7-Eleven dominates Japan’s convenience store world, but that is only a part of the grocery market. To capture the rest of it, they invested in York Benimaru
Today, these are gorgeous stores that offer a full supermarket experience. You find local and international brands at regular supermarket prices, and there is one major twist: the entire private label is 7-Eleven products
Let’s discover it 🪄
A Regional Powerhouse
Although Seven & i Holdings’ supermarkets operate mainly across North and Central Japan, their performance far exceeds that limited footprint
With York Benimaru leading the group in North-Central Japan and Ito-Yokado covering the Tokyo metropolitan area, these banners account for around 10% of Japan’s food retail market, making of Seven & i the only serious challenger to Aeon’s dominance
Modern and Inviting Stores
The York Benimaru shopping experience is bright, pleasant, and beautifully organized
As soon as you enter the store, you’re welcomed by light, color, and an inviting atmosphere
More Than Just End Caps
Japanese end caps are always stunning — perfectly layered and mixing different products and categories in a way that feels both organized and attractive
Here the concept goes even further with clear “Special Price” signage
Decorations That Brighten the Experience
One of the key strengths of this retailer is how it takes store decoration to the next level
All around the supermarket, wherever there’s space, you’ll find creative, colorful, and seasonal-themed displays
When Shopping Gets Cuter
It’s hard not to smile walking through York Benimaru.
Like many Japanese stores, they make the shopping experience cuter with plush toys placed all around the store:
🐒 a Monkey climbing a coconut tree to sell coconuts,
🧸 a Teddy Bear surrounded by kiwis to show how kiwi makes meat tender
🐼 Kumamon, the famous mascot from Kumamoto
The Art of Interactive Displays
We’re in Japan — the country of technology and gadgets.
Instead of relying only on static signage, it uses creative, interactive displays to bring products to life:
🔥 a barbecue fire effect to promote grilled corn,
🖥️ a video in the vegetable section showing how to use it
A Sweet Partnership
A great example of how they add value to the shopping experience is through its in-store partnerships
One standout is the collaboration with Fujiya, featuring the iconic Peko-chan mascot and a beautiful display of cakes
The 7-Eleven Advantage
In Japan, 7-Eleven operates more like a mini-market, driving the need for a huge product variety
This scale fuels a strong private-label lineup, including the premium 7-Eleven Gold range — a portfolio York Benimaru can access exclusively
How Much Cheaper Is this Private Label?
Let’s compare it with national brand prices
Soy Sauce (200 ml) — Brand 218¥ • PL 178¥
→ –40¥ (≈ –18%)
Olive Oil (400 g) — Brand 1,228¥ • PL 798¥
→ –430¥ (≈ –35%)
York Benimaru vs. 7-Eleven: Same Price?
Let’s compared two everyday items sold in both:
Pumpkin Soup — York Benimaru: same price • 7-Eleven: same price
→ No difference
Salad Chicken — York Benimaru: same price • 7-Eleven: same price
→ No difference
While a convenience store is usually more expensive than a supermarket, this is not the case in Japan
To double-check, we also looked at Coca-Cola 500 ml in our York Benimaru and 7-Eleven Japan videos — the price is 128¥ in both
The Basket Trick
A clever detail inside York Benimaru — and in Japanese retail in general — is how shopping baskets are placed all around the store, not only at the entrance
Studies in retail design suggest that offering a basket mid-store can increase sales, as shoppers who start with just a few items in their hands often switch to a basket once they feel full — and then keep adding products instead of heading directly to checkout
Conclusion
York Benimaru combines everything people love in a supermarket — bright aisles, clean layouts, and a genuinely pleasant shopping atmosphere — with the fun and beautiful Japanese touch of decoration that makes every visit memorable.
Its real point of difference is the huge 7-Eleven product range, a combination that is rare to find anywhere else
This mix of convenience-store power and modern supermarket design makes York Benimaru one of the most interesting supermarkets to visit in Japan — and even in the world.
To experience it, please watch the full store tour in the 4k video below ⬇️
York Benimaru
2 Chome-6-3 Shimojomachi, Yamagata, 990-0823, Japan
Click here for Google Map link
🕒 Opening Hours:
Daily: 9:30 AM–10 PM
Thank you very much for your interest in this store. Please feel free to share any feedback in the comments
Have a wonderful time 😁
The WizArno Team
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