Konbeeny

If they were so convenient, they wouldn't be there in the first place

It's 2:30 AM. You open the refrigerator for a little late night feast and find only an old carrot and some margerine. You squint your eyes and look further into the back of the case - nothing. No problem whatsoever. Japan is strewn with convenience stores, most within a five to ten minute walk from anywhere. I personally have started to notice different grades of convenience stores. Some are far more interseting than others. Some are more expensive than others. Some have made me laugh while others have made me angry. Overall, they are good places to spend your time. At most convenience stores, you can pick up sandwiches (usually with no crust), cup-o-noodle type instant food, onigiri (rice balls wrapped in nori with some kind of flavorful item in the middle), nikuman (Chinese style pork buns), bento (Japanese style boxed lunch) among all of the regulars : bread, milk, soda, butter and chips. You can also send a fax to somebody, stand there and read magazines, make copies, pay your phone, electricity, gas bills, buy phone cards to use in public phones and even buy a gift for someone.

What follows is a short review of some of the convenience stores I have visited, a grade and an explination of why I gave it that grade. FAMILY MART - Kind of a friendly place with a little smiley face out in front of every store. Family Mart is a nationwide chain and can be found almost anywhere. Most of the stores are small and plain. The best part of Family Mart is that they usually carry plain-wrap products. Everything from plain-wrap envelopes and pens to plain-wrap cookies and potato chips. Another strong point for Family Mart is the stock of magazines the stores usually have on display. They typically have all the amenities of a copy machine and a fax. It would be a much better place if they expanded the variety of onigiri and sandwiches.