Skip to content
Quest Log Japanby @scottreyburn
Support Me
Finds

Konbini & drugstore finds

The things worth seeking out on a shelf, not a menu — jet-lag and recovery drinks, July cooling gear, eyedrops, and the skin and stomach staples worth packing home. Tap a photo to watch the source reel.

Konbini drinks & snacks

Grab-and-go from any convenience store — jet lag, colds, skin, and hangovers.

Drugstore

Matsukiyo, Welcia, Sundrug — patches, sheets, sprays, and stomach and skin care.

  • Foot pads (warming)

    Foot pads (warming)

    Warming version for sore feet and cooler nights.

  • Sucralfate G

    Sucralfate G

    Stomach pain and heartburn — fast-acting liquid type.

  • The Guard Kowa tablets

    The Guard Kowa tablets

    Gut-health tablets — good bacteria, regulates irregular bowels.

  • Takeda Alinamin EX Plus α

    Takeda Alinamin EX Plus α

    Stiff shoulders, lower-back pain, and tired eyes — boosts circulation.

  • Roihi-Tsuboko patches

    Roihi-Tsuboko patches

    Medicated patches for muscle aches and stiff shoulders.

  • Oil-blocking blotting paper

    Powder-coated blotting paper for hot, sweaty days.

    Watch the reel (opens in new tab)

  • Megurizm Steam Eye Mask

    Warm steam eye mask — wear on the train to de-puff tired eyes.

    Watch the reel (opens in new tab)
  • Mitsui warming pain patch

    Mitsui warming pain patch

    Warming patch for aches and stiff spots.

  • Ohta's Isan

    Ohta's Isan

    Classic antacid and digestive aid — travel sachets and a bottle.

  • LION Shimitori stain pen

    LION Shimitori stain pen

    On-the-go stain-remover pen for spills.

  • Kobayashi Senacure

    Kobayashi Senacure

    Medicated spray for back acne.

  • Melano CC

    Melano CC

    Vitamin C serum — brightens and fades dark spots and acne scars.

  • Shiseido Moilip

    Shiseido Moilip

    Medicated lip balm for chapped lips.

Beat the heat

Daiso and Don Quijote summer kit — parasols, cooling towels, wipes, sprays, and UV sticks for 35°C days.

Eyedrops

Rohto's lineup — everyday, dry-eye, and screen-tired formulas.

  • Rohto C³ (C-Cube) Premium Clear

    Rohto C³ (C-Cube) Premium Clear

    Everyday clear eye drops.

  • V-Rohto Dry Eye Premium

    V-Rohto Dry Eye Premium

    For dry, tired eyes.

  • Rohto Digi-Eye

    Rohto Digi-Eye

    Made for screen-tired eyes.

Other finds

LOFT and stationery picks worth a small detour.

  • Magnet letter cutter

    Magnet letter cutter

    Magnet letter opener with a ceramic blade — a clever stationery find.

  • LOFT vegetable peeler

    LOFT vegetable peeler

    The cult LOFT peeler people fly home with.

Konbini tricks

Clever things to do at Japan's convenience stores — 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart. The drinks, meds, and skin staples worth grabbing are in the photo grid above.

  • Frosted coffee shake — buy an iced black coffee and a Coolish vanilla ice cream (the squeezable pouch), then squeeze the ice cream into the coffee to make a frosted coffee shake. (Instagram)
  • Famichiki egg sando — tuck a FamilyMart Famichiki (fried chicken) into their egg sandwich to make a chicken-egg sando. (Instagram)
  • 7-Eleven ATMs for cash — withdraw yen at 7-Eleven ATMs; usually better than banks or currency exchange. Start with about ¥10,000–30,000. (Instagram)
  • Free exchange coupons — konbini receipt/app coupons let you redeem free items when you shop; mind the expiration dates. (Instagram)
  • ChargeSPOT phone charging — rent a portable battery from the ChargeSPOT station at a konbini and return it at any station around the country. (Instagram)
  • Konbini coupon apps — SmartNews ("Coupons" tab), Famipay (FamilyMart), and the 7-Eleven and Lawson apps each carry exclusive coupons; show the barcode at checkout. (Instagram) (Full app list in the Trip logistics & hacks guide.)
  • Fiber combo for constipation — a heavy travel diet (konbini food, no fiber) backs a lot of people up. Pair a Fibe-Mini () fiber drink with a Morinaga Fiber-in Jelly (or any similar fiber jelly pouch) to get things moving again; both are easy konbini/drugstore grabs.

Also worth grabbing

  • 196 vodka seltzer — canned vodka seltzer in the konbini fridge.
  • Suntory Highball — canned whisky highball.
  • Symptom-specific meds — konbini and drugstore shelves carry targeted over-the-counter meds; these reels are a handy reference. (1, 2, 3)
  • Muhi S2a — mosquito-bite itch relief — the cult Japanese summer drugstore staple (S2a). Dab the clear liquid on a bite for fast relief; it pairs an anti-inflammatory (dexamethasone) with an antihistamine (diphenhydramine) and menthol. A mosquito magnet's must-buy — stock up, it's at any drugstore. (Instagram)