If you need something in Japan, there's a decent chance you'll find it here.

Convenience Stores (konbini) in Japan are kind of like Starbucks—you find them everywhere. In larger cities you may even find multiple ones in a single block, and more just a block over. They really do have almost everything: food and drinks, of course, but you will also find clothes, stationery, groceries, and more. You can also pay house bills (water, electric, etc) at them, which is extremely convenient. You can ask Amazon to deliver your package to the nearest konbini and they will hold it for you. They are clean, the staff is very nice. All around great places.

They are extremely popular, as you might imagine, but the margins must be very narrow because they are constantly going out of business. There is a location near me (not the one photoed below) that has been host to several different konbinis; one goes bankrupt, then another builds up on the exact same location a few weeks later, and repeat. Crazy business. But very good one for us customers!

David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.

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