Lawson started a trial of a multilingual instructional video system at three stores in Tokyo on March 24, 2026. The locations include Ikebukuro, Ginza, and Shinjuku [1, 2]. The system helps foreign customers purchase hot food items such as karaage-kun fried chicken. It also guides them through sanitizing hands before handling hot food, addressing unfamiliar purchasing procedures [3, 2].
Customers can access the video guides by tapping their smartphones on NFC smart tags placed in the stores. The videos are available in English, Chinese, and Korean languages, catering to the needs of diverse international visitors [3, 2].
In addition to purchasing guidance, the system offers interactive features. Customers learn how to enter lotteries for anime-related prizes and play augmented reality (AR) games using karaage-kun characters [3, 1, 2].
The trial aims to assist foreign tourists amid a rise in international visitors to Japan, which reached a record 42.7 million in 2025. This surge has raised concerns about potential social friction caused by cultural misunderstandings [2].
The trial will run through the end of May 2026. Depending on the results, Lawson may expand the service to more stores and include additional product categories such as coffee [3, 2].
