While this is a convenient store, they offer products not commonly seen in other shops, such as original products that are created using Hokkaido’s local materials and ingredients.

Seicomart also offers a variety of prepared dishes and fresh foods, a distinguishing feature that separates them from other convenience stores. Another signature difference is that many of these stores are not open 24 hours a day!

Starting with the popular Hokkaido milk, this store also offers its own original juice, alcohols, ice-cream and other desserts, cup noodles, bread, snacks, and even their own delicatessen. In all, Seicomart offers over 1000 original brand products.

Many of the products are made using ingredients from Hokkaido, making these items not only affordable but also high in quality.

When thinking about convenience stores, you may think of meal options that are microwavable or just plain cold. At Seicomart, however, the hot food menu is handmade in the kitchen inside the store, sold fresh and hot. They also offer products that do not use any preservatives, synthetic colorants, or artificial sweeteners. It is strange to even consider these a convenient store meal at this level of quality that is also easy on your wallet!

The Niseko Hirafu shop is crowded with visitors of various nationalities every day, and so the store orders and imports overseas foods and other items to satisfy the needs of their customers.

Croissants are baked every day in the shop and are quite the popular choice. The crunch of the crisp bread followed by the aroma and taste of butter spreads throughout your senses, giving this product a deliciousness that is hard to imagine as convenience-store quality.

There is also a fully automated espresso machine in the store where you can purchase freshly ground, brewed coffee starting from 100 yen. Finishing breakfast with a hot cup of coffee before you hit the slopes is sure to make your time more enjoyable.

Hokkaido is a treasure trove of wonderful ingredients. This original deli brand available at Seicomart offers a surprising number of dishes in a large variety of ethnicities, from Japanese to Western, and anything in-between!

In addition to these wallet-friendly prices, their popular pasta dishes can be purchased with only 100 yen! Of course, they are full in flavor offering a quality dish at a reasonable price.

With the resort area so close to the slopes, it would normally take a considerable amount of time and effort to go to the bank to exchange more money.

To help solve this they have installed automated currency exchange machines. This helps eliminates those issues for foreign tourists visiting the Niseko Hirafu Seicomart. To find a convenience store with these machines, even in larger cities, is a rare sight to see!

photo & text: Natsuko Matsumura