Coffee culture in Japan is no joke. There are countless cafes—including popular chains and independent joints alike—giving coffee connoisseurs plenty of choice for their next caffeine hit, featuring new twists on classics and limited-edition seasonal flavors that come and go every few weeks or months.

Another prevalent aspect of Japanese life is konbini (convenience stores). No matter where you are, city or countryside, there’s likely a konbini not far from you, offering snacks, meals, alcoholic beverages, skincare, clothes and… coffee!

Put them together, and you get the Japanese Convenience Store Coffee War, with avid coffee lovers shouting about their favorite konbini coffee from the rooftops. So, we’re heading into the trenches to compare convenience store coffees in Japan.

There are countless chains of convenience stores in Japan, but three rank supreme above all others—at least in terms of quantity and convenience.

Lawson

As shown by its logo, Lawson’s specialty is milk- and cream-based products, making its desserts some of the most popular in Japan. One of its most sought-after desserts is the Premium Roll Cake, putting their fresh cream on centre stage.

You’ll also find this same irresistible cream inside their choux pastries, eclairs, crepes and all manner of seasonal desserts—some of which will be linked to a popular anime, game or idol collaboration (and assorted merch!).

Number of stores: 14,673*

*Information true as of 15 August, 2025 (Source).

FamilyMart

No konbini is more famous for chicken than FamilyMart, with the beloved Fami-Chiki taking the #1 spot for on-the-move fried chicken.

Number of stores: 16,320*

*Information true as of 15 August, 2025 (Source).

7-Eleven

One of 7-Eleven’s standout offerings is their smoothies, including Berries & Yoghurt Smoothie, Green Smoothie, Strawberry & Banana Soy Smoothie and Acai Banana Smoothie. More flavors also appear with the seasons, giving you a reason to keep coming back.

Number of stores: Approx. 22,000*

*Information true as of 15 August, 2025 (Source).

We’ll be ranking each convenience store’s coffee by:

• Number of options

• Prices

• Ease of coffee machine

• Taste

• Extras

In terms of taste, I’ll be getting a medium iced latte at each konbini, as I’m more partial to a sweeter, milkier coffee. If you came here for a ranking of black coffee, I can only apologize.

Lawson

Lawson: Options and prices

Lawson is objectively the best konbini coffee when it comes to bang for your buck, with each size offered tending to dwarf the same size at the other convenience stores. For example, the large iced latte at 7-Eleven is ¥340 and it’s not all that large. Add another ¥50 and you get Lawson’s Mega size for only ¥390. Now we’re talking.

*Prices true as of 18 July 2025 (Source).

Lawson: How easy is it to use the coffee machine?

One area where Lawson falls down is that their coffee machines are in Japanese only, meaning you’ll need to learn a few coffee-related words or katakana for options like コーヒー (coffee) and アイスラテ (iced latte).

Another thing you want to watch out for is that while all machines do black coffee, only certain machines do lattes!

Bonus: You get to choose how strong you want the coffee to be:

• Strong

• Normal

• Weak

Lawson is the only convenience store on this list that gives you that option.

Lawson: How does their coffee taste?

Lawson’s iced latte was:

• Personalised: You can choose whether you want the coffee to be weak, normal, or strong.

• Creamy: As someone who prefers their coffee on the milky side, I love the ratio of coffee, milk, and ice in this iced latte.

• Gigantic: Even the medium iced latte can hold its own with the large iced lattes of other stores.

Prefer your coffee more bitter? There’s a chance you may find this latte too milky.

Lawson: Any extras available?

Lawson ticks off all the basics when it comes to extras:

• Gum syrup

• Zero-sugar gum syrup

• Milk

• Stirrers

• Straws

Lawson: Sustainability

Lawson is the only convenience store on this list to serve their iced lattes in paper cups. If you love this planet like we do, that’s a big deal.

Lawson’s secret weapon: Mega size

One thing that Lawson cannot be beaten on is their cospa (cost performance), meaning that the sheer size of their coffee combined with the price they offer it for is frankly insane.

Not only is their medium coffee the size of others’ large, but their “Mega” size has families shouting, “Gojira!” Although that may be an exaggeration, it really is that impressive.

Lawson: Coffee ranking

Family Mart

FamilyMart: Options and prices

FamilyMart has the classic hot and iced options, including lattes, and a fancy Mocha Blend from Ethiopia. The latter changes seasonally, bringing in beans and flavors from around the world.

FamilyMart: How easy is it to use the coffee machine?

