Jan 14, 2026
Working late in Japan and how it affects dinner habits
For many expats working in Japan, late nights at the office aren't just an occasional inconvenience but a familiar part of life. When that happens, dinner often becomes a problem to solve rather than something to enjoy. A recent survey conducted by R&G Co., Ltd. shed some light on just how common this struggle is, and it's one that I think many foreign workers will also relate to.
The survey gathered responses from 500 working men and women across Japan, and found that the most common solution on late nights is buying dinner to take home. Convenience store bento, prepared meals and instant noodles dominated choices, with instant noodles ranking as the most frequently eaten late-night dinner. Speed, ease, and minimal cleanup seem to matter more than anything after a long workday, which I can understand!
However, convenience comes at a cost. The biggest concern raised was rising food expenses, followed by a lack of motivation to cook and worries about unbalanced nutrition.
If you often end up doing overtime at work here, what is your go-to dinner option? Do you plan ahead, or do you opt for fast and easy meals?
2 Comments
BigfamJapan
3 hours ago
I've worked in a couple of places that have a cafeteria that does dinner too. Because they know so many people stay well beyond the official office ours. I have eaten at places like that before, but was more inclined to get a bento on the way home.
TonetoEdo
1 hour ago
You know from my TtoE blogs that I cook most of my meals. Before long days at work, I prep whole foods as much as possible. However, you can see from my reviews of products that yep, I resort to conbini foods a lot. My resolution in 2026 is to meal prep, whole foods, as much as I can to stay away from conbin items at premium prices.