That spicy kick representing the nights of Nagoya, Japan, is finally coming to your neighborhood Konbini (convenience store). Starting Friday, January 30, 2026, 7-Eleven will hold the “Sekai no Yamachan x 7-Eleven Local Love Festival” exclusively at stores in the Tokai Area (Aichi, Gifu, and Mie Prefectures).
This marks the first joint development with “Sekai no Yamachan,” a popular Izakaya (Japanese style pub) chain originating from Nagoya. A total of 9 items will be released, generously using the “Phantom Pepper” (Maboroshi no Kosho)—the spice that can be called the soul of their signature menu item, “Phantom Chicken Wings” (Maboroshi no Tebasaki). This marks the beginning of a special period where your usual 7-Eleven will be wrapped in a spicy aroma.
A Lineup of 9 Items Cast with Magic Spice
This collaboration isn’t just about lending a name. To maximize the heat and flavor of the “Phantom Pepper,” the “Yamachan Ism” has been thoroughly infused into everything from Rice Balls (Onigiri) to side dishes and noodles.
Sekai no Yamachan Fried Chicken with Phantom Pepper
The “Fried Chicken” (Age-dori), the face of the hot snack corner (the heated display next to the register) at Japanese 7-Elevens, has undergone a dramatic evolution. The biggest feature is the “Phantom Pepper” provided separately. By sprinkling it on yourself just before eating, you can enjoy that piercing aroma and heat in its freshest state. The moment the juicy chicken fat mixes with the sharp stimulation of the pepper in your mouth is truly blissful. It holds the potential to be the ultimate partner not just for dinner, but as Otsumami (snacks paired with alcohol) for drinking at home.
- Price: 253 yen (273.24 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Yakitori Rice Ball with Phantom Pepper Mayonnaise
An Izakaya menu item you can eat with one hand is born. To the classic combination of savory Yakitori (Grilled Chicken) and mayonnaise, we’ve added mayonnaise laced with “Phantom Pepper.” Inside the mellow richness of the mayo, the spicy accent of the pepper shines. The compatibility with rice, the staple food of Japan, goes without saying. It’s a highly addictive Rice Ball that stimulates your appetite with every bite, causing you to finish it before you know it. You can enjoy a taste of the extraordinary even during a busy lunch time.
- Price: 260 yen (280.80 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Soft-boiled Egg Fried Chicken Rice Bowl
When you’re in the mood for a hearty meal, this Rice Bowl (Don) is the choice. The main star, Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage), is firmly seasoned with “Phantom Pepper,” delivering a punchy flavor from the very first bite. This is paired with a creamy soft-boiled egg (On-tama). As the egg yolk coats the spicy fried chicken, the heat becomes mild and transforms into a rich umami flavor. It’s the perfect dish for recharging your energy, making the rice disappear quickly.
- Price: 698 yen (753.84 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Spicy German Potato Hot Dog
Good news for bread lovers. A hot dog combining a sausage with a fun crisp texture and spicy German potatoes has arrived. Here too, the “Phantom Pepper” does a great job. The combination of fluffy potatoes and melting cheese is a classic, but the addition of the pepper’s kick turns it into an “Umakara” (Spicy and Tasty) flavor for adults. Stuffing your cheeks with the savory baked bread, you can enjoy the complex textures and aromas.
- Price: 330 yen (356.40 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Keichan-style Pasta Scented with Phantom Pepper (Soy Sauce Flavor)
This is a unique dish that arranges “Keichan,” a local cuisine of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, into pasta. Keichan is a dish where chicken is marinated in a miso or soy sauce-based sauce and grilled. This time, chicken and vegetables marinated in a Japanese-style garlic soy sauce are grilled and combined with pasta. By adding “Phantom Pepper” as a finishing touch, the overall flavor is tightened, creating an addictive taste that keeps your fork moving. It offers a punchy flavor that goes beyond the boundaries of standard Japanese-style pasta.
- Price: 550 yen (594 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Shake-to-Eat Yama-cabe-chan (Salty Dressing with Phantom Pepper)
This salad reproduces a popular menu item from “Sekai no Yamachan” restaurants. The key point is the “shake to eat” style. Pour the salty dressing containing “Phantom Pepper” into the container, close the lid, and shake it to blend the flavor throughout the cabbage. While simple, the flavor of the pepper and the umami of the salt sauce enhance the sweetness of the cabbage, transforming it into a respectable appetizer. It’s also perfect as “one more dish” when you’re worried about not getting enough vegetables.
