L I V I N G
Tokyo Convenience Store Guide: ATMs, Payments, Printing & Shipping
Tokyo konbini are 24-hour ATMs, city halls, and post offices rolled into one. Withdraw cash with foreign cards, pay utility bills, print documents, and ship packages — all in a single stop. Includes chain comparisons, fees, and ATM step-by-step instructions.
The three major chains
Convenience stores — konbini (コンビニ) — in Tokyo are open 24 hours. Beyond everyday shopping, they handle ATM withdrawals, utility bill payments, document printing, and package shipping. Whether you need cash in the middle of the night or want to print a ticket while traveling, a konbini is usually the answer.
| Chain | Locations | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Seven-Eleven | ~21,900 | Seven Bank ATM (foreign card support), food quality |
| FamilyMart | ~16,400 | Hot snacks (Famichiki fried chicken, etc.), FamiPay |
| Lawson | ~14,700 | Machikado Chūbō (in-store kitchen), Yu-Pack shipping |
Quick guide by use case: For ATM withdrawals with a foreign card, go to Seven-Eleven (widest brand support). For shipping packages, head to Lawson (Yu-Pack). For hot snacks, try FamilyMart. All three chains share the same core services.
Withdrawing cash from an ATM
🧳 For both tourists and residents
If you need to withdraw cash with a foreign card, Seven Bank ATMs are the most convenient option thanks to their broad brand support and sheer number of locations.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Supported brands | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, UnionPay, Discover, Diners Club |
| Per-transaction limit | ¥100,000 |
| Hours | 24 hours (some brands may have restricted hours) |
| ATM fee | Varies by withdrawal amount (displayed on screen) |
On top of the ATM fee, your home bank may charge its own international withdrawal fee and currency conversion fee. The total fee is shown on the ATM screen before you confirm — always check before approving.
ATM step-by-step instructions
Seven Bank ATMs support multiple languages. Tap “English” in the upper-right corner of the screen to switch.
- Tap “English” on the screen (or select “お引出し” / Ohikidashi if you prefer Japanese)
- Insert your card into the slot (IC chip facing up and toward you)
- Select “Withdrawal”
- Enter your PIN
- Choose or type the amount (in ¥10,000 increments)
- The fee is displayed — review it and tap “Confirm”
- Collect your cash, card, and receipt
Comparison with other ATMs
| ATM | Fee per transaction | Per-transaction limit | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Bank | Varies by amount | ¥100,000 | ◎ (most locations) |
| Lawson Bank | Check in-store | ¥50,000 | ○ |
| AEON Bank | ¥75 (UnionPay only stated) | Check in-store | △ (AEON/Ministop stores only) |
AEON Bank ATMs also support foreign cards, but they are only found at AEON supermarkets and Ministop convenience stores. For ease of access, Seven Bank wins.
Paying utility bills and taxes
🏠 For Tokyo residents (tourists can skip this section)
Bring your payment slip — haraikomi-hyō (払込票) — with a barcode to the register and you can pay electricity, gas, water, phone, and NHK bills on the spot. At Seven-Eleven, a processing fee applies based on the payment amount: under ¥10,000: ¥110 / ¥10,000–¥49,999: ¥220 / ¥50,000+: ¥440. Fees vary by chain.
Payment is cash-only. Credit cards and QR code payments are not accepted. Exceptions exist for Seven-Eleven’s nanaco and FamilyMart’s FamiPay in limited cases, but coverage is narrow.
Issuing residence certificates and seal registration certificates
🏠 For Tokyo residents (requires a My Number Card — not available to tourists)
If you have a My Number Card (マイナンバーカード / Mainanbā Kādo) with a digital certificate, you can obtain a jūminhyō (住民票, residence certificate) or inkan registration certificate from the multi-copy machine at any major konbini.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Fee | ¥200–¥300 per copy (depends on municipality; often ¥100 cheaper than the ward office) |
| Hours | 6:30–23:00 |
| Supported stores | Seven-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart |
| What you need | My Number Card + 4-digit PIN, or a smartphone with a digital certificate |
On the multi-copy machine, select “Gyōsei Service” (行政サービス, Administrative Services) → “Shōmeisho no Kōfu” (証明書の交付, Certificate Issuance), then hold your My Number Card over the reader and enter your PIN. The interface is Japanese-only, but the menu structure is simple enough to follow on-screen.
