In recent years, many American retailers have struggled to survive for a wide variety of reasons, including competition from other brands, high real estate prices, and a change in the way consumers spent their money and went shopping. by Martin Danker Japan is not immune to these changes, but they do tend to happen far…

I believe that everyone must be familiar with Doraemon(ドラえもん) series, be it manga , anime or both. The manga, published way back in 1969 is one of the best-selling manga series worldwide and has won many awards including the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award and has been adapted to anime series and multimedia franchise. So popular…

LAWSON is one of the biggest convenience stores here in Japan. It has a wide range of products like food, beverages and other goods. It even has its own brand and a delicious luxurious coffee, a smoothly blended coffee with good fragrance called “the Machi Cafe”, available in the store. You’ve probably heard of the…

Usually, when you think of LAWSON, you picture the convenience stores with the blue signboard which are scattered all across Japan. However, did you know that there are other LAWSON stores like LAWSON STORE 100 whose aim is to sell cheaper products? These niche stores target different demographics. If you are interested to know about…

7-Eleven is very popular around the world as a leading convenience store chain selling all your daily needs. In Japan, there are others that are equally brilliant such as LAWSON, FamilyMart, and so on. Japanese retail chain stores or mini-marts are highly regarded as one of the best with commendable service and quality amenities which…

LAWSON is a famous retail chain company that first originated in the United States and later moved completely with its headquarters to Shinagawa, Japan. It is owned by Mitsubishi and it operates thousands of convenience stores all across Japan. LAWSON has become a well-known Japanese brand that competes with 7-Eleven and other convenience stores by…

People who have been to Japan and have attested to the country’s impressive convenience store lineup aren’t exaggerating. Japanese convenience stores, or “konbini” in Japanese, have tons of surprises that will make your first, second, and perhaps even third visit a “wow moment” experience. The presence of these shops is no longer limited to urban…

In Japan, it is believed that when seasons change, people are more prone to be affected by the evil forces i.e. devils, so there is a need to ward off evil on the day before the beginning of the new season. As such, Setsubun (節分), which means the last day before spring, is an occasion…

You have probably seen billboards and posters of the movie HiGH & LOW all over the metro. It’s an entertainment project that consists of a drama series with two seasons – a prequel called Road to HiGH & LOW and a spin-off entitled The Red Rain featuring two of its prominent characters, the Amamiya Brothers.…

Every few blocks, you’ll definitely find a convenience store in Japan. These are known as “conbini” in Japanese. This is the reason why Japan is called the “Land of Convenience.” These are not only places for you to buy your daily necessities but also a place for you to pay your utility bills. What makes…