? (shall I warm your bento?) and 袋にお入れしますか? (shall I put it in a bag?). The meaning is the same.
The words in those questions
The verb behind 温めますか is 温める (あたためる, atatameru, “to warm (up)”). 温めます is its polite form, and か at the end makes it a question.
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 袋 | ふくろ | fukuro | bag; sack; pouch | The bag question; plastic bags are charged for |
| 箸 | はし | hashi | chopsticks | Said お箸 here, with a polite お in front |
| ポイントカード | ポイントカード | pointokādo | point card; loyalty card; reward card | A shop's loyalty card, asked about at almost every till |
| レシート | レシート | reshiito | receipt; cash-register slip | Asked as you pay |
| お願いします | おねがいします | onegaishimasu | please | Your yes: see please in Japanese |
Saying no: 大丈夫です
To refuse politely, say 大丈夫 (だいじょうぶ, daijōbu, “no thanks”) with です: 大丈夫です. The dictionary lists this sense, "no thanks, I'm good". It sounds soft and friendly, but it can also mean "it's fine, go ahead", so shake your head or raise a hand as you say it. Japan Manners suggests 結構 (けっこう, kekkō, “not needing (any more of something)”) as the way to decline the point-card question. You may also hear 結構です, which is also a polite no, and it can sound a little more formal. In a konbini, 大丈夫です is the one to learn first.
Yes is はい, followed by お願いします if you like. To say please more fully, see please in Japanese.
Bags cost money
Since 1 July 2020, shops in Japan have had to charge for plastic shopping bags. Each shop sets its own price, and some bags are exempt, such as thick reusable ones. That's why the bag question is a real one. If you don't want a bag, say 大丈夫です, and carry your shopping yourself.
Konbini etiquette in short
Some small habits make the till smoother. They're customs, not laws.
- Have your answers ready. Staff ask a few questions, so think about your yes and no before you reach the counter.
- Put cash on the tray. Place money in the little tray on the counter, not directly in the clerk's hand, and use a transport IC card when you have one.
- Don't eat at the till or in the doorway, or as you walk away. Eat at the in-store eating counter, the イートイン (iitoin, “dine-in (restaurant)”), on a bench outside, or off to one side.
- Sort your rubbish. Use the sorted bins outside the store.
Practise shopping phrases
The words you need at a till, with their sounds, in a two-minute quiz.
Questions about konbini
What does konbini mean?
Konbini (コンビニ) means a convenience store in Japanese. It's a short form of コンビニエンスストア, from the English words "convenience store".
What is a conbini in Japan?
A conbini is a konbini: a small convenience store open long hours, selling food, drinks and everyday goods. It also offers services such as cash machines, bill payment, parcels and copying. "Conbini" is just another way of spelling the word in English.
Why are they called conbini?
They're called konbini because the word is an abbreviation of コンビニエンスストア. Japanese borrowed "convenience store" and shortened it, which is how many loanwords are used.
What is a Japanese convenience store called?
A Japanese convenience store is called a コンビニ (konbini), or in full コンビニエンスストア. The big chains are 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson.
How do you pronounce konbini?
Konbini is pronounced ko-n-bi-ni, four beats with short vowels. Give the ん its own beat, and keep every beat about the same length.
Is 7-Eleven a konbini? Is 7-11 a conbini?
Yes, 7-Eleven is a konbini, and it's the biggest chain in Japan. In Japanese it's セブンイレブン.
What was 7-Eleven originally called?
7-Eleven began as the Southland Ice Company in 1927, then was Tote'm Stores from 1928 to 1946. It took the name 7-Eleven in 1946 for its opening hours, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Does Japan own 7-Eleven now?
Yes: 7-Eleven, Inc. is owned through Seven-Eleven Japan, part of the Japanese company Seven & i Holdings. A bid from the company Couche-Tard was abandoned in July 2025.
What are the top 3 convenience stores in Japan?
The three biggest are 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson. 7-Eleven is the largest by store count. Ministop is a fourth chain.
What do Japanese people say when you enter a convenience store?
Staff say いらっしゃいませ, which means "welcome". You don't need to reply. A nod is enough.
Sources
- Readings and meanings: JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), including its note that コンビニ is an abbreviation and its sense of 大丈夫 as "no thanks".
- Services, chains and register phrases: JEEPE, Japan Konbini: 24-Hour Convenience Store Travel Hacks; Japan Manners, Konbini Etiquette; JW Web Magazine, Japanese Conversation at Convenience Stores; Alex Rockin' Japanese, The Complete Japanese Convenience Store Phrase List; Coto Academy, Japanese Convenience Store Phrases; Try Kaiwa, Japanese Convenience Store Phrases.
- History of 7-Eleven and its ownership: English Wikipedia, 7-Eleven; Japanese Wikipedia, セブン-イレブン・ジャパン. Lawson and FamilyMart: English Wikipedia, Lawson, Inc. and FamilyMart.
- The word and shorter opening hours: Japanese Wikipedia, コンビニエンスストア.
- Number of stores: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Commercial Activity Survey quick report for April 2026, as published by WIC. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-02.
- Plastic bag charges from 1 July 2020: Aichi Prefecture, レジ袋有料化. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-02.
- Reviewed independently; the points about the wording of the till questions, 大丈夫です and 結構です, and the opening-hours figure are waiting for a native speaker's check.