Research Project: Japan's Konbini Culture (posted by Jane)

Intro

When you think of convenience stores, what do you think of? Before coming to Japan my mind immediately went to chips, soda, and even gas stations. However, Tokyo turned my views of convenience stores upside down. The convenience stores were well stocked with a wide variety of warm and cold food. There wasn’t only food, though. They had ATMs, copieres, and more. In Japan convenience stores are called konbinis. Konbinis are very popular. In total there are 55,736 convenience stores in Japan, 20,000 of which are 7-Elevens; there are only 9,000 7-Elevens in the USA (“Number of 7-Eleven stores in the United States 2025”). 

This is how I came up with my research question: Why are konbinis so successful in Japan?

Methodology

For my research, I read fifteen online articles. I also went on a konbini tour where I got to interview our guide, Rio. I also interviewed our other guides, Eiji and Aki. My sisters and I went on a konbini scavenger hunt! Anne and I also taste-tested interesting foods like smoked eggs and squid. 

Thesis

After all this research, I boiled the answer down to three main reasons why konbinis are so successful: their focus on nostalgic Japanese food, a workaholic culture in Japan, and most importantly, population density.

Reason 1

The first big difference between Japanese and American convenience stores I noticed was the traditional Japanese foods like ongiri (rice balls), oden (soup), and gyoza (dumplings). The first 7-Eleven in Tokyo was opened in 1974. I visited this store during our time in Tokyo. However, it was not super successful at first. This changed in 1978 when Ito Yokado, the corporation behind the Japanese branch of 7- Eleven, decided to introduce ongiri, a riceball wrapped in dried seaweed. They were an immediate success because they were good-on-the-go but also used traditional flavors. By the early 1980s there were 10,000 konbinis, with three main brands: 7-Eleven, Family Mart, and Lawsons (Young). This then created competition which forced the corporations behind these brands to become more innovative with how they mass produce foods to entice the customer.

Anne and I tried three types of traditional foods from the three main brands. The first food we tried was ongiri which is a rice ball wrapped in dried seaweed and there are lots of flavors like roe, salmon, and tuna. There is archeological evidence of ongiri dating back 2,000 years. These rice balls were used for court functions in the Heian period (794- 1185) before becoming part of military rations in the Kamakura period (1192- 1333). Rice balls became more mainstream in the Edo period (1603 -1867) (McNamee). We tried kelp, spicy roe, and pickled plum ongiri. We agreed the pickled plum was our favorite because it wasn’t like anything we had had before it was sweet and yet bitter at the same time. It makes sense that people are so attracted to these delicious rice balls.

The second food we tried was karaage, a style of Japanese fried chicken. In the 16th-century, Portuguese frying methods influenced karaage but spread across the country after World War II due to food shortages causing people to eat more chicken (Feinstein). The three we tried were quite similar but Family Mart’s was our favorite for its crust-to-meat ratio.

The last traditional food we tried was nikuman, a steamed bun with meat fillings. Nikuman is a variant of the Chinese baoza that was introduced to Japan in the 14th century but stayed in the Chinatowns until it gained more widespread popularity in the 1920s (Rayne). We preferred the meat nikuman over the pork. There are many more nostalgic foods in convenience stores. 

Reason 2

The second reason for the success of konbinis is the Japanese work culture. There are stereotypes of the Japanese working long work days. This stereotype is actually based in fact. If you have ever been to Tokyo you have seen hundreds of men in button down shirts, ties and trousers all heading to the same place: work. The average work week is 40 hours in Japan versus the 34 hours a week in the USA (Tokyo weekender). However, Shinto Abe passed several reforms to limit the amount of unpaid overtime in 2018.

How does this relate to konbinis? Well, konbinis are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, even when restaurants may be closed, people coming home can grab a fast bite to eat. Also convenience stores have pre-made meals that help households with two working parents who do not have time for making homemade meals.The three guides that I interviewed all agreed that Japanese “salarymen” work long hours, and that this is a cause for the konbinis.

