Lazy bachelors have been doing this with their dishes since the invention of plastic wrap. From train station platforms, to convenience stores, to supermarkets, there’s no shortage of places in Japan selling bento. These box lunches are delicious, convenient, and, generally, quite affordable. Unfortunately, though, these pr-eprepared meals are not particularly good for the environment.That’s because the food of a …

Who says working at a convenience store isn’t profitable? Quitting on the first day at a new job is hardly something you want to do if you’re in need of money. In fact, repeat this a few times and before you know it, you’ll probably be penniless and on the street. That is, unless you steal everything you can from …

Honesty is the best policy, right? In an effort to make up for lost tax revenue caused by Japan’s steadily-shrinking population, this October the country is scheduled to increase its sales tax from the current 8% to 10%. However, as with any large-scale change, this quickly-approaching tax increase has caused plenty of confusion for many in Japan. Perhaps one of …

Adult magazines are about to get much harder to get in Japan. Whether you’re looking for a pair of spare underwear or you need to fax something, convenience stores in Japan seem to have pretty much anything you would ever need when in a pinch. However, it looks like these same convenience stores are on their way to becoming much …

Even the robbers are polite in Japan. In Japan the type of language you’re expected to use can change drastically depending on the situation you find yourself in. When you talk to your friends, you typically use very casual and direct speech. When you’re at work and you’re talking to a customer, you’re supposed to use very exhaling speech. And, …

The most samurai convenience store clerk ever. It’s not all that uncommon in the United States to hear stories about someone trying to rob a convenience store only to find themselves in serious trouble when the cashier pulls a gun on them. In Japan though, with it being almost impossible to own a gun, this sort of thing doesn’t happen. …

This lady needs a promotion. Sometimes bad kids just need a little discipline. That seems to be the attitude of a 54-year-old female 7-Eleven employee in Chiba Prefecture, who recently used nothing but her bare hands to stop a knife-wielding man young enough to be her son from robbing her store. According to police,  on the morning of August 29, …