Rice, Noodle, Fish (28 page)

(Matt Goulding)

ODEN

Come winter,
oden
dominates the
conbini
landscape: vegetables, meat, tofu, and eggs simmered gently in dashi. The Japanese go crazy for this stuff, and when you feel the chill in your bones, you will too.

(Matt Goulding)

YOGASHI

Pillow soft and lightly sweetened,
yogashi
(Western-style desserts) make for a heroic breakfast or late-night binge (try anything made with green tea). Family Mart's line of high-concept pastries is especially impressive.

(Matt Goulding)

ICED COFFEE

Nearly as ubiquitous as vending machine coffee, and marginally better. It tends to be super sweet, so best to look for ones with “double” or “espresso” in the name, or custom blend your own hot or cold caffeine fix with the slick coffee machines found at all the big
conbini
these days.

(Matt Goulding)

BOOZE

The place to stock up for a street beverage or a hotel stash. Dedicated sake sections, sprawling beer cases, wine, and whisky give the informed drinker a formidable lot to select from.
Chu-his
and pocket Suntory bottles are two standouts.

(Matt Goulding)

SANDOS

The math doesn't work out—squishy bread, industrial fillings—but what emerges out of those plastic wrappers is glorious. Egg sandwiches from 7-Eleven and Lawson are little miracles of creamy golden yolks and umami-rich kewpie mayonnaise.

(Matt Goulding)

EVERYTHING ELSE

The bathrooms are sparkling by U.S. convenience-store standards, the employees are comically cheery, and 7-Elevens remain one of the only places where foreign ATM cards work. You can also pay bills and buy plane and concert tickets while you snack on your egg
sando
.

 

(Matt Goulding)

The Japanese may boast the longest life spans on earth, but people here love grease as much as the rest of the world. From convenience-store
korokke
to Michelin-starred tempura temples, nobody fries better than the Japanese.