Konbini complete money guide 2026 — food, ATM, tickets, courier

Konbini fully covered in one page. Japan's konbini (Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) is "the ultimate infrastructure" for tourists. Food, currency exchange (ATM), ticket printing, courier, toilets, bill payment, copiers, and wifi — all 24/7. ¥100-500 for a meal, withdraw up to ¥30,000 at Seven Bank ATM, present QR for USJ and Tokyo Tower entry tickets. This guide shows how to use konbini at 100%.

TL;DR — konbini playbook

• Meal cost: ¥300-700/meal (rice ball, sandwich, bento). ¥1,500-2,500/day
• Payment: Suica/PASMO/IC, credit/debit cards, mobile payment (Apple Pay / Google Pay) all OK
• Exchange: Seven Bank ATM is the tourist savior, 24/7, foreign card-friendly, 10 languages
• Recommended cards: Wise / Revolut for ¥30,000-150,000/mo at mid-market
• Tourist ticket printing: Lawson Loppi for USJ / Skytree / concerts
• Wifi: konbini wifi free (with registration), but eSIM recommended Airalo / Sakura Mobile

1. Three major konbini chains

Seven-Eleven (Seven Bank ATM is overwhelmingly strong)

• ~21,000 stores, most popular with tourists
• Seven Bank ATM: 24/7, JCB/Visa/MasterCard/UnionPay supported, 12 languages
• Food: rice balls ¥120-180, bento ¥500-800, salad ¥300-500
• PB brand "Seven Premium": cheap, high quality

FamilyMart

• ~16,000 stores, strong in Kanto / Kansai
• ATM: FamiPort / E-net, many support foreign cards
• Food: FamiChiki (fried chicken), rice balls, burgers
• Muji corner at some stores (clothes / goods too)

Lawson (Loppi terminal sells tickets)

• ~14,000 stores, strong in regions too
• Loppi terminal: USJ, theme park, concert tickets, courier, bill payment
• Food: KaraageKun, Lawson Premium
• Natural Lawson: organic, health-focused

2. Food cost reality

Whole day at konbini: ¥1,500-2,500

Morning ¥500 + lunch ¥800 + dinner ¥1,000 + drinks ¥200 = ¥2,500/day. Safe first-day in Japan.

3. ATM complete guide (especially Seven Bank)

Why Seven Bank ATM is overwhelmingly strong

• 24/7/365 operation
• Foreign card complete support: Visa/Mastercard/JCB/Diners/AMEX/UnionPay/Discover
• 10+ languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, etc.
• Fees: ¥110-220 (¥10,000+ free at some banks)
• Single withdrawal limit: ¥30,000 (Wise), ¥50,000 (most cards)

Near-free with Wise / Revolut

• Wise: ¥30,000/month free, then 1.75%
• Revolut: ¥150,000/month free, then 2%
• Both at mid-market rate (close to market rate)

→ #76 Seven Bank ATM complete guide / #80 Minimize ATM fees in Japan

4. Tourist ticket printing

Main tickets via Lawson Loppi

• USJ (Universal Studios Japan)
• Tokyo Disneyland / DisneySea
• Tokyo Skytree / Tokyo Tower / Abeno Harukas observatory
• Concerts / live shows / sports
• Shinkansen / limited express reserved seats
• Museum / aquarium tickets

Operation (English-supported)

1. Select "English" on the Loppi terminal
2. "Tickets" → "Attractions" or "Concerts"
3. Search → select → print receipt
4. Pay at register (cash or card) → receive ticket

5. Bill payment, courier, copy

Bill payment

Water, electricity, gas, taxes. Less relevant for tourists, but used for Wi-Fi rental monthly payment or post-booking hotel transfer scenarios.

Courier (Yamato / Sagawa)

• Hotel-to-airport / home shipping
• ¥1,500-3,000 (weight / distance)
• English-speaking staff at some stores

Copy / fax / print

• ¥10/sheet copy, A4 color ¥50
• PDF print: from USB / smartphone
• International fax possible

Cash sources other than ATM

• Suica / IC card cash recharge: do this at konbini
• Credit card cash advance possible but high fees (not recommended)

6. Konbini wifi

Free wifi (registration required)

Seven Spot, FamiPort wifi, Lawson Wi-Fi all free, no registration or email-only registration.

eSIM recommended

Konbini wifi is slow at peak times, only connects near toilet / counter areas. For longer use, eSIM.

→ #111 SIM / eSIM / pocket WiFi comparison

7. Other useful konbini features

• Free toilets: many stores OK without purchase
• ATM banks supported: Mitsui Sumitomo, Mitsubishi UFJ, regional bank withdrawals
• Recommended PB: Seven Premium, Lawson Select, FamiMa Collection
• Healthcare items: pricier than pharmacy but get headache meds / band-aids / cold meds at night
• Underwear / clothes: Heattech clones, socks, tights
• Charger / mobile battery rental: ChargeSPOT (yellow lending kiosk)

FAQ

Q: Sign / PIN for konbini card payment?

A: ¥3,000 and under no sign/PIN (tap), more requires PIN.

Q: Can I get my konbini bento heated?

A: They ask "Atatamemasu ka? (Should I heat it?)" — answer "Hai, onegaishimasu (Yes please)".

Q: What time is ATM fee cheapest?

A: Seven Bank is ¥110-165 on weekdays 7:00-23:00, ¥220 late night / holidays. Wise/Revolut bypass fees.

Q: How many payment methods can I use?

A: Cash, credit, debit, Suica/IC, QR (PayPay / Rakuten Pay), Apple Pay, Google Pay. Most convenient for tourists: Apple Pay's Suica/PASMO.

Q: Can I exchange currency at konbini?

A: No exchange function, but withdraw JPY from foreign card via Seven Bank ATM — effectively exchange.

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ATM / Exchange

• #76 Seven Bank ATM complete guide
• #80 Minimize ATM fees in Japan
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Cards / Payment

• #15 Wise vs Revolut vs bank cards
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Connectivity

• #111 SIM / eSIM / pocket WiFi comparison

Last verified: 2026-05-21. Check Yen Finder home for live rate data.