The 5 Best Convenience Store Snacks that Go Great with Alcohol

1. Dried Salmon (7-Eleven)

Saketoba (dried salmon) was traditionally a type of preserved food eaten in the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions and consists of autumnal chum salmon that has been de-skinned, filleted, and cut vertically into thin strips before being washed in sea water and dried in the coastal breeze. The saketoba stocked in 7-Eleven uses the autumnal chum salmon of Hokkaido. Owing to the long time that it spends drying in the wind, it has a soft texture and a pleasant bite that is packed full of taste. It is perfectly good eaten as it is, but it is recommended that you try it slightly warmed. This adds a softness to the salmon that really brings out the flavor. As you would expect, saketoba goes great with sake and shochu but it also makes a great accompaniment to beer or wine.

Price: 408 JPY (incl. tax)

2. Beef Jerky (7-Eleven)

Beef jerky was originally eaten as a preserved food by the ancient peoples of Southern America, but it has now also developed into a staple drinking snack. One of the unique features of beef jerky produced in Japan is that it is often seasoned or garnished with Japanese ingredients like soy sauce.
The beef jerky sold at 7-Eleven is made with meat from the inner thigh of the cow that is full of low-fat red flesh. This means that leveraging the natural texture of the meat, it packs a bite and allows you to get the full experience of the meaty taste. It is the perfect snack to enjoy with a beer because of the spicy finish that accompanies its simple soy sauce flavor.。

Price: 408 JPY (incl. tax)

3. Cheese Tara (Family Mart)

Family Mart\'s Cheese Tara blends Western and Eastern styles, consisting of cheese sandwiched between thin slices of cod (tara). The combination of rich tasting cheese and light and simple cod is simply sublime, making this snack popular among people of all ages. This flavorsome treat goes perfectly with both sake and wine.
It is perfectly tasty when eaten on its own but when heated for just a few seconds on a plate in the microwave, the taste of the cheese is amplified, making it even more delicious. The blend of the taste and texture of the crispy cod and thick, luscious cheese is sure to have you reaching for the next drink.

Price: 306 JPY (tax incl.)

4. Otsumami Chicken Tandoori Flavor (Lawson)

This product features thinly cut chicken turned into dried chicken jerky. It is quite spicy, so it goes perfectly with drinks like beers, highballs (whiskey and soda), and dry chuhais (shochu and tonic water). It is recommended to eat it either slightly warmed or even as a topping for a salad.
With every bite you will become more and more addicted to the taste of the spicy chicken as it spreads throughout your mouth.

Price: 208 JPY (tax incl.)

5. Grilled Scallop Mantle (Lawson)

The crisp and crunchy texture of scallop mantle (the stringy part of the scallop around the adductor muscle) makes it a popular drinking snack. Lawson\'s grilled scallop mantle is made using carefully grilled Japanese scallops that give rise to a unique texture. The more you chew, the more the taste of the scallops spreads throughout your mouth. It\'s so delicious it is sure to have you hooked! While it of course goes well with sake and shochu, it is also a perfect match for western drinks like beer, wine, and whiskey. Why not try having fun with the scallops by experimenting with different ways to eat them, such as heating them in a toaster oven and then putting a little soy sauce or some butter on them?

Price: 148円 (tax incl.)

The range of drinking snacks found at convenience stores are perfect for those times when you want to have a little drink in your hotel room. There are a range of options available at reasonable prices, so make sure to try some out.