While sightseeing in Japan, Combinis are a must visit spot. I’m sure anyone who has walked the streets of Japan have seen their fair share of convenience stores around, but have you noticed a special combini with a green sign when using JR train stations? The combini that supports the most people traveling by train is no doubt “NewDays.”
“NewDays” by JR Stations
“NewDays” is a combini run by JR East Japan Group’s East Japan Retail Network. Their concept is “Every day is a new day that begins at the station,” and as written, JR East Japan has these convenience stores in their train stations to support both the people of Japan and tourists as they use the railways. Their brand and logo use a friendly green color with the theme of “sunshine shining on a bud, allowing it to grow quickly into a great tree.” It emphasizes “freshness,” “youth,” “healing,” “vigor,” and “relief.” Using capital letters and lowercase letters along with 2 different shades of color, it is expressing “liveliness,” “speediness,” and an “evolutionary stance.” Unlike other combini that often run 24 hours a day, NewDays operates according to the train station operating hours, normally opening from 5:00 in the morning with the first train until the last train at midnight (hours may vary with the number of customers and days of the week). While there are less than 500 shops around, it’s hard to deny the charm and convenience that NewDays offers by being available inside train stations.
Have a Shopping Spree at NewDays with their Attractive Selection of Goods!
Another plus that NewDays offers for being run by a train company are all the cute JR Train items they have in stock! These items are very popular, being sought out by tourists looking for gifts. Quite often there are anime related goods also being sold as well. Maybe you’ve seen these popular items at a NewDays while taking the train during your travels?
Afternoon Tea x Disney Design Bottle
The first thing we would like to share is an item which has caused an “explosive shopping spree” phenomenon overseas – The “Afternoon Tea x Disney Design Bottle.” Having become available in 2016, every year this item has become a trend – a special set sold consisting of 1 bottle of Afternoon Tea’s Milk tea with a plushie of a Disney character. In the past designs consisted of Winne the Pooh, Chip and Dale, and in 2019 a Monsters Inc. design with Sulley and Mike and other popular characters are available for around 800 yen. Not surprisingly many people make their way to NewDays on release day aiming to get their hands on these special plushies. They are only available at NewDays in the JR East area and NewDaysKIOSKs, so if you’re interested do check them out!
*Not available in some shops.
Take Home all the Special Train Goods!
Stop by a NewDays and you will find all sorts of train and shinkansen bullet train goods. From little plastic models of train cars, chopsticks and stuffed toys with a shinkansen motif, to miniature train pendants, being in a NewDays can make you feel like you’re visiting a gift shop at a train museum. Other popular items at NewDays include the penguin goods by Suica. There are Suica folders, pass cases, pens, notebooks, and many more practical and cute items you just got to have! Along with these character goods are the limited JR line and station anniversary commemoration goods that are available starting from an affordable 200-yen price making these goods the perfect gift for both tourists and railroad fans alike!
*Some shops may not carry the railway goods or Suica penguin goods.
What are these Unique Unmanned Train-like “NewDays” Shops?
Japan is heading towards a cashless society and NewDays opened its first cashless shop in July 2019 at Musashi-Sakai Station. All registers are self-checkout, and shop clerks are around to restock and clean the shops but don’t offer most counter services like other combinis have.
Another unique shop is in JR Tokaido Line’s Fujisawa Station platform, called “Shonan Train NewDays.” It is a famous photo spot that attracts many tourists and international visitors with the classic Shonan Train left intact after it was retired. Why not go and check out this commemorative train of the past for yourself?
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