While Japanese convenience stores sometimes offer an "eat-in" area, it can be generally frowned upon to drink alcohol when sitting one, even if you picked up your booze at the actual convenience store. While many are content to enjoy their canned chuhai just outside, a collaboration between Japan's Osake no Bijutsukan (Liquor Museum) and convenience stores around the country is providing another option. The team up has seen fully-stocked standing bars installed adjacent to participating convenience stores, where customers can either order their own drinks or bring in beverages and snacks purchased from the corresponding convenience store.

A new installation has been announced for a Lawson, one of Japan's leading convenience stores, in Shinjuku. However what has people excited isn't the simply the idea of another convenience watering hole. This time, the adjacent Liquor Museum bar will be offering a special whisky designed to pair with Lawson's super popular fried chicken, Karaage-kun!

Seasoned Lawson customers will be familiar with Karaage-kun, Lawson's original brand of Japanese fried chicken (karaage) nuggets that come in a variety of flavors such as ramen and Final Fantasy Limited Break, and have become big enough they were recently become certified as space food.

The original Karaage-kun specialty whisky is a blended whisky with a slightly smoky taste, made specifically to pair with Lawson's flagship fried chicken by the Liquor Museum. The Liquor Museum recommends enjoying it in the form of a highball.

The new space will be at the Shinjuku Washington Hotel Building Store location, opening October 6th. The full bar will offer be open from the hours of 15:00 - 24:00, and offer a 8 counter seats and 4 tables with a maximum seating capacity of 20 people. In addition to the special fried chicken-pairing whisky and on-hand drinks, customers will be allowed to bring in any products purchased at the adjacent Lawson.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.