A simple pair of striped socks from Japanese convenience stores has become a global cult item. But how did an everyday essential turn into the souvenir travellers seek out?

I am on the hunt in Tokyo. But instead of seeking out a steaming bowl of ramen or a neon-lit street corner, I'm prowling convenience stores for seasonally available socks.

Somehow, an everyday essential has become one of Japan's unlikeliest cult souvenirs, drawing expats, travellers and TikTok creators alike. Sold for as little as ¥390 (about £2), these "conbini socks" now top shopping lists, spark social-media challenges and even inspire full clothing lines. And like so many other visitors, I'll be leaving with a suitcase full.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time before convenience stores, or conbini as they're affectionately known in Japan, became fashion hubs. While in much of the world convenience stores are places to grab a greasy snack, in Japan they've evolved into a one-stop-everything shop. The reputation began in the 1970s when more women entering the workforce meant a rising demand for easy-to-eat dinner options, and was solidified as additional services were added, like the ability to buy concert tickets, pay bills or even just the opportunity to use clean bathroom or free wi-fi.

So when national conbini chain FamilyMart launched their Convenience Wear line in 2021, with socks, bags and underwear, locals barely blinked. One item, however, immediately stood out: "Line Socks", calf-height white tennis-style socks featuring two blue and green stripes modelled after the FamilyMart store logo. The socks became so popular that FamilyMart opened Famima!, a small clothing-and-lifestyle shop inside Tokyo's Blue Front Shibaura building – where there's also a regular FamilyMart a few steps away.

But FamilyMart isn't alone in the convenience-store sock market. Rival conbini chain Lawson partnered with Japanese designer Muji in 2021 to release two striped styles: a pink and blue pair that mimics the Lawson sign; and a navy-and-white pair inspired by store worker uniforms. During this year's Osaka expo, 7-Eleven sold limited-edition orange, green and red striped socks made from "Ovoveil", an upcycled eggshell membrane.

The streetwear trend is strong in Japan, and wearing socks convenience store socks has the same energy as a Supreme t-shirt or A Bathing Ape hoodie, albeit at a far more impulse-friendly price point.

The Line Sock's rise to cult status began during Japan's post-Covid border restrictions, when they became an unexpected hit with expats. J-Fashion designer Mikan Mandarin, founder of Vina of the Valley, found herself unexpectedly swept up by the trend, even though it didn't match her kawaii (cute) style.

"It was one of those........

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