TigerSalad

Ideas-Photographs-Sounds: Home and Away

Posts Tagged: japan

Japanese Convenience Stores: Konbini

On February 25, 2025 0 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

Japanese convenience stores are very different from their North American counterparts. On top of things like toilet paper, cup noodles and soda, they also have an enormous variety of snacks, fully cooked meals, meal prep kits to take home, and every drink you can imagine. Last time I was at 7-Eleven I even noticed plastic wrapped dress shirts and neckties in case you need one in a hurry. Underwear too! There is usually a place to sit down to eat as well as a clean public washroom. Free Wifi and foreign card ATMs are also available. Amazing. I photographed all the stores at night because I like the way their incandescent glow washes over the street and backlights the people going in and out.

Beep Boop Beep Convenience Store Songs

7 Eleven convenience store in Taito City at night — 7 Eleven, probably the most well known chain. They are on practically every block.

Lawson Japanese convenience store lit up at night street view — Lawson is another big chain. I don’t know why but these stores always make me think of police stations. I guess the logo looks like a police badge and the word “Law” is in the name. The blue colour too.

Pocky and Meiji chocolate in Japanese convenience store — Chocolate, Pocky and other sweets. For grocery store grade chocolate, the Meiji brand bars and chocolate covered nuts are very good.

Family Mart Japanese convenience store lit up at night. Street view — Family Mart…

Dried fish and meat snacks at Japanese convenience store — Dried fish, squid and meats. All kinds of jerky seem popular here.

Mini Stop Japanese convenience store lit up at night. Street view — Mini Stop…

Hagen Dazs ice cream in a Japanese convenience store — Iced creams..i like the mini size half buckets of Hagen Dazs available here. There is a sweet potato and taro swirl that is my favourite.

AEON Japanese convenience store lit up at night. Street view — Aeon…this sign is very 80s..cool vibe

Fruit sandwiches in a Japanese convenience store — Classic fruit and cream sandwiches on squishy white bread.

Savoury meat snacks in a Japanese convenience store — Sticks of crab, chicken, tofu etc…all fully cooked, just open the bag

Shirts, ties and underwear on display — Shirts, ties and underwear. They are really prepared for any kind of accident.

There is so much more to these places….they have EVERYTHING (except deodorant). The novelty and variety of the snacks alone is astonishing. They have no equal elsewhere.

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japan, photography

Kappabashi Street and 食品サンプル

On February 25, 2025 0 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

For as long as I can remember, my daughter has been obsessed with fake food. When we went to Ikea, she was far more interested in the rubber grapes and plastic apples in the displays than any stuffed animal or toy. So we were pretty happy to discover Kappabashi street not far from our house in Tokyo.

Kappabashi Street is home to restaurant supply stores selling everything from pots and pans to tableware and chef uniforms. But not only that. They also supply shokuhin sampuru, the plastic and rubber food that is used in restaurant window displays across the country. Everything you see below is fake. If it wasn’t wrapped in plastic, it would be hard to tell that it wasn’t real.

Kappabashi Street mascot Kappa — The Kappa, mascot of Kappabashi.

Fake food natto — Natto complete with slime!

fake food pancakes with bacon — The bacon and eggs are real works of art.

fake food whole mackerel — These fish were beautiful and they also made me hungry.

fake food different fish — Salmon and Mackerel.

fake food ramen Kappabashi — Ramen with chopsticks.

fake plastic beer and wine Kappabashi — Fake beer and wine. There were even drops of water condensate on the glasses.

fake food sushi sashimi Kappabashi — All types of sushi.

ceramic plate seller Kappabashi — One of many ceramic dish suppliers. There is a huge assortment of ceramic wares in Kappabashi, from restaurant grade plate wares to sake sets to art pieces. Prices ranged from cheap to very expensive. One of my favourite shops was Dengama. I bought this tiny porcelain soy sauce dispenser there:

porcelain soy sauce dispenser Dengama Kappabashi

plum blossoms Tokyo — As a bonus, these were the first plum blossoms that I have seen open. They smell so good. Spring is in the air.

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japan, photography

Meiji Jingu Shrine

On February 24, 2025 0 Comments - Japan 2025, Travel

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, right beside Yoyogi Park not far from Harajuku. Huge trees lean over wide walkways dappled with sunlight and shade. It is winter now so most of the gardens and ponds are still sleeping but I imagine it must be beautiful in the summer when everything is in bloom. It is a good place to have a relaxing walk away from the buzz of Tokyo.