Food from Japanese Convenience Stores
Posted by Mira on June 24, 2025 in learn
I used to love the food at convenience stores in Japan. There was a melon-colored, melon-shaped, melon-flavored bread I particularly loved and was addicted to. On social media, people go crazy over combini foods—they eagerly share their favorites.
But this time, when I visited Japan again, I didn’t buy a single item from a convenience store. I checked the ingredients, and they were all ultra-processed. They are engineered to taste great, but they are harmful to your health in the long run.
I took a few photos of the food items during this trip. I couldn’t believe that the food I used to love was so full of chemicals—it felt almost poisonous. All the bolded ingredients are additives and possible harmful to your health.
Contents
- Cajun Chicken Salad (from 7-Eleven)
- Soybean Flour Paste Brown Sugar Syrup & Gyuhi Ice Cake from New Days
- Two Kinds of Salami Snack Set from Natori
- Soy Sauce Fried Chicken Rice Ball Sandwich from NewDays
- Thick Matcha Dorayaki Mochi
- Matcha Baumkschen from MUJI
- Matcha Bracken-starch Dumplings from Lawson
- Green Soybean Shake–Style Chocolate Bread from NewDays
- Calpis Water
- Muskmelon Cream Bread from Lawson
- Pocari Sweat
- Conclusion
Cajun Chicken Salad (from 7-Eleven)
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Seasoning (including salt, vinegar, and other flavorings)
- Starch
- Wheat flour
- Vegetable oil and fat
- Dried egg powder
- Lactose
- Soy protein
- Starch (modified)
- Leavening agents (baking powder, etc.)
- Spice extracts
- Colorings (e.g., paprika extract, red yeast)
- Flavorings
- Emulsifiers
- Monosodium glutamate and other amino acid-based seasonings
Soybean Flour Paste Brown Sugar Syrup & Gyuhi Ice Cake from New Days
The Japanese name is もちもちきなこ＆黒蜜（桔梗信玄餅味）
Ingredients
- Sweet bean paste (domestically produced)
- White bean paste
- Brown sugar jelly
- Sugar
- Syrup
- Kinako (roasted soybean flour)
- Starch
- Dietary fiber
- Margarine
- Wheat flour
- Shortening
- Yeast
- Fermented dough
- Egg
- Milk products
- Salt
- Processed cheese
- Yeast food
- Emulsifier
- Flavoring
- Coloring (including carotenoids, paprika extract)
- Acidulant
- Thickening agent (processed starch)
- Vitamin C
- Sweetener (stevia)
- Antioxidant (vitamin E)
- pH adjuster
- Enzyme
- Glazing agent
- Humectant
- Polysaccharide thickener
- Preservative (sorbic acid K)
Despite the traditional imagery on the packaging, this is very far from homemade or natural food.
Two Kinds of Salami Snack Set from Natori
The Japanese name is 2種おつまみセット.
Ingredients
- Pork
- Pork fat
- Salt
- Glucose
- Spices
- Hydrolyzed protein
- Dextrin
- pH adjuster
- Antioxidant (Vitamin C)
- Seasoning (amino acids, etc.)
- Smoke flavor
- Coloring (Cochenille)
- Preservative (Sodium nitrite)
- Fermentation starter
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Hydrolyzed protein - flavor enhancer (often from soy or corn)
- Seasoning (amino acids) - includes MSG
- Dextrin - processed carbohydrate, often used as a filler or thickener
- Smoke flavor - artificial flavoring
- Coloring (cochenille) - artificial red dye from insects
- Preservative (sodium nitrite) - used in processed meats, potentially harmful in excess
This product has the look and feel of artisanal cured meat, but the ingredient list reveals it's heavily engineered for long shelf life and intense flavor, not health.
Soy Sauce Fried Chicken Rice Ball Sandwich from NewDays
The Japanese name is 醤油唐揚げサンドおむすび.
