Japanese convenience store giant, 7-Eleven, has launched a special regional campaign. At stores within Saitama Prefecture, the “5th Sai no Kuni Fair” is being held for a limited time from November 18th to December 1st, 2025.
“Sai no Kuni” (The Colorful Land) is the nickname for Saitama Prefecture. Under the theme “Deliciously Local Saitama,” this fair aims to showcase the appeal of the prefecture’s rich agricultural products and specialties. In Japan, it’s common for convenience stores to collaborate with local regions to develop and sell products using their unique ingredients. For travelers, this is a perfect opportunity to easily enjoy local flavors without having to travel far.
This fair features six different products, from onigiri (rice balls) to udon noodles and sweets, all utilizing ingredients unique to Saitama. Furthermore, this fair is about more than just delicious food. A portion of the sales will be donated to the “Kodomo Shokudo/Mirai Ouen Kikin” (Children’s Cafeteria/Future Support Fund) and child welfare facilities within the prefecture, contributing to the local community.
Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the exciting products.
Onigiri with Fukaya Negi, Pork, and Chili Oil
First up is a classic Japanese convenience store item: the onigiri.
This “Negi Buta Rayu-meshi Omusubi” is packed with “Fukaya negi,” a brand of green onion that Fukaya City, Saitama, is proud of. Fukaya negi is a high-end ingredient famous all over Japan for its sweetness and rich aroma.
The rice is mixed with this Fukaya negi and pork, and flavored with an appetizing chili oil (rayu). The spicy kick wonderfully enhances the sweetness and umami of the green onion, creating a perfectly balanced item. It’s a great choice for those who want to easily try a taste of Saitama.
Price: 158 yen (170.64 yen with tax).
Pork Miso Donburi with Chichibu Miso Sauce (Limited-Time Extra Meat)
Next is a hearty donburi (rice bowl) menu item, perfect for when you’re feeling extra hungry.
This product is a special version of the existing popular “Charcoal-Grilled Pork Miso Donburi,” with about 1.2 times more meat exclusively for the fair period.
The key to the flavor is “Chichibu miso.” The Chichibu region, located in western Saitama, is known for its miso, which has a deep and rich flavor thanks to its lush natural environment. Pork is carefully marinated in this special miso sauce and then grilled over charcoal for a fragrant finish. The sweet and savory miso flavor combined with the smoky aroma of charcoal is a perfect match for the rice.
Price: 640 yen (691.20 yen with tax).
Musashino Udon (with Meat Dipping Soup)
Saitama Prefecture is also well-known as a famous producer of udon. This product is a recreation of Saitama’s regional dish, “Musashino udon.”
The most distinctive feature of Musashino udon is undoubtedly the power of its noodles. Traditionally, the noodles are thick, firm, and chewy with a strong wheat aroma. This product uses wheat from Saitama Prefecture and, to further enhance its characteristics, increases the amount of “second-grade flour,” which contains more of the outer parts of the wheat grain, to pursue an authentic texture.
The “Fukaya negi” also plays a starring role here as an ingredient. The cut has been changed from the previous slices to “butsugiri” (thick chunks), and the amount has been increased by about 2 times, allowing you to fully enjoy the onion’s natural crisp texture and sweetness. The style of dipping the powerful noodles and onions into the rich meat-based broth, infused with the umami of pork, is an addictively delicious experience.
Price: 648 yen (699.84 yen with tax).
Milk Pudding with Wataboku Coffee
Next up is a dessert with a somewhat nostalgic flavor.
This pudding uses “Wataboku Coffee.” This is a coffee-flavored milk produced by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., and it has long been a staple of school lunches, especially in certain areas of Saitama. For many Saitama residents, it’s a “soul drink” tied to their childhood memories.
The result is a rich and creamy pudding that blends the aroma of this locally loved coffee with the smoothness of milk. It’s a unique item that offers a taste of Saitama’s food culture.
Price: 240 yen (259.20 yen with tax).
Spicy Pork Stomach Appetizer with Fukaya Negi
This is an “otsumami” (appetizer) that is perfect to accompany drinks.
“Buta-gatsu” means pork stomach. In Japan, its unique chewy texture is popular, and it’s often eaten as an appetizer. This product combines pork stomach with Fukaya negi and seasons it with a spicy chili oil.
The spiciness of the chili oil and the umami of the Fukaya negi are exquisitely intertwined, creating a moreish flavor. In Japanese convenience stores, it’s common to buy light appetizers like this along with alcoholic drinks such as beer or chuhai (shochu highball).
Price: 258 yen (278.64 yen with tax).
Mochi filled with Sayama Tea Mousse and Bean Paste
The final introduction is a new-style dessert that fuses Japanese and Western elements.
This dessert lavishly uses Saitama’s brand tea, “Sayama tea,” which is sometimes referred to as one of the “Three Great Teas of Japan,” along with Shizuoka tea and Uji tea.
Fresh cream made with Sayama tea, Sayama tea an (sweet bean paste), and Sayama tea castella (sponge cake) are gently wrapped in a chewy gyuhi (a type of soft mochi). It is an extremely delicate dessert where the subtle bitterness and elegant aroma of the tea harmonize beautifully with the sweetness of the bean paste and cream.
Price: 298 yen (321.84 yen with tax).
If you have the chance to visit Saitama Prefecture during this period, be sure to stop by a nearby 7-Eleven to experience these special local flavors.
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