7-Eleven, the popular Japanese convenience store chain, is hosting a special regional food fair. This time, the spotlight is on Ibaraki Prefecture with the “Ibaraki Gourmet Festa.”
From Tuesday, November 18, to Monday, December 1, 2025, for a limited time, 7-Eleven stores across Ibaraki Prefecture will feature eight unique items inspired by local ingredients and beloved regional dishes. The lineup is packed with Ibaraki’s charm, from sweets made with seasonal “Kasama chestnuts” and the popular “Beni Haruka” sweet potatoes to a hearty “stamina ramen” cherished by locals.
A “Local Production for Local Consumption” Initiative Created with the Community
This food fair is part of 7-Eleven’s ongoing “chisan-chisho” initiative, which promotes the concept of “local production for local consumption.” The project aims to highlight unique regional food cultures, support local producers, and help stimulate the local economy.
What’s remarkable is that these products were developed based on surveys conducted with franchise owners and employees working at 7-Eleven stores within Ibaraki. These are truly gourmet treats born from the voices of the people who know the region best—a true expression of local pride.
A Look at All 8 Limited-Edition Items from the “Ibaraki Gourmet Festa”!
Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the limited-edition menu items.
Specialty Onigiri: Sujiko Soy Sauce Marinated with Shihou
This luxurious onigiri (rice ball) features sujiko (salmon roe) marinated in “Shihou,” a premium soy sauce from the historic Shibunuma Soy Sauce Brewery in Ibaraki. Enjoy the delightful popping texture of the roe and the rich, mellow flavor of the soy sauce.
Sweet Potato Onigiri with Ibaraki Beni Haruka
A unique onigiri featuring “Beni Haruka,” an incredibly popular variety of sweet potato in Japan. The potato’s honey-like sweetness and moist texture are a perfect match for the lightly salted rice, creating an irresistible sweet-and-savory combination.
Mix and Enjoy: Nebari-don Bowl
Ibaraki’s famous “Nebari-don” is now available in a convenient bowl. “Neba-neba” is the Japanese term for the uniquely sticky texture of ingredients like natto (fermented soybeans), tororo (grated yam), okra, and mekabu (a type of seaweed). These are combined with seared tuna and chopped takuan (pickled daikon radish) for a vibrant, colorful dish. The true delight of this bowl comes from mixing everything together before you eat.
Baked Sweet Potato Sandwich with Ibaraki Beni Haruka
The classic autumn treat, “yaki-imo” (baked sweet potato), has been transformed into a sandwich! It’s generously filled with a baked sweet potato paste made from Ibaraki-grown Beni Haruka, a sweet potato cream, and light whipped cream. The intense sweetness of the potato and the airy cream come together to create a dessert sandwich that’s almost like eating a cake.
Stuffed Green Peppers
Using green peppers and renkon (lotus root) from Ibaraki Prefecture, this is a delicious side dish that can be enjoyed cold. It features a pleasant, crisp texture from the vegetables and a rich, appetizing ketchup-based sauce.
Ibaraki’s Famous Stamina Ramen
This is “Stamina Ramen,” a local favorite that has been cherished for years. True to its name, this hearty dish is packed with liver and vegetables in a thick, sweet-and-spicy soy-based gravy. The unique broth, which combines sweetness, spice, and a deep umami flavor, is so addictive you might find yourself craving it again and again.
Kasama Chestnut Cream Puff
A cream puff made with luxurious chestnuts from Kasama, a region famous throughout Japan for its chestnut production. The aromatic, elegantly sweet Kasama chestnuts are turned into a paste and blended generously into the cream filling. This special autumn dessert allows you to fully savor the delicate and gentle flavor of the chestnuts.
Mogyutto Milk Bread with Furusato Milk
Made with “Furusato Milk,” a brand familiar to many from their school lunches in Ibaraki, this bread has a wonderfully nostalgic taste. A gently sweet milk cream is sandwiched between fluffy, moist bread.
Why not take this opportunity to discover the rich culinary delights of Ibaraki? Stop by your local 7-Eleven and find your new favorite.