Japan’s major convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, is teaming up with four food manufacturers connected to Gunma and Tochigi prefectures—located just north of Tokyo—to hold a special event. The “Gunma & Tochigi Umai-mono (Delicious Things) Fair” kicks off on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
This fair brings together four big names based in the North Kanto region: Maruka Foods, Nippon Del Monte, Iwashita Foods, and Ebara Foods Industry. These are household names in Japan. How have “those flavors” that Japanese people love so much been arranged into Konbini (convenience store) products? Let’s introduce this unique lineup.
Collaboration with “Peyoung,” the King of Japanese Cup Yakisoba
Maruka Foods, headquartered in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, is famous for Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba, a representative brand of instant yakisoba in Japan. For this fair, products allowing you to enjoy that distinctive spicy sauce flavor in styles other than noodle dishes have arrived.
Peyoung Sobameshi Rice Ball
- Release Date: Tuesday, February 10
- Price: 188 yen (approx. $1.25 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
First up is this Sobameshi Rice Ball. “Sobameshi” is a Japanese B-grade gourmet dish where yakisoba noodles and rice are stir-fried together. This product realizes the forbidden combination of “Carb on Carb,” enjoying the Peyoung sauce flavor with both rice and noodles. One bite and the aroma of that spicy, rich sauce fills your mouth. The balance of the sauce’s acidity and sweetness intertwines perfectly with the sweetness of the rice, stimulating your appetite.
Peyoung Yakisoba Pan
- Release Date: Tuesday, February 10
- Price: 220 yen (approx. $1.47 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
The classic Yakisoba Pan (Yakisoba Bun), which you might have seen in Japanese anime or manga, is also in the lineup. However, this is no ordinary yakisoba bun. Its biggest feature is that it recreates the unique taste of “Peyoung.” The sauce flavor, so familiar to Japanese people, soaks into the bread, offering a taste different from usual savory breads. It is highly satisfying as a lunch or a snack when you’re feeling a bit hungry.
Rich Tomato Menus from Global Brand “Del Monte”
Nippon Del Monte has a factory in Numata City, Gunma Prefecture. Famous worldwide for tomato ketchup and tomato juice, the company brings us menus that utilize the rich umami of tomatoes.
Tomato and Bacon Amatriciana
- Release Date: Wednesday, February 11
- Price: 500 yen (approx. $3.33 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
This pasta uses “Del Monte Lycopene Rich Tomato Puree.” The product name, Amatriciana, refers to a classic Italian pasta that adds the umami of pork (such as bacon) to tomato sauce. The rich and mellow tomato flavor, unique to the Lycopene Rich puree, highlights the saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness of its fat. Japanese convenience store pasta is at a very high level, allowing you to easily enjoy authentic tomato depth.
Minestrone
- Release Date: Wednesday, February 11
- Price: 358 yen (approx. $2.39 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
This is a soup also using “Del Monte Lycopene Rich Tomato Puree.” Of note is the inclusion of “ABC Macaroni,” which is familiar in this region. The alphabet-shaped macaroni is fun to look at and evokes a sense of nostalgia. The soup, into which the umami of vegetables and tomatoes has melted, gently warms the body from the inside during the cold season.
Pink Pickles “Iwashita no Shin-shoga” Add an Accent
Iwashita Foods is headquartered in Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture. Iwashita no Shin-shoga (Iwashita’s New Ginger), known for its pink packaging, is pickled young ginger. Its refreshing spiciness and texture have captivated many Japanese fans. This time, they are competing with a surefire combination: pairing that fresh ginger with tartar sauce.
Chicken Nanban Rice Ball with Iwashita’s New Ginger Tartar
- Release Date: Tuesday, February 10
- Price: 248 yen (approx. $1.65 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
This item arranges the most popular menu item from the cafe inside the “Iwashita New Ginger Museum” into an easy-to-eat Rice Ball. By combining rich fried chicken dressed in sweet vinegar—known as Chicken Nanban—with tartar sauce containing Iwashita’s New Ginger, the aftertaste is tightened and refreshing. The crunchy texture of the fresh ginger acts as an accent, ensuring you can eat it without getting tired of the taste until the very last bite.
Cold Chicken Nanban with Iwashita’s New Ginger Tartar
- Release Date: Wednesday, February 11
- Price: 298 yen (approx. $1.99 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
A collaboration product also appears from the “Cup Deli” series, which is convenient as a snack for drinks or a side dish for meals. Plenty of tartar sauce containing chopped Iwashita’s New Ginger is poured over Chicken Nanban that tastes delicious even when cold. The refreshing nature of the fresh ginger neutralizes the heaviness of the fried food, creating a deliciousness that will keep your chopsticks moving.
Full Appetite with Japanese BBQ Sauce “Golden Taste”
Ebara Foods Industry has a factory in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture. When it comes to Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) sauce in Japanese households, “Golden Taste” (Ogon no Aji) is the famous go-to. Don’t miss the hearty menus using this sauce.
Meat and Vegetable Stir-fry Bowl using Ebara Yakiniku Sauce
- Release Date: Wednesday, February 11
- Price: 598 yen (approx. $3.99 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
This is a Rice Bowl menu featuring vegetables and meat stir-fried with “Ebara Yakiniku Sauce: Golden Taste” served over rice. The fruit-based sweet and rich sauce coats all the ingredients, creating a flavor that guarantees you’ll crave more rice. Even when you’re worried about a lack of vegetables in Japanese convenience store bento boxes, this allows you to intake plenty of vegetables deliciously.
Yaki Udon using Ebara Yakiniku Sauce
- Release Date: Wednesday, February 11
- Price: 550 yen (approx. $3.67 USD)
- Sales Area: Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture
Finally, we have Yaki Udon (Stir-fried Udon Noodles), also using “Golden Taste.” The point to focus on is the “post-saucing” method. By tossing the sauce in at the very end of cooking, the finish allows you to directly feel the savory aroma and rich flavor of the sauce. The combination of chewy, thick noodles and rich Yakiniku sauce is exquisite.
Regional Limited Products are the Best Part of Traveling in Japan
The fun of this fair lies not just in reproducing “local gourmet,” but in reconstructing the “tastes of manufacturers” rooted in that region through 7-Eleven’s high product development capabilities. The gathering of companies with ties to Gunma and Tochigi proves the richness of “food” in this region.
The punch of Peyoung, the material quality of Del Monte, the refreshing sensation of Iwashita’s New Ginger, and the stability of Ebara. By dropping each company’s strengths into the familiar format of Konbini products, there are new discoveries to be made.
This “Gunma & Tochigi Umai-mono Fair” will be held exclusively at 7-Eleven stores in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures. Japan has many “Regional Limited” and “Time Limited” products, and these make for special souvenir experiences for travelers. If you plan to visit this area during the period, please take a look at the store shelves. Incorporating North Kanto’s “Umai-mono (Delicious things)” into your usual lunch or dinner should be a fun experience.
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