Note: Your registered municipality must support konbini issuance. Check the official konbini issuance website to confirm.
Copying and printing
The multi-copy machine handles document printing, photo printing, and scanning.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Black-and-white copy | ¥10/page |
| Color copy (A4) | ¥50/page |
| Photo print (L-size) | ¥30–¥80/print (Lawson ¥30, Seven-Eleven ¥80) |
To print from your phone, use Seven-Eleven’s “Kantan netprint” (かんたんnetprint) app or FamilyMart/Lawson’s “PrintSmash” app. Both support English. You can also print directly from a USB drive or SD card.
Shipping packages
| Chain | Shipping service |
|---|---|
| Seven-Eleven / FamilyMart | Yamato Transport Takkyūbin (express delivery) |
| Lawson | Yu-Pack (Japan Post) |
For a 60-size box (Tokyo → Tokyo), expect roughly ¥790 for Yamato Takkyūbin (¥690 with the in-store drop-off discount) or ¥820 for Yu-Pack. All chains also support shipping for flea market apps like Mercari.
At the register, say “Takkyūbin onegaishimasu” (宅急便お願いします — “I’d like to send a package, please”). Fill in the recipient’s address, name, and phone number on the shipping label, then hand it over with your package.
Eating at konbini
🧳 Great for travelers too
Konbini are a solid meal option — especially when you want to save money or need food late at night.
| Item | Price range |
|---|---|
| Onigiri (rice ball) | ¥150–¥230 |
| Bentō (boxed meal) | ¥400–¥700 |
| Sandwich | ¥250–¥400 |
| Bottled drink | ¥100–¥170 |
| Counter coffee | ¥140–¥230 |
| Hot snacks (Famichiki, etc.) | ¥200–¥300 |
Two onigiri + a bottle of tea costs ¥400–¥630 — roughly half the price of eating out for lunch (¥800–¥1,200).
All chains display tax-included prices on shelf labels. For hot snacks behind the register (Famichiki, L-Chiki, etc.), just point at what you want.
Money-saving tip: Look for discount stickers on bentō and onigiri as they approach their expiration time. Choosing private-brand (PB) products also helps keep costs down.
Other services
- Ticket purchases — Use Lawson’s Loppi terminal or FamilyMart’s multi-copy machine to buy concert, sports, and theme park tickets
- Wi-Fi — Lawson offers LAWSON Free Wi-Fi (60 min/session, up to 5 sessions/day; email registration required). Seven-Eleven does not offer free Wi-Fi (7SPOT ended in March 2022)
- Stamps and postcards — Available at all chains
- Portable battery rental — Scan a QR code to rent; return at any participating store
Troubleshooting ATM and payment issues
ATM displays “Cannot process this transaction”: Your card brand may be outside its supported hours, or your card may be magnetic-stripe only (limit: ¥30,000). Try a different ATM or reduce the withdrawal amount. If your card has an IC chip but still won’t read, check the insertion direction — chip side up, facing toward you.
Barcode on your payment slip won’t scan: Expired payment slips are rejected. Contact the issuer to request a new one.
Can’t communicate in Japanese at the register: Use a translation app on your phone (Google Translate’s camera mode works well for reading labels and payment slips). Konbini staff are generally used to serving non-Japanese customers — pointing and gestures work fine.
Related articles
- Payment Methods in Japan — What payment options work at konbini
- How to Buy and Use Suica — Paying with Suica at convenience stores
- Luggage Storage & Coin Lockers — Temporary luggage storage options
References:
- Seven Bank “International ATM Service” https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/ (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Seven Bank “Supported Cards” https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/card2.html (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Seven-Eleven “Bill Payments” https://www.sej.co.jp/services/payment/ (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Seven-Eleven “Store Count” https://www.sej.co.jp/company/tenpo.html (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- FamilyMart “Store Data” https://www.family.co.jp/company/familymart/store.html (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Lawson “Monthly Data” https://www.lawson.co.jp/company/corporate/data/sales/ (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Konbini Issuance “Participating Stores” https://www.lg-waps.go.jp/01-01-2.html (accessed: 2026-04-21)
- Lawson “Yu-Pack Service” https://www.lawson.co.jp/service/shipment/yupack/ (accessed: 2026-04-21)
* This article was translated from the original Japanese with the help of machine translation. Some expressions may not read naturally.
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