While Tokyo’s businesses were closed for an extended period during 2020 and 2021, many locals took to shopping at the local convenience store even more than has already been the case in Japan. Even after businesses reopened, many still preferred convenience stores over a big shopping spree in central Tokyo. To adjust to this new shopping trend, Japanese retailer Muji, best known for its clean and functional designs, has teamed up with major konbini chain Lawson for a trial project of selling a selection of their products at Lawson stores.
For the next three months, you will find about 500 Muji products on Lawson shelves, including underwear, socks, cosmetics, stationery and even pre-packaged microwavable curry.
Read Also: What to Buy at Muji in Japan
At first, Muji items were only available at three directly-managed Lawson stores in Tokyo – Lawson Kugahara Itchome in Ota ward, Lawson Shinjuku Wakamatsucho in Shinjuku ward, and Lawson Minamisuna Nichome in Koto ward. But Muji parent company Ryohin Keikaku announced in April they would begin rolling out the sale of approximately 200 MUJI products for daily life at Lawson stores from May 2, 2022, with plans to reach all Lawson stores across Japan within 2023.
Previously, Muji sold a variety of its products at Lawson rival Family Mart, but that collaboration ended in January 2019 as the konbini chain started to expand its own house brand range.
Product lineup includes approximately 200 items that are fundamental to daily life such as snacks (baumkuchen 150 JPY), pouched curry series (from 250 JPY), toning water (portable package from 250 JPY), stationery (notebooks from 70 JPY), socks (230 JPY), and more based on store location and customer demand. Furthermore, MUJI products will be placed on multiple shelves with dedicated promotional materials.＊Prices including consumption tax
At my local Lawson I found mostly stationery (no complaint here), and some of their packaged sauces and baked goods. It will be interesting to look around and see what other offerings there are at larger locations. But for now, I’m extremely excited that I can pick up a pen refill or new notebook when I stop to get a coffee after dropping the kids at preschool.
If you are coming to visit Japan and need to get a Muji fix but don’t have time to head to an actual store definitely hop into Lawson to grab some of your favorite stationery.
Are you ready for Japan?
- Book Your Flights– To find the cheapest flights, flexibility is a must. Some great options are Google Flights for the calendars to find the cheapest options, Skiplagged, and Skyscanner. For more options see our resources page. For Japan, check flights for both Tokyo Airports (Haneda and Narita), as well as Osaka (Kansai).
- Find Transportation- Buy your JR Pass for your bullet train and inter-city travel before you leave home. Research a Suica card, the public transportation card you can either buy before or as soon as you arrive.
- Book Your Accommodation– Look at Booking.com, Hotels.com, or Expedia for hotels in Japan. You can also look at AirBnB or VRBO as we’ve had great luck finding inexpensive, large, and clean homes to rent.
- Book Tours and Experiences- Check Klook or Viator for some of the best tours and attractions for a great price for experiences like Tokyo Skytree, TeamLab Borderless, and Universal Osaka. For Tokyo Disney Resort, check my guide here.
- Stay Connected– Order a pocket WIFI for airport pickup if you’re with a family or group, or order a SIM card just for your phone. Check out our guide to staying connected here.
- Buy Travel Insurance- I always recommend World Nomads for insurance. It’s better to protect yourself in case of mishaps. Learn more about World Nomads in this FAQ post.
- Pack Your Bags– Check out my packing lists, or my favorite travel gear to help you remember all of the essentials.
- Learn About Japan– Learn about Japan with guidebooks like Lonely Planet, or, shameless plug, search around my site for more info.
