News How convenience-store socks became Japan’s trendiest souvenir

The BBC on how Family Mart's "Line Socks" became a sought-after item for travellers in Japan:


A pair of striped socks sold at ordinary convenience stores has become a small global craze. Commentators have remarked that an item most people once grabbed without a second thought is now treated as a must-buy souvenir, sought out by travellers, expatriates and TikTok users. Priced from around ¥390, these so-called conbini socks have begun to dominate shopping lists, set off online trends and even inspire full clothing ranges. Many visitors admit they leave Japan with their luggage stuffed with them.

When the national chain FamilyMart introduced its Convenience Wear range in 2021, offering basics such as socks, bags and underwear, most people assumed it was just another private-label line. Yet one design immediately drew attention: the calf-length white "Line Socks" marked with blue and green bands echoing the FamilyMart logo. Their sudden popularity grew to the point that the company opened a dedicated lifestyle shop, Famima!, inside Tokyo's Blue Front Shibaura building — only a few steps from an ordinary FamilyMart outlet — to cater to the demand.

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. [...] 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 worldwide. Yunna Takeuchi, co-founder of City Unscripted, grew up in the UK with a deep understanding of the 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.

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Okay, I really have to get myself a pair of those. Just to be en vogue once!