I happened to find an intriguing connection while strolling around Tokyo: FamilyMart and limited seasonal edition socks. Sold in convenience stores these socks tell you one thing about the nature of Japanese design: it combines utility and elegance in a single piece. This is only possible because they are produced in Japan and each year has its own design, such as cherry blossoms or autumn leaves. So what I did was take one drawer of these socks per season in order to distribute them to friends who are interested in Japanese culture. This is Japan; gifts from convenience stores are therefore better souvenirs than many of the usual continent. Rather than seasonal or taste-based gifts, Japanese design revolves around local climate and customs. Despite the exchange of Christmas presents within families, everyday items are preferred to decorative ones--this reflects a wider cultural shift in our era from valuing ornament and display per se to valuing utility at least as much if not more. Lawson-netbegantoproduce socks with traditional patterns, whereas FamilyMart is now engaging in attempts to improve Japan's reputation overseas. These gifts are presentable rather than decorative and can be used right away. Paying attention to souvenirs that are practical and in keeping with the culture ensures that your purchases from abroad or travel will last longer. Socks from the Japanese convenience store are affordable and demonstrate the best souvenirs are those which combine practical value with real design, appealing to those who have a sense for quality.
Estate Lawyer | Owner & Director at Empower Wills and Estate Lawyers
Answered 3 months ago
I traveled to Japan in May, 2023 and I did see the "Convenience Store Stocks" phenomenon on my own. Personally, I was fascinated by the way brand-specific marketing transformed these simple items of clothing, which are sold at locations like Family Mart or Lawson, into something so desirable, and something that many tourists and local residents wanted to buy. That trip made me aware of how Japanese culture tends to value precision and thoughtful planning when it comes to nearly all forms of consumer goods such as the aspect of Japanese culture that is reflected in the dedicated execution of product marketing and cultural identity. I view that the level of commitment to precision has influenced my work ethics as well. Throughout my practice, I continually observe how one small mistake, or the failure to consider the details in creating a plan for the distribution of assets after someone's passing, may render a family's wealth vulnerable. So when working with clients who are interested in developing plans for distributing their property, I carefully review succession plans, and make certain each detail is accounted for so that the assets they wish to pass to their heirs will be protected. By doing so, I am able to prevent conflicts that have caused families a great deal of emotional distress and financial burden.
A year ago, when I was going to Japan, FamilyMart and Lawson were my favorite souvenirs. Not only are these high-quality, but they are also two examples of Japanese everyday design that are practical, funny, and secretly stylish. That is why I brought about a dozen pairs home, and now they are my trump card in the selection of small but significant presents to friends and grateful customers who value delicate irony. Even the simplest things that Japan touches turn into something to be admired. And every time I put them on, I can imagine back in Tokyo buying at the city's convenience store on the corner, where everything about building a place to sell essential goods has been arranged with the same level of precision.
No, I have not visited Japan in the last 2 years, but I love to visit this place. I want to check the family mart or Lawson Socks in my next visit. Because I have not experienced this ever.
I went to Japan on work trips twice in the last two years, and I truly did stock up on FamilyMart and Lawson socks, plus I give them to friends as well. The finest souvenir since they are inexpensive, simple to pack, and people utilize them. The colors and stripes are simply a fun portion of the public's regular identification of Japanese conveniences. The outstanding is in the cotton, which is thick and square; the fit is excellent, and they never slide down. Occasionally, there are only a few hues, and stocks give you a certain thrill. They are even simple to gift because the size can vary so they are unisex.
I visited Japan last year and instantly fell in love with FamilyMart socks; they're easily one of the coolest and most unexpected souvenirs I've ever brought home. They're full of personality, and there's something so charming about picking up fashion finds from a convenience store. I've gifted FamilyMart socks to one of my friend after their Japan trip, and she always gets a good laugh and a "where did you get these?" reaction.
I will admit that Japan made me change my perception of normal products. I ordered it, and went home madly in love with the socks of convenience stores. I encountered them in one of the FamilyMarts, half jet-lagged, at 1 a.m., and they turned out to be the best thing I brought. Something just so very ironic about it. In Japan, a three dollar couple of socks is purposeful, sixpence, weave-perfect, clean and manufactured to last. It was the philosophy I take to barbecue: create something out of the mundane by attentively taking care and doing it again and again. That is why the impact of these socks is unique, they do not concern style, it is about silent quality. I carried them home as gifts, however, I am honest to admit, I have retaken a majority of them. They have served as a dressmaker that craftsmanship does not require pomp. The secret of Japan does not lie in luxury it lies in the ability to value in the simple. That pair of socks testifies that greatness may be right next to the cash register
Of course, I went to Japan during the spring and I did buy up FamilyMart and Lawson socks. I first gave a big pile of them to my friends and then I started to receive requests for more socks because they were comfortable, soft, and amusing due to the onigiri and Mount Fuji prints. The material used for the socks is a cotton mixture with a tight cuff which prevents slipping inside the sneakers, and the price of the majority of the pairs is from 300 to 500 yen which makes them great gifts. Some quick pointers: take sizes according to the markers printed on the label (23-25 cm or 25-27 cm), look for the thicker pile socks for winter, and try your luck in the seasonal department for the limited editions. They are very convenient to pack, thus you can get a total of 10 pairs, then compress them, and they will still fit in a carry-on. To keep the colors bright, wash them inside out using cold water and then line dry. If you plan to give away a lot, then, it is better to send a box home from your hotel using Yamato, as it will save you luggage space.
