4 Convenience Store Around Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine - Japanese Infrastructure
The number of convenience stores in Japan reached 57,000 in 2024. Within just 100 meters of Fushimi Inari Taisha, there are three stores, and they stock a lot of souvenirs. But This article won't touch on souvenirs, nor on the basic product lineup. What I plan to talk about are the unique features of each convenience store from my perspective.
Daily Yamazaki
| Dist. from Fushimi Inari Shrine | 10m |
It's right in front of the main gate of Fushimi Inari Shrine, next to JR Inari Station. Half of the store is Fushimi Inari souvenirs. They also have sake that’s “limited to the Fushimi Inari area,” but honestly, it’s not very tasty. Even so, if you want to buy it, I won’t stop you.
It’s not part of the three major Japanese convenience store chains (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart), but there are lots of Daily Yamazaki stores in Kyoto. These are convenience stores run by a bakery company, and some of them even bake bread in-store. At the Fushimi Inari branch, they don’t seem to bake on-site, but if they import fresh bread from nearby stores, I think that would taste good. I’ve eaten that at another store before.
7-Eleven
| Dist. from Fushimi Inari Shrine | 100m |
About 100 meters south of Fushimi Inari Shrine. It’s located just after crossing the JR railroad crossing. 7-Eleven gives the impression of having a better deli selection compared to other convenience store chains. They sell many kinds of items in small packages. They also have a wide variety of ready-to-eat meals. One hit product from their private brand “7 Premium Gold Series” is the “Gold Hamburger steak.” Because of its gold packaging, you’ll be able to spot it right away.
If you like coffee, I recommend 7 Cafe. It’s 100% Arabica, regular size costs around ¥140. About 10 years ago, there was a low-priced coffee boom in Japan, and the quality of coffee at fast food restaurants and convenience stores improved.
Lawson
| Dist. from Fushimi Inari Shrine | 100m |
If you go about 100 meters north along Honmachi Street from the main gate of Fushimi Inari Shrine, you'll come to an intersection with the back gate. Lawson is located at the northwest corner of that intersection. It has a narrow frontage but is deep inside.
Lawson generally has a great selection of desserts and sweets. In addition to standard items like the "Premium Roll Cake," "Doramocchi," and cream puffs, they also offer seasonal limited-time sweets made with fresh fruits.
FamilyMart
| Dist. from Fushimi Inari Shrine | 1,000m |
This convenience store is a bit far from Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. There’s one about 1 km to the north and another about 1 km to the south. Their boneless fried chicken, “Famichiki,” is a specialty. Otherwise, it seems like they have a good selection of bread. The Filled & Stuffed Breads are filled generously, and the sweet breads are colorful both in look and taste. I like that, but people who are health-conscious might not.
Compared to other convenience store chains, it feels like they have more product lines related to subculture. If you’re into anime, you might find some collaboration items at this store.
The following are my personal impressions:
・ Impression of the stores
7-Eleven is mainstream, FamilyMart is subcultural, and Lawson is in between the two.
・ Impression of the food
7-Eleven is healthy, FamilyMart is more like snacks, and Lawson is in between the two.
As a menu item you can eat at any convenience store, I recommend sandwiches. Especially egg sandwiches. Many people probably know this. Japanese sandwiches are packed with filling all the way to the edges. Until about 20 years ago, Japanese sandwiches were like ones abroad. In other words, only the front part of the package had filling. When you took it apart, there was absolutely nothing in the parts you couldn’t see. That’s a crime.
And then, snacks. I’m thinking of covering snacks in another article.