FamilyMart offers one of the most accessible coffees, with the menu at the counter and the machine having both Japanese and English, including the name of the coffee and the prices.

As a result, the machines are easy to use. However, much like Lawson, it’s worth noting that not every machine can dispense lattes, so you may need to wait for another caffeine-deprived customer as they get their morning coffee.

FamilyMart: How does their coffee taste?

Watching the coffee blend with the milk filled me with excitement, promising a creamy latte that would put a pep in my step on the way to work. Sadly, I was wrong.

FamilyMart’s iced latte was:

• Bitter: If you prefer your coffee with a bit of bite, FamilyMart’s coffee is more on the bitter side.

• Weak: Once the initial bitterness dissipates, the flavor disappears quite quickly.

• Watery: As the ice starts to melt, the already weak coffee is diluted even further.

Note: Perhaps black or hot coffee is the way to go with FamilyMart coffee, allowing the flavor of the coffee to last a little longer. Or opt for the Mocha Blend and hope it’s got a little more going on.

Update: FamilyMart’s machines also now allow you to choose the strength of the coffee, so this may also help!

FamilyMart: Any extras available?

FamilyMart offers the usual:

• Gum syrup

• Zero-sugar gum syrup

• Milk

• Stirrers

• Straws

And then a snazzy extra: Flavored sugars!

Although there were only two flavors available on my visit, they usually offer:

• Caramel

• Vanilla

• Hazelnut

• Cinnamon

A dash of your chosen sugar atop your drink adds a fun element and—in my personal opinion—some much-needed flavor.

Pro tip: Some people sprinkle sugar into their cup before dispensing the coffee, allowing the flavor of the sugar to blend.

FamilyMart: Coffee ranking

7-Eleven

7-Eleven: Coffee options and prices

7-Eleven comes in on the pricier side of convenience store coffee in Japan, and they don’t offer any intriguing alternatives in flavor or size, but what they do offer is perhaps some of the tastiest convenience store coffee.

7-Eleven: How easy is it to use the coffee machine?

The menus and the machines all have English translations, and if you’re getting an iced coffee or iced latte, you actually get your chosen cup from the freezer—that means you can purchase the coffee without using a single word of Japanese, if preferred. Nice!

7-Eleven: How does their coffee taste?

Arguably, 7-Eleven may have the “best” coffee, boasting deeply roasted beans from Brazil, India, and Costa Rica—promising a strong flavor without being overly bitter. This high-quality coffee certainly came through in the iced latte, creating a somewhat milky—yet deeply flavored—blend.

The only issue? With the smaller size of the 7-Eleven cups, it’ll be gone in seconds.

7-Eleven: Any extras available?

• Gum syrup (no zero-sugar version!)

• Milk

• Stirrers

• Straws

7-Eleven: Coffee ranking

Final ranking: Which Japanese convenience store has the best coffee?

However, each convenience store coffee has its charms:

• Lawson: For a cost-effective, creamy latte in a giant, eco-friendly cup.

• 7-Eleven: For the best coffee flavors, sourced in Brazil, India, and Costa Rica.

• FamilyMart: For flavored sugars or if you’re already buying FamiChiki anyway.

The Japan Travel team favorite: 7-Eleven

To make this article slightly less subjective, we also asked everyone in the office which convenience store coffee in Japan is their favorite. Here’s the tally:

Japanese convenience store coffee: Honorary mention

While it’s not part of “The Big Three,” Mini Stop has its own konbini coffee crowd in its corner. Word has it that they warm up the milk before it goes into the coffee machine, taking the flavor of their latte to new heights. At this moment, I can neither confirm nor deny, but it would undermine my journalistic integrity if I didn’t mention it.

At the end of the day, when you need a caffeine hit, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. If there happens to be a Lawson or a 7-Eleven nearby, rejoice! If there’s a FamilyMart… perhaps grab a piece of chicken on the way through and call it a day.

Keep reading: Find out more about Japan’s convenience stores.

Convenience store coffee in Japan: FAQs

Is coffee popular in Japan?

Coffee is extremely popular in Japan. In fact, Japan’s love of coffee ranks alongside Italy, the USA, Britain, and South America.

What is coffee called in Japan?

Coffee in Japanese is コーヒー—pronounced “koh-hee”—said to be taken from the English word. Fun fact: It actually comes from the Dutch word of “koffie.”

Is it okay to drink coffee while walking in Japan?

As long as you dispose of your trash in the correct manner, it’s fine. In the past, drinking on the go may have been seen as rude, but you’ll see people on the move with all manner of drinks. Eating while walking is still somewhat frowned upon, however!

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