Ingredients
- Rice (domestically produced)
- Soy sauce fried chicken
- Soy sauce
- Mayonnaise-style sauce
- Nori (seaweed)
- Seasoning
- Starch
- Chicken extract
- Processed starch
- Amino acids (as seasoning)
- Polysaccharide thickener
- Modified starch
- Yeast extract
- pH adjuster
- Colorant (caramel)
- Sweetener (sorbitol)
- Emulsifier
- Flavoring
- Antioxidant (Vitamin C)
- Paprika extract
- Thickener
- Trehalose
- Soy sauce powder
- Garlic powder
- Vinegar powder
- Apple vinegar powder
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Modified starch / processed starch – texture modifier
- Amino acids (seasoning) – likely includes MSG
- Polysaccharide thickeners / emulsifiers / sweeteners – industrial additives
- Trehalose / sorbitol / caramel color / paprika extract – preservatives, color enhancers, and artificial sweeteners
Although this looks like a simple rice ball with fried chicken, the ingredient list reveals numerous additives, flavor enhancers, thickeners, and industrial binders—clear signs of ultra-processed food.
Thick Matcha Dorayaki Mochi
The Japanese name is 濃いお茶どらもっち.
Ingredients
- Cream (includes dairy ingredients)
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Glucose syrup
- Wheat flour
- Vegetable oil
- Processed starch
- Trehalose
- Matcha (powdered green tea)
- Green tea paste
- Shortening
- Gelatin
- Fermented seasoning
- Salt
- Soybean flour
- Glycerin
- Stabilizer (Xanthan gum)
- Processed protein
- Emulsifier
- Leavening agent
- Alcohol
- Flavoring
- Coloring (gardenia, spirulina)
- pH adjuster
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Trehalose, glucose syrup – processed sugars
- Processed starch, glycerin, xanthan gum – texture stabilizers
- Shortening, emulsifier, flavoring – processed fats and additives
- Coloring (gardenia, spirulina) – natural-sounding but still additives
- Alcohol – used as preservative or solvent for flavor
Despite its traditional appearance and premium matcha branding, this product is another example of a heavily ultra-processed "wagashi" (Japanese sweet) filled with additives for texture, flavor, and shelf life.
Matcha Baumkschen from MUJI
The Japanese name is 揃い、事治抹茶パウム.
Ingredients
- Sugar
- Whole egg
- Wheat flour
- Edible vegetable oil and fat (including palm oil)
- Margarine
- Processed syrup
- Shortening
- Trehalose
- Matcha
- Processed starch
- Whey powder
- Salt
- Modified starch
- Emulsifier
- Flavoring
- Leavening agent
- Alcohol
- Coloring (gardenia)
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, margarine, shortening – industrial fats often high in trans fats or palm oil
- Processed/modified starch, trehalose – texture and shelf-life additives
- Emulsifier, flavoring, leavening agent – synthetic processing aids
- Alcohol & food coloring – for preservation and appearance
Despite the clean MUJI branding and "Uji matcha" emphasis, this Baumkuchen is made with a typical lineup of ultra-processed ingredients, especially processed fats and starches.
Matcha Bracken-starch Dumplings from Lawson
The Japanese name is とろける抹茶わらび餅.
Ingredients
- Sweetened bean paste (white bean paste, sugar, matcha)
- Sugar
- Starch syrup
- Processed matcha paste
- Processed starch
- Bracken starch powder
- Glucose
- Roasted soybean flour
- Vegetable oils and fats
- Salt
- Trehalose
- Glycerin
- Polysaccharide thickener
- pH adjuster
- Emulsifier
- Coloring (gardenia, spirulina)
- Fragrance (flavoring)
- Milk-derived ingredients
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Trehalose, glycerin, glucose, starch syrup – processed sugars and humectants
- Processed starch / polysaccharide thickener – texture enhancers
- Emulsifier, flavoring, colorings (gardenia, spirulina) – industrial additives
- Processed matcha paste – not pure matcha; often sweetened, diluted, or thickened
Even though it’s marketed as a traditional-style Japanese sweet (wagashi), this “melty matcha warabi mochi” is a highly processed product with many chemical additives for shelf life, color, and texture.
Green Soybean Shake–Style Chocolate Bread from NewDays
The Japanese name is ずんだシェイク風チョコづくし.
