Japanese convenience stores (Konbini) are world-famous for being open 24 hours a day and offering delicious Bento boxes and high-quality sweets. Now, 7-Eleven, Japan’s largest convenience store chain, has launched a surprising new service starting in December 2025.
Its name is POWDER SPACE ‘loven’.
Believe it or not, a “dedicated space for touching up makeup and fixing hair (Powder Room)” has been installed right inside the convenience store. This is not just a simple rest area. It is a highly practical space created through a serious collaboration between corporate developers and Japanese high school and university girls (“Team Cinderella”).
Japanese convenience stores are evolving from a “place to buy things” into a “place to groom yourself.” Here are the details of this groundbreaking service.
Grooming During “Gap Time”
The newly installed ‘loven’ is being rolled out primarily in stores located in areas where students gather.
After school classes end, before heading to a part-time job, or before hanging out with friends. Japanese youth often find themselves wanting to “check a mirror and fix their bangs” or “touch up their makeup” during these short breaks, or “gap times.”
Until now, they had to travel to restrooms in train stations or shopping malls, but from now on, these needs can be met at the 7-Eleven on the street corner.
Specific Service Details
The facilities provided at ‘loven’ accurately capture the needs of Japanese youth. In particular, the hair iron rental is a powerful ally for those concerned about their hairstyle in Japan’s humid climate.
- Hair Iron Rental ‘ReCute’ Provided for a fee. Hair irons are heavy to carry around and take up space in bags. The convenience of being able to rent one at a convenience store only when needed is incredibly high.
- Light Mirror with Dimming Function The lights on the mirrors can be adjusted to three different brightness levels. Instead of relying on store lighting, this is a professional specification that allows you to check your face with the optimal brightness for makeup touch-ups.
- Space Usage Fee Using the powder space itself is free of charge.
Where Can You Experience It?
Currently, this is in an experimental introduction phase (Pilot phase), and it is installed only at the specific stores listed below. Locations close to schools such as universities have been selected.
- Start Date: Sequentially from December 2025
- Locations:
- 7-Eleven Kudanminami-Otsuma Dori Store (Tokyo)7-Eleven Machida Tamagawa Gakuen 5-chome Store (Tokyo)7-Eleven Fukakusa Nishiura 5-chome Store (Kyoto)
Why Does a Convenience Store Need “Mirrors”?
At first glance, this might seem like a strange idea, but there is a clear reason for it. It is based on a survey conducted by 7-Eleven and “Team Cinderella” targeting 1,600 women aged 12 to 22.
17% Wanted a Place for “Grooming”
In response to the question “What do you want in a convenience store?”, 17% of the total answers were requests related to personal grooming, such as “powder rooms” or “hair irons.”
A new culture is being born where people go to a convenience store not just because “I’m hungry,” but because “my bangs are messy.” This solves an urgent problem (pain point) while out and about that convenience stores had not addressed until now.
“Co-creation” with Gen Z
The interesting point of this project is that it wasn’t just thought up unilaterally by middle-aged corporate men, but that the target demographic, Gen Z, was involved at the core of the planning.
- Thorough Hearings: They analyzed survey results and dug deep into why those needs existed.
- Realistic Adjustments: They reconciled ideals with reality, such as how to operate safely in stores and how to manage the space.
- Detailed Supervision: The student team supervised everything from the design of the space to the atmosphere of the posters.
As a result, a space was completed that feels natural and makes young people think, “I want to use this.”
Convenience Stores as a “Life Hub”
Through ‘loven’, 7-Eleven is attempting to change the definition of a convenience store.
Until now, a convenience store was a place where you bought a product and left immediately. However, at stores with ‘loven’, users stay there and look in the mirror to switch their mindset (reset one’s mood).
- Before going to school
- Before an important interview
- Before going out to have fun
Japanese convenience stores are evolving from mere shops into infrastructure that supports daily life, and now, into a “hub for grooming yourself.” If you see this service when visiting Japan, please experience the evolution of Japanese convenience stores for yourself.
Detailed information can be found on the official website below.
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