Fast Food & Grill · Practical guide

Subway

Fresh In-Store Baked Bread, Custom Veggies & Airport Branches

Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.

Quick Facts

Feature Details
Japanese nameサブウェイ (Subway)
CategoryDining / Fresh Custom Submarine Sandwiches, Healthy Fast-Casual & Fresh Bakery (Subway Japan Official Website)
Store CountApproximately 180 stores across major Japanese metropolitan hubs, train station concourses, suburban shopping malls, and international airport hubs (Tokyo Haneda, Narita), operated by Subway Japan LLC (Watami Group) (Store Locator)
Ordering StyleStep-by-step assembly line: choose sandwich base; select bread and toast preference; choose cheese/meat toppings; customize vegetable quantities (free vegetable boost!); pick signature dressing; cashier payment at line end
Membership Required?No membership or ID required; walk-ins welcome, subject to seating availability.
Approximate Price RangeRegular 6-inch sandwiches ~¥490–¥790 tax-included; combo set meals with oven-baked wedges & drinks ~¥750–¥1,050 (subject to revision); Tax-Free not applicable (dining service / domestic consumption)
Payment MethodsCash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA), electronic money, and smartphone QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-Barai, au PAY)
Multilingual SupportClear illustrated Japanese/English step-by-step ordering guides on the glass sneeze guard; point-and-choose assembly line makes ordering 100% language-barrier-free
Subway storefront on a street corner by the Akita Castle Hotel in Akita City, Subway signage visible
Photo: 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

What it is

Subway Japan (サブウェイ), operating under Subway Japan LLC (part of Watami Group), is revered across Japan as "Yasai no Subway" (Vegetable Subway)—the ultimate healthy culinary haven for travelers seeking clean, nutritious meals amidst a vacation of fried food and ramen. Operating roughly 180 stores nationwide, Subway Japan bakes four distinct bread types fresh in-house every single morning and features an assembly line of farm-contracted crisp Japanese produce. Renowned for domestic gourmet favorites like Slow-Cooked Roast Beef, Ebi Avocado (Shrimp & Avocado), and Raw Ham with Mascarpone Cheese, Subway Japan is also famously generous: you can ask for "Yasai Oome" (Extra Vegetables) for 100% free, loading your sandwich with crisp lettuce, sweet tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, pickles, and black olives!

How to order

Ordering at Subway Japan follows an intuitive, five-step assembly line along the glass ingredient counter:

  1. Step 1: Choose Your Sandwich Base:
    • Browse the menu board above or point through the glass.
    • Popular options include Roast Beef (ローストビーフ), Ebi Avocado (えびアボカド), Teriyaki Chicken (てり焼きチキン), or the vegetarian Veggie Delite (ベジーデライト).
    • Specify size: Regular (6-inch) or Footlong (12-inch).
  2. Step 2: Choose Your Bread & Toasting:
    • Choose from four breads baked fresh daily:
      • White (ホワイト): Classic soft wheat bread.
      • Wheat (ウィート): Nutritious roasted brown wheat bread with a hint of honey sweetness.
      • Sesame (セサミ): Topped with fragrant roasted sesame seeds.
      • Honey Oats (ハニーオーツ): Rolled oats and honey glaze.
      • (Flatbread is also available at select branches).
    • Toasting Question: The staff will ask: "Toasuto shimasu ka?" (Would you like it toasted?). Say "Hai" (Yes) for melted cheese and a warm, crusty bite.
  3. Step 3: Add Premium Toppings (Optional):
    • Add sliced natural cheese (+¥80), creamy avocado scoop (+¥150), or double bacon.
  4. Step 4: Customize Your Fresh Vegetables (The Secret Free Hack!):
    • Standard vegetables include Lettuce, Tomatoes, Green Bell Peppers, and Onions.
    • Free optional add-ons include Pickles (Pikurusu), Black Olives (Oriibu), and Spicy Jalapeños (Harapenyo).
    • The Japanese Secret: Say "Yasai Oome de" (野菜多めで - Extra vegetables, please!)—the staff will pack your bread to the absolute brim with mountains of fresh vegetables at zero extra charge! If you dislike raw onions, say "Onion nashi de".
  5. Step 5: Pick Your Signature Dressing:
    • Point to one of nine house dressings: Oil & Vinegar, Creamy Caesar, Wasabi Shoyu (Japanese horseradish soy), Sweet Mustard, or Basil Sauce.
  6. Step 6: Pay at the Register:
    • Add a Drink & Oven-Baked Potato Set (Korokoro Potato). Pay via credit card, Suica, or cash.

What to order first

  1. Ebi Avocado on Honey Oats (えびアボカド): Japan's #1 most popular sandwich. Plump, sweet steamed prawns paired with creamy smashed avocado, crisp lettuce, and Italian dressing (~¥590 regular).
  2. Premium Roast Beef on Wheat (贅沢ローストビーフ): Tender, thinly sliced seasoned beef simmered in natural juices, perfectly paired with spicy Wasabi Shoyu dressing (~¥690 regular).
  3. 生ハム＆マスカルポーネ (Raw Ham & Creamy Mascarpone): Silky Italian prosciutto paired with rich, milky mascarpone cheese and basil sauce (~¥570 regular).
  4. Oven-Baked "Korokoro" Potatoes (コロコロポテト): Bite-sized oven-roasted potato cubes dusted with herb salt or cheese powder—baked instead of fried for clean, guilt-free snacking (~¥220).

Payment & practical info

Prices and details checked: October 2026.

Good to know / Common mistakes

FAQ

Sources