Seven-Eleven in Osaka’s Dotonbori Convenience Store

October 23, 2023 1.5k Views

In the vicinity of Dotonbori, the focal point of Osaka’s tourist attractions, numerous shops can be found. Given the area’s high foot traffic, it’s only natural that various stores have clustered here.

Particularly, convenience stores like Seven-Eleven are easily spotted in various locations.

“Seven-Eleven, a Convenience Store Found in Japan”

While Seven-Eleven is commonly associated with being a Japanese-born convenience store, it actually originated in the United States in 1927. It entered Japan in 1974 and later came to South Korea in 1989.

“Founded in Texas, USA, Seven-Eleven”

Seven-Eleven originated from the Southland Ice Company, founded in Texas, USA. Initially focusing on selling ice, the company later took advantage of its operational hours, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., to start selling simple food items like bread and milk. This led to the name “Seven-Eleven” due to its unique operating hours.

As the store gained popularity, it evolved into the form of a convenience store, similar to what we know today. In 1946, the business officially adopted the name “Seven-Eleven.”

“Entry into Japan in 1974”

Seven-Eleven entered the Japanese market in 1974, and surprisingly, it achieved greater success than in its home country.

Subsequently, the Japanese supermarket chain Ito-Yokado acquired a significant stake in Seven-Eleven’s parent company, Southland, and in 2005, it purchased the remaining shares, transforming Seven-Eleven into a Japanese-owned company.

The reason we perceive Seven-Eleven as a Japanese-owned company is due to these developments.

“Diverse Foods to Try in Japanese Convenience Stores”

Japanese convenience stores offer a variety of foods. While the atmosphere may resemble that of South Korean convenience stores, Japan’s longer history with convenience stores often results in slightly higher-quality food items than in South Korea.

While there are overall similarities with South Korean Seven-Eleven, there are differences in terms of offering unique food items not found in South Korea. One such impressive example is “Ika Somen (いかそうめん),” a dish where dried squid is finely sliced like noodles.

“Seven-Eleven in Dotonbori, Osaka, Japan”