Ingredients
- Wheat flour
- Chocolate cream
- Chocolate coating
- Sugar
- Margarine
- Whole egg
- Yeast
- Shortening
- Skimmed milk powder
- Salt
- Fermented seasoning
- Processed starch
- Trehalose
- Sorbitol
- Flavoring
- Emulsifier
- Color (including gardenia, turmeric)
- Leavening agents
- pH adjuster
- Glazing agent
- Antioxidant (Vitamin E)
- Preservative (sorbic acid K)
- Milk-derived ingredients included
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Chocolate cream/coating, margarine, shortening – highly processed fats and sugars
- Trehalose, sorbitol – artificial sweeteners/humectants
- Processed starch / flavoring / emulsifiers / pH adjusters – industrial food engineering agents
- Coloring (gardenia, turmeric) – natural sources, but used as additives
- Preservative (sorbic acid K) – prolongs shelf life, common in packaged foods
Though it’s marketed as a unique and fun local flavor (based on the Zunda Shake from Sendai), this bread is loaded with ultra-processed elements for taste, texture, and shelf life—very far from a traditional or healthy treat.
Calpis Water
The Japanese name is カルピスウォーター.
Ingredients
- Fermented milk (milk, lactic acid bacteria, yeast)
- High fructose corn syrup
- Sugar
- Dairy products
- Salt
- Flavoring
- Acidulant
- Stabilizer (pectin)
- Sweetener (sucralose)
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- High fructose corn syrup – highly processed sweetener linked to metabolic issues
- Flavoring & acidulant – synthetic or natural additives for taste and shelf stability
- Stabilizer (pectin) – used to maintain texture
- Sucralose – artificial sweetener, 600× sweeter than sugar, not absorbed by the body
Though often marketed as a refreshing probiotic drink, Calpis Water is actually a highly processed beverage with multiple sweeteners and additives—very far from "healthy hydration."
Muskmelon Cream Bread from Lawson
The Japanese name is マスクメロンクリームパン.
Ingredients
- Wheat flour
- Muskmelon-flavored cream
- Muskmelon purée
- Sugar
- Margarine
- Whole egg
- Shortening
- Vegetable oil
- Yeast
- Starch
- Salt
- Milk powder
- Trehalose
- Glucose syrup
- Sorbitol
- Processed starch
- Gelatin
- Thickener (xanthan gum, processed starch)
- Emulsifier
- Flavoring
- Acidulant
- Preservative (sorbic acid K)
- Antioxidant (Vitamin C)
- Colorings (carotenoids, gardenia, turmeric)
- pH adjuster
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Margarine, shortening, vegetable oil – industrial fats
- Trehalose, sorbitol, glucose syrup – added sugars/sweeteners
- Processed starch, xanthan gum – texture stabilizers
- Emulsifier, flavoring, acidulant, pH adjuster – artificial food engineering agents
- Preservative (sorbic acid K), antioxidant (Vit C), colorings – used to improve appearance and shelf life
Despite its playful and nostalgic appearance, this melon cream bread is a textbook example of ultra-processed food—engineered for taste, texture, and longevity with a long list of additives.
Pocari Sweat
Ingredients
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Citric acid
- Sodium citrate
- Sodium chloride (salt)
- Potassium chloride
- Calcium lactate
- Magnesium carbonate
- Flavoring
Notable Ultra-Processed Ingredients
- Sugar + dextrose – two types of refined sugar
- Flavoring – artificial or natural additive
Despite being marketed as a “healthy hydration drink,” Pocari Sweat is essentially a sweetened saltwater solution with synthetic electrolytes and flavoring—another ultra-processed product, especially unnecessary for regular consumption outside of intense exercise or heatstroke risk.
Conclusion
Japanese convenience store foods are praised for their flavor and convenience, but behind the appealing packaging lies a harsh truth: most are ultra-processed, packed with additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients designed for shelf life—not health.
The effects aren’t immediate, which makes occasional indulgence feel harmless. But over time, daily consumption can lead to low energy, body aches, skin issues, mood swings, and more.
This post isn’t about guilt—it’s about awareness. If you eat these regularly or give them to kids, take a moment to check what’s really inside.
Your body deserves better. Choose real food when you can.
