Convenience Store Guide
ATMs, Printers & Tickets at Japanese Convenience Stores
More than just snacks — Japan's conbini are full-service hubs open 24/7
Did you know? Japanese convenience stores (コンビニ / conbini) offer a remarkable range of services beyond food — from international ATMs to concert ticket sales, document printing, and government form submissions. This guide explains how to use each service as a foreign visitor.
🏪 What Services Are Available?
ATM
Withdraw yen with foreign Visa / Mastercard / JCB cards
Printing & Copying
Print from USB, smartphone, or cloud in color or B&W
Tickets & Events
Buy concert, sports, theme park & transport tickets
Parcel & Shipping
Send luggage to your hotel or airport in advance
Bill Payment
Pay utility bills and invoices with barcodes
Photo Printing
Print photos from your smartphone in minutes
🏧 Using the ATM
Convenience store ATMs in Japan are one of the most reliable ways for foreign visitors to withdraw Japanese yen. 7-Eleven's Seven Bank ATM and Japan Post Bank ATMs (found in some Lawson/FamilyMart) accept the widest range of international cards.
🌐 Which ATMs Accept Foreign Cards?
| Store | ATM Network | Foreign Cards | Languages | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Eleven | Seven Bank | ✓ Yes | English, Chinese, Korean, +5 more | 24 hours |
| Lawson | Lawson Bank / Japan Post | ✓ Yes | English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese | 24 hours |
| FamilyMart | E-net / Japan Post | ✓ Yes | English, Chinese, Korean | 24 hours |
💳 Accepted Card Networks
💳
Visa / Visa Electron
💳
Mastercard / Maestro
💳
American Express
💳
JCB
💳
China UnionPay
💳
Alipay / WeChat Pay (select)
📋 Step-by-Step: Withdrawing Cash
1
Select Language
Press the flag/language button on the screen. Most ATMs show an English option immediately.
2
Insert or Tap Your Card
Insert your card chip-first, or tap for contactless where supported. Do not remove the card during processing.
3
Select "Withdrawal" → Enter PIN
Choose "Withdrawal" from the menu. Enter your 4-digit PIN (same as you use at home).
4
Enter Amount
Enter yen amount in multiples of ¥10,000 for large withdrawals, or ¥1,000 minimum. The ATM shows preset amounts (¥10,000 / ¥20,000 / ¥30,000 etc.).
5
Confirm & Collect Cash
Confirm the amount and any fees shown. Take your cash, card, and receipt. ATMs will beep if you forget your card.
💡 Best tip: Seven Bank ATMs (in every 7-Eleven) are the most tourist-friendly — full English interface, widest card acceptance, and a dedicated "International Cards" button on the home screen.
⚠️ Fees & limits: Your bank may charge an international transaction fee (typically 1–3%) plus a fixed fee per withdrawal. To minimize fees, withdraw larger amounts less frequently. Daily limits vary by your home bank (commonly ¥50,000–¥100,000 per transaction).
🖨️ Printing & Copying Services
All major convenience stores have self-service multifunction kiosks (MFP) that can print, copy, and scan documents. This is incredibly useful for printing boarding passes, hotel confirmations, tour tickets, or photos.
🖨️ What Can You Print?
📄 Documents
- PDF files
- Word / Excel / PowerPoint
- Boarding passes
- Hotel confirmations
- Maps & directions
📸 Photos
- Standard photo prints (L, 2L size)
- Passport / ID photo sizes
- Photo books
- Instagram square prints
📋 Other Services
- Photocopying
- Scanning to USB
- Fax sending
- Government forms (Japan residents)
💰 Printing Prices
| Print Type | 7-Eleven | Lawson | FamilyMart |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&W document (A4) | ¥10/page | ¥10/page | ¥10/page |
| Color document (A4) | ¥60/page | ¥60/page | ¥60/page |
| Color photo (L size) | ¥30/sheet | ¥30/sheet | ¥30/sheet |
| Photocopy (B&W) | ¥10/page | ¥10/page | ¥10/page |
📱 How to Print from Your Smartphone
1
Download the App (Optional but Recommended)
7-Eleven: netprint app. Lawson & FamilyMart: PrintSmash app (Sharp MFP). Apps allow wireless printing without USB.
2
Upload or Connect
Upload your file to the app or connect via Wi-Fi Direct at the kiosk. You can also use a USB memory stick with files saved on it.
3
Operate the Kiosk
At the store, tap the print terminal screen, select your source (smartphone / USB), choose settings (color, paper size, copies).
