How convenience store socks became Japan's coolest souvenir

A simple pair of striped socks from Japanese convenience stores has become a global cult item. But how did an everyday essential turn into the souvenir travellers seek out?

I am on the hunt in Tokyo. But instead of seeking out a steaming bowl of ramen or a neon-lit street corner, I'm prowling convenience stores for seasonally available socks.

Somehow, an everyday essential has become one of Japan's unlikeliest cult souvenirs, drawing expats, travellers and TikTok creators alike. Sold for as little as ¥390 (about £2), these "conbini socks" now top shopping lists, spark social-media challenges and even inspire full clothing lines. And like so many other visitors, I'll be leaving with a suitcase full.

How conbini became fashion hubs

Perhaps it was only a matter of time before convenience stores, or conbini as they're affectionately known in Japan, became fashion hubs. While in much of the world convenience stores are places to grab a greasy snack, in Japan they've evolved into a one-stop-everything shop. The reputation began in the 1970s when more women entering the workforce meant a rising demand for easy-to-eat dinner options, and was solidified as additional services were added, like the ability to buy concert tickets, pay bills or even just the opportunity to use clean bathroom or free wi-fi.

So when national conbini chain FamilyMart launched their Convenience Wear line in 2021, with socks, bags and underwear, locals barely blinked. One item, however, immediately stood out: "Line Socks", calf-height white tennis-style socks featuring two blue and green stripes modelled after the FamilyMart store logo. The socks became so popular that FamilyMart opened Famima!, a small clothing-and-lifestyle shop inside Tokyo's Blue Front Shibaura building – where there's also a regular FamilyMart a few steps away.

But FamilyMart isn't alone in the convenience-store sock market. Rival conbini chain Lawson partnered with Japanese designer Muji in 2021 to release two striped styles: a pink and blue pair that mimics the Lawson sign; and a navy-and-white pair inspired by store worker uniforms. During this year's Osaka expo, 7-Eleven sold limited-edition orange, green and red striped socks made from "Ovoveil", an upcycled eggshell membrane.

The streetwear trend is strong in Japan, and wearing socks convenience store socks has the same energy as a Supreme t-shirt or A Bathing Ape hoodie, albeit at a far more impulse-friendly price point.

A pandemic-era symbol goes global

The Line Sock's rise to cult status began during Japan's post-Covid border restrictions, when they became an unexpected hit with expats. J-Fashion designer Mikan Mandarin, founder of Vina of the Valley, found herself unexpectedly swept up by the trend, even though it didn't match her kawaii (cute) style.

"It was one of those things that anyone could wear," she said. "And I think that's why it had the appeal that it did. The world was closed off, so it felt nice to have a little sense of community.

The iconography soon seeped into internet culture, topping local bloggers' Japan shopping lists, and, for American vloggers in Japan Megan and Ben – aka Hito Bito – creating a fun universal talking point. They describe buying FamilyMart socks as a "a rite of passage" for most expats in the country – and the sock even inspired them to create a social media video where they challenged themselves to create an entire outfit sourced from FamilyMart.

"They're kind of iconic in the same way carrying around a blue Ikea bag as a purse is," they said. "If you get a well-stocked convenience store you can find plenty of good options."

When Japan's borders reopened in October 2022 and visitor numbers quickly began to surpass pre-pandemic levels, travellers quickly adopted the socks as must buys. Long-standing fascination with Japan's convenience stores meant many visitors were drawn to the idea of taking home a small souvenir, and the product fell in line with Japan's tradition of affordable, everyday design objects – think well-made chopsticks, cotton yukata or anything Muji.

And in a nation where shopping culture thrives and shops like Don Quijote and Bic Camera do brisk business in suitcases for those who have over-shopped, socks became an easily packable addition to the traveller's haul, offering a slice of modern Japanese iconography at a budget-friendly price.

That's why Reginal Hakizimana, founder and managing director of Enclose Africa Safaris brought home multiple pairs home from a trip to Japan, both for friends and himself.

"FamilyMart and Lawson's socks remind me of specific cultural aspects of Japan," he said. "These aren't just goods that say 'Made in Japan'; rather, they're part of the everyday items within reach at convenience stores, and that establishes their realness. They are compact, lightweight, inexpensive, practical and best of all, they bring back memories. They encapsulate the warmth, thoughtfulness and creativity of Japan."

Limited editions, seasonal drops and pop-culture collabs

It made sense that variations on the "Line Sock" theme would soon follow. Anyone who has developed a fondness for a seasonal snack knows the speed with which FamilyMart rotates their limited-edition products – and the same logic has shaped its sock collection.

The chain now releases both calf- and ankle-length designs in seasonal colour palettes, plus one-off collaborations with major pop-culture franchises, including Stranger Things, The Simpsons and the Fuji Rock Festival. Nippon League baseball teams Hiroshima Carps, Yomiuri Giants and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have also received regionally available Line Sock editions, as did FamilyMart's signature fried chicken, Famichiki.

"Emphasis is placed on either 'global brands' or 'local community focus'," said Kaori Iori, Public Relations FamilyMart Co Ltd. "Such partnerships generate substantial buzz and serve as an opportunity to attract new fans to Convenience Wear."

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Among Japanese consumers, conbini socks remain a practical item: something you buy because you forgot a spare, or because a limited-edition collaboration catches your eye. Yet FamilyMart's sock sales have now exceeded 30 million pairs, finding fans across the globe. Yunna Takeuchi, co-founder of City Unscripted, grew up in the UK with a deep understanding of Japanese language and culture. On her first visit to Japan, she noticed that the socks felt aligned with the culture she had experienced at home.

"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," she explains. "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."

As Convenience Wear continues to expand its collaborations, the Line Sock shows no sign of losing its grip on travellers' imaginations. Visitors are seeking a sense of life in the country, and memories of the small moments of travel. In that way, what could be more fitting than a humble pair of socks?

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