Reason 3

The most important reason kobinis are successful is population density. Tokyo is the most populous city in the world at 38 million people (Beautiful). Because there is such a high demand for land, prices go up for apartments in Tokyo proper which leads to two things: 1) people move out of the city and have to commute or 2) they have to live in very small apartments. The average commute time for the greater Tokyo area is an hour and forty two minutes, which is about an hour each way (realestatejapan.com). Whereas, the average commute time in Atlanta is 31 minutes each way. Also the majority of people don’t have cars in Tokyo – only 28% of households do – so people take the subway and there are konbinis at almost every subway stop. The average residence in Tokyo proper is 710 square feet (Hida). For reference, the average residence in Atlanta is 1,914 square feet. The New York Times wrote an article on homes in Tokyo that were only ninety-five square feet.The New York Times mentioned how for many people it is much easier to buy a premade meal than try to cook in a kitchen so small. Also, since there is very little space for any given store, konbinis are a great fit because they take up much less space than a full grocery store.

Ultimately, I think that population density is the main cause for successful konbinis because so many things stem from the crowded cities. Sometimes the simple explanation is the right one.

Conclusion

This project feels so relevant to the average person in Japan. Even though kobinis aren’t normally considered to be part of Japanese culture, they are. It's not “exotic” like samurai or kimonos but it plays a bigger role in an average person's life. It falls into the trend of the Japanese accepting a foreign concept and then making it their own. We see a bigger example of this from the Meiji restoration – when Japan went from a feudal society to a war machine in fifty years – to the brilliance of Shohei Ohtani playing American baseball.

Works Cited

Adventurer, Creative. “The Ultimate Foodie Guide to Konbini, Japanese Amazing Convenience Stores - the Creative Adventurer.” Creative Adventurer, 10 Feb. 2021, thecreativeadventurer.com/the-ultimate-foodie-guide-to-japanese-convenience-stores-and-konbinis/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Aki. 13 Oct. 2025.

Beautiful, City. “Why Is Tokyo the World’s Largest Urban Area? (38 Million People!).” Www.youtube.com, 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngdNGX_23Gs. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Coto Academy. “Japanese Work Culture: How Is It Different from the US?” Coto Academy, 14 Dec. 2022, cotoacademy.com/japanese-work-culture-how-is-it-different-from-the-us/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Cwiertka, Katarzyna J., and Ewa Machotka. Consuming Life in Post-Bubble Japan: A Transdisciplinary Perspective. 2025. JSTOR, Amsterdam University Press, 2018, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv56fgjm.

Feinstein, Paul. “The World’s Surprising Fried Chicken Capital.” Www.bbc.com, 22 Dec. 2022, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20221213-why-fried-chicken-is-a-big-deal-in-japan. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Hida, Hikari. “A 95-Square-Foot Tokyo Apartment: “I Wouldn’t Live Anywhere Else.”” The New York Times, 3 Oct. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/10/03/business/tiny-apartments-tokyo.html. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kawase, Mayuko. “Behind the Success of Japan’s Convenience Stores.” HANABI, 2025, hanabi.asij.ac.jp/uncategorized/behind-the-success-of-japans-convenience-stores/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Knowles, Daniel. “How Tokyo Became an Anti-Car Paradise - Heatmap News.” Heatmap.news, 11 Apr. 2023, heatmap.news/economy/tokyo-anti-car-pedestrian-paradise. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Lord, Cassandra. “Japanese Work Culture: Are the Stories True or False?” Tokyo Weekender, 5 Oct. 2022, www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/japanese-work-culture-true-or-false/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

McNamee, Gregory Lewis. “Onigiri | Meaning, Origins, Ingredients, & Shapes | Britannica.” Www.britannica.com, 28 Sept. 2022, www.britannica.com/topic/onigiri. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Rayne, Lively. “The Delicious History of Nikuman: A Steamed Snack Favorite.” The Food Maps - Vietnam’s Food Map - Discover the World’s Flavors through Food Maps, 4 July 2025, www.thefoodmaps.com/the-delicious-history-of-nikuman-a-steamed-snack-favorite/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Rio. 3 Oct. 2025.

