8 Lawson Snacks in Japan: What’s Worth Trying?
If you’ve ever been to Japan, you’ll know that convenience stores — or combini — are on another level.
From hot food to desserts, places like Lawson, 7-Eleven, and FamilyMart offer a surprisingly wide range of options.
The other day, I decided to switch things up and head into Lawson to try a mix of their food and snacks.
Here’s how they stacked up.
Pizza Steam Bun 🥟
A quick and easy snack when you’re on the go.
Filled with cheese and tomato sauce, it’s basically a pizza inside a soft steamed bun.
Verdict:
Not very big, but surprisingly tasty. Very similar to the version at 7-Eleven.
Pork Steamed Bun (Nikuman) 🐷
A classic combini staple you’ll find almost everywhere in Japan.
Soft, fluffy bread filled with juicy pork.
Verdict:
Good, but I personally preferred the pizza bun.
Mochi Chocolate Pastry 🍫
One of my favourite items from Lawson.
Soft, slightly stretchy pastry with a chocolate cream filling.
Verdict:
Not overly sweet, which makes it easy to keep eating. Definitely one of the highlights.
Tempura & Seaweed Rice Ball 🍙
This one sounded promising, but didn’t quite deliver.
Verdict:
Didn’t taste like tempura at all. The seaweed flavour was closer to parsley.
Points for packaging, but not much else.
Grilled Salmon Rice Ball 🍣
A step up in quality compared to the standard rice balls.
Filled with tender grilled salmon.
Verdict:
Easily one of the best items here. Slightly more expensive (~$2), but worth it.
🍗 Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl 🍗
simple and popular comfort dish in Japan (oyakodon style).
Chicken and scrambled egg over rice.
Verdict:
A bit too salty for my taste. I preferred the 7-Eleven version.
Cream Puff
Lawson really shines when it comes to desserts.
This cream puff had a creamy centre and a crispy caramel topping.
Verdict:
One of the best Combini desserts I’ve tried.
Egg Burger 🍔
Part of a seasonal “egg” campaign at the time.
Verdict:
Disappointing. The eggs were too salty, and the salsa lacked flavour.
The only positive was the bun.
Final Thoughts
Lawson is a bit of a mixed bag.
Strengths:
- Excellent desserts
- Good variety
Weaknesses:
- Hot food can be hit or miss
If you’re visiting Japan, it’s definitely worth trying a few things — especially the sweets.