The Japanese convenience stores FamilyMart and Lawson have accidentally turned into representatives of unique souvenirs as they have both earned a cult-like following of travelers who buy their socks. These presents are particularly dear to me because they are not only covered in weird designs, iconic logos, or just plain cheeky patterns. In other words, socks from either FamilyMart or Lawson embody the very essence of the everyday culture of this Asian country stuffed into a practical and not pricey present. On the one hand, such presents are useful. Still, on the other, they embody an element of the same joy from life that the Japanese nation treasures and shares with the world. Therefore, such a light-hearted and useful item quickly became a novelty and travelers started hoarding them as more and more souvenirs. Given the factor of the Japanese being obsessed with the concepts of harmony and beauty Needham such presents, chosen with a sense of taste design-wise, are simple. Nonetheless, a coveted memory of the trip.
Last time I visited Japan, I did not go to the typical souvenir shops and I was actually captivated with the convenience store stationery, the pens and notebooks of Lawson and FamilyMart. They are almost free and better than most imported brands in terms of smoothness and precision of ink. I have also been stocking up on Lawson notebooks since the paper is resistant to bleed-through and it folds like a sheet of paper. The peculiarity of these objects is that Japan brings to the fore the objects of everyday necessity. You go to a FamilyMart to get water in a bottle and come out with writing instruments that have been developed with the same seriousness as the high quality products. They are a mute representative of Japanese utility, functional, reliable and superbly minimal These little, practical souvenirs enshrine a fact that any tourist can easily miss: the souvenirs that fit most into your life are the ones you can use in your daily routine and be reminded of the state of Japanese quietness in its art of commonplace perfection every time you jump into the car.
I went to Japan last year and fell in love with FamilyMart socks. I bought a few for myself and ended up filling a whole drawer because each pair was too cute, and it was honestly cheap compared to its quality so I decided to buy lots of it. I really liked the different colors, patterns, and even the way it felt to the touch, which I rarely do with normal socks. I started giving some to friends and they were actually excited to get them. It felt good to see how something small and unique could make people happy and these socks show how little details and a sense of something special can make everyday items feel really valuable.
Last year I was in Japan for a weeklong stay in Kyoto. I was delighted to see the quirky patterns on the socks at FamilyMart and Lawson while there, but the ones that made me feel at home the most were the convenience store's matcha cans and snack bags. It's because they're unbelievably easy to transport and consume during those long train journeys that somehow involve me in a small excursion. I bought a dozen cans of Lawson's smooth and not-too-sweet premium matcha latte at $2 each, and ever so many bags of FamilyMart's seaweed-flavored rice crackers that were just salty and packed with umami that after a full day of touring, it hits the spot. These delicious treats became my true souvenirs, gifting a taste of Japan's effortless indulgence to friends back home. More into gifting the matcha cans—they are my go-to gift for colleagues or family, from the set I sent to my sister in Seattle, who wouldn't stop texting about the "Tokyo in a can" vibes it gave her during her hectic mornings, to daily texts about her "Morning's imported ritual". The snack bags? Those I hoard a drawer full of, sneaking a handful during late-night work sessions to evoke that Kyoto street corner nostalgia. In a cramped 6-hour Shinkansen ride, where potential hunger-induced grumps turn to a smile as I munch on a bag of FamilyMart's spicy tuna mix-in, my ice-cold green cardboard reasons to smile. But for other foodstuff, look for seasonal variants—you wouldn't believe how many autumn chestnut-flavored matcha cans I bought back, and grab a few extra at the airport duty-free, they are a dollar cheaper there. It's not food, it's bottled joy from a country that takes happiness to the bank.
I have been on a working holiday visa, living and working in Japan (Okinawa) for 18 months, and I recently learned about the "fami-chiki" socks and slippers which I gifted and sent home to a friend! My friend loved Family Mart primarily when they visited in the past (not with me), so when she mentioned that it was one of her favourite snacks in the convenience store, I couldn't resist purchasing them for her! They only seem to be available at selected stores, and the selections in Okinawa are limited, so I haven't seen them since, but I am on the hunt to find some myself as I'd like to collect them and bring the comfort of Japan home with me when I return to the UK.