4
Pay at the Kiosk
Insert cash (coins or bills) or use IC card (Suica, PASMO). Collect your printout from the printer tray.
Kiosk languages available:
🇬🇧 English
🇨🇳 中文 (Simplified)
🇹🇼 中文 (Traditional)
🇰🇷 한국어
🎟️ Buying Tickets at Convenience Stores
Japan's convenience stores are major ticket sales channels — you can buy tickets for concerts, theme parks, sports, and public transport directly from in-store kiosks. This is often more reliable than booking online, especially for popular events.
🎫 What Tickets Can You Buy?
🎵 Entertainment
- Concerts & live music
- Theater & musicals
- Comedy shows (漫才)
- Traditional arts (Kabuki, Noh)
⚾ Sports
- Baseball (NPB games)
- Football / Soccer (J.League)
- Sumo (国技館)
- Basketball (B.League)
🎡 Theme Parks & Attractions
- Universal Studios Japan (USJ)
- TeamLab events
- Seasonal festivals
- Museum exhibitions
🚌 Transport
- Highway bus tickets
- Shinkansen (limited)
- Express bus passes
- Airport transfer tickets
🏪 Which Store for Which Tickets?
| Store | Ticket System | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 7-Eleven | チケット流通センター (Ticket Center) | Concerts, sports, events — large selection |
| Lawson | ローソンチケット (L-ticket) | Live events, USJ, musicals — very popular system |
| FamilyMart | Famiポート (FamiPort) | Concerts, transport, QR code reservations |
📋 How to Pick Up Pre-Booked Tickets
If you booked tickets online (e.g., via Lawson Tickets website) and chose convenience store pickup, follow these steps:
1
Find the Kiosk
Look for the red/orange kiosk terminal near the entrance. 7-Eleven uses "nanacoポート", Lawson uses "Loppi", FamilyMart uses "Famiポート".
2
Enter Your Booking Number
Enter your reservation number / order ID received in the booking confirmation email. Some tickets use QR scanning.
3
Print the Receipt Slip
The kiosk prints a receipt. Take this slip to the register counter.
4
Pay at the Register
Show the slip to the cashier and pay cash. Receive your printed ticket(s). Some stores also accept IC cards or credit cards at the register.
ℹ️ Note: Most ticket kiosk interfaces are in Japanese only. However, if you have a booking confirmation with a reservation number, you simply need to enter the number — no Japanese reading ability required.
📦 Other Useful Services
✈️ Luggage Forwarding (手荷物宅配 / Takkyubin)
One of Japan's most useful tourist services — send your heavy luggage from your hotel or Airbnb directly to the airport (or to your next hotel), and travel hands-free on trains.
| Service | Available At | Typical Cost | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ヤマト運輸 (Yamato / Kuroneko) | Lawson, FamilyMart, 7-Eleven | ¥1,500–¥2,500 | Next day delivery |
| 佐川急便 (Sagawa) | Some FamilyMart | ¥1,200–¥2,200 | Next day delivery |
| ゆうパック (Japan Post) | Some Lawson | ¥1,000–¥2,000 | 1–3 days |
💡 Airport forwarding tip: Send your bags to the airport by the morning of departure. Most services offer "airport forwarding" (空港宅配) — your bags wait at a collection counter at the terminal. Book at least 1–2 days in advance.
💳 IC Card Top-Up (Suica / PASMO / ICOCA)
You can add money (チャージ / charge) to your Suica, PASMO, or ICOCA transport cards directly at the convenience store register. Just hand your card to the cashier and tell them the amount you want to add.
Useful phrase: "スイカにチャージお願いします。三千円で" (Suica ni chāji onegaishimasu. Sanzen-en de) — "Please charge my Suica card. ¥3,000."
📮 Public Services (Japan Residents)
Lawson and 7-Eleven kiosks also provide government certificate issuance (住民票 residence certificates, etc.) using Japan's My Number Card system — primarily relevant for residents rather than tourists.
⚡ Quick Reference for Tourists
🏧 Best ATM for foreigners
Seven Bank at 7-Eleven — widest card support, full English
🖨️ Print from phone
Download "netprint" (7-Eleven) or "PrintSmash" (Lawson/FamilyMart)
🎟️ Ticket pickup kiosks
Loppi (Lawson) · FamiPort (FamilyMart) · nanacoポート (7-Eleven)
✈️ Send luggage ahead
Yamato (Kuroneko) available at all 3 chains — next-day airport delivery
🌐 ATM languages
English · 中文 · 한국어 · Español · Português · more
⏰ All services open
24 hours / 365 days — ATM, print kiosk, ticket terminal