- Price: 238 yen (257.04 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Green Onion & Pork Stomach Fried Chicken (Garlic Spicy Sauce)
A fried dish using Pork Stomach (Gatsu) with a crunchy texture that is irresistible for drinkers. It is generously coated in a spicy sauce with a kick of garlic and eaten with a heap of green onions. The more you chew, the more the umami overflows, and the compatibility with the punchy sauce is outstanding. It is a side dish with a powerful flavor that instantly changes your home drinking time into the atmosphere of a Japanese Izakaya.
- Price: 328 yen (354.24 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Yamachan Chiku-Q (Phantom Pepper Mayonnaise)
This is also a reproduction of a popular restaurant menu item, embodying “Simple is Best.” The bold visual of a whole cucumber stuffed inside a Chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake) is eye-catching. The deciding factor for the taste is, of course, the special mayonnaise using “Phantom Pepper.” The umami of the chikuwa, the freshness of the cucumber, and the spicy mayonnaise become a trinity of flavor that makes you reach for more. It also shows an excellent presence as a palate cleanser.
- Price: 298 yen (321.84 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 30 (Friday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie
Sekai no Yamachan Phantom Pepper Soy Sauce Ramen
Only this product will be released a bit earlier, starting Wednesday, January 28, and will be available in a wider area including Kansai and Kyushu. It is a Cup Ramen (Instant Noodle) developed in a three-company collaboration with Acecook, imagining the taste of the “Phantom Chicken Wings.” You finish the sweet and spicy soy sauce soup, which is concentrated with chicken umami, by sprinkling the separate “Phantom Pepper.” A nice point is that you can adjust the spiciness by the amount of pepper you use. It has a sinful deliciousness that makes you want to eat it as a late-night snack.
- Price: 236 yen (254.88 yen incl. tax)
- Release Date: January 28 (Wednesday)
- Sales Area: Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Kansai, Kyushu
Obsession and Playfulness Regarding “Phantom Pepper”
The core of this “Local Love Festival” is, after all, the “Phantom Pepper.” Invented by Mr. Shigeo Yamamoto, the founder of SY Food Co., Ltd. which operates Sekai no Yamachan, this spice is not just hot. The balance of pepper aroma and umami is exquisite, possessing an addictiveness you won’t forget once you taste it.
Development Secret Story Aiming for Restaurant Quality
It is said that Representative Kumi Yamamoto herself supervised the flavor during development. The challenge was how to reproduce that excitement of eating at the restaurant within the constraints of a convenience store product. The products completed after trial and error are all finished to a quality worthy of bearing the name “Sekai no Yamachan.” It is particularly impressive how they devised the way the aroma stands out by being particular about the timing and amount of “Phantom Pepper” used.
Bird Man in a 7-Eleven Uniform?
Pay attention not only to the taste but also to the visual fun. “Torio” (Bird Man), the iconic character of “Sekai no Yamachan,” appears on product packages and in-store promotional materials. Moreover, this time he is depicted in a rare appearance wearing a 7-Eleven uniform. The gap between his usual dignified (?) expression and the familiar uniform is quite unique. Looking for this special Torio in the sales area might be one way to enjoy this fair.
Tonight, Feel the “Yamachan” Mood at the Konbini
For those living in the three Tokai prefectures of Aichi, Gifu, and Mie, or those traveling there, this “Sekai no Yamachan x 7-Eleven Local Love Festival” is a perfect opportunity to rediscover local flavors. Stopping by a 7-Eleven on your way home from work or sightseeing, you will likely be lured by that spicy aroma. Such a little stimulation in your daily life should heat up the cold winter nights.
If you are drawn in by the magic of the “Phantom Pepper,” don’t hesitate to pick one up. You can enjoy them according to the scene: “Fried Chicken” or “Yama-cabe-chan” for snacks with drinks, or “Soft-boiled Egg Fried Chicken Rice Bowl” or “Pasta” for a solid meal. Products will hit the shelves sequentially starting Friday, January 30, 2026 (only the Cup Ramen starts on the 28th). It might be fun to check out the items you’re interested in early and create your own “Yamachan Set.”
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