Shin, Eugenie. “The Rise of Japanese Konbini: 50 Years of Convenience Stores.” Tokyo Weekender, 29 Jan. 2025, www.tokyoweekender.com/art_and_culture/history/the-rise-of-japanese-convenience-stores/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Sturadarus, Laura . “The Unique Culture of Japanese Convenience Stores.” Bbc.com, 2021, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190610-the-unique-culture-of-japanese-convenience-storeswww.bbc.com/travel/article/20190610-the-unique-culture-of-japanese-convenience-stores. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

“What Is the Average Work Commute Time in Japan? - Blog.” Blog, 13 June 2017, resources.realestate.co.jp/living/average-work-commute-time-japan/.

Whitelaw, Gavin H. “Japan as a Society Dependent on Convenience Stores What Attracts Me to Japan’s “Konbini” - Discuss Japan.” Discuss Japan -, 18 Apr. 2016, www.japanpolicyforum.jp/society/pt201604190509345562.html. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

World Population Review. “Tokyo, Japan Population 2024.” Worldpopulationreview.com, 2024, worldpopulationreview.com/cities/japan/tokyo. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Young, Nana. “A Deep Dive into Japanese Convenience Stores: More than Just a Quick Stop.” Bokksu Snack Box, 18 Apr. 2024, bokksu.com/blogs/news/a-deep-dive-into-japanese-convenience-stores-more-than-just-a-quick-stop?srsltid=AfmBOorSgtQXH7Mp0sIA3xtgseVZqZ_v_RuJ_Y9nYf6lJ479rMRWocw0. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Research Project: Bonsai Trees & Zen Buddhism (posted by Annie)

 

Introduction 

For my Japanese research project, I am studying the ancient art of bonsai. I learned about bonsai through a documentary on Japanese gardens that talked about it. I was interested, and wanted to know more. You probably don’t know what bonsai is. The word bonsai comes from the Chinese word pensai, which means planting in a container. The reason why bonsai are so small is because they are in a pot, which does not allow them to grow. The Chinese started creating miniature landscapes over 2000 years ago. Then, it immigrated to Japan. Instead of doing whole landscapes like the Chinese, the Japanese just did miniature trees. (Omiya Bonsai Museum, Kanegi)

When I went to the Omiya Bonsai Museum, I learned about how you are supposed to look at a bonsai tree. First, you look at the roots. Then you go to the trunk. You make your way up to the branches with your eyes. Finally, look at the leaves.

There are (according to one of my many websites) 14 different types of bonsai, but here are just a few:

• Broom style

• Formal upright style

• Informal upright style

• Cascade style

• Semi cascade style

• Multi trunk style

• Forest style

• Shari style (Bonsai Empire)

While I was doing my research, I found a strong correlation between bonsai and Zen Buddhism. For those of you who don't know, the Buddha was a prince in India, in the 6th century B.C. He had a privileged life. He ate as much as he wished and some more, wore fine clothes, but never saw the outside world. One day he decided to go outside. There he saw hunger, aging, and sickness. He was shocked. He left his family in search of a reason for suffering and he made himself homeless and starved himself for six years, yet still he did not have an answer to the suffering. Then he sat himself under the bodhi tree, and he had a revelation about the four noble truths (PBS, BBC, Bragg, Suzuki):

• the truth of suffering, we all end up suffering. 

• the source of suffering is our desire.                                                                                                     

• you can end of suffering, if you can end desire.

• the path that leads to the end of suffering, is called the eightfold path.

Then he explained the eightfold path:

• Right understanding, understand the Four Nobel Truthes

• Right thought, do not think badly

• Right speech, do not say bad things

• Right act, do not do bad things

• Right livelihood, do not have a profession that does bad things

• Right effort, do not have unwholesome states of mind

• Right mindfulness, have a sense of awareness in your body

• Right concentration, do meditation (Bragg, PBS)

This is the path to enlightenment and to the end of suffering. But that only explains Buddhism, not Zen Buddhism. Zen was first introduced into Japan as early as 653-656 C.E, in the Shofukuji Temple. Zen Buddhists emphasize meditation (Bragg). With meditation, you cannot think about anything, your mind just goes blank. The differences between Buddhism and Zen Buddhism are:

Buddhism	Zen Buddhism
You get enlightened over time	You get enlightened immediately
No manistic way of life	A manistic way of life
Not regularly meditating	Regularly meditating

Some other facts about Zen Buddhism are:

• Speak in riddles to sidestep rational thought

• Words and rational thought get in the way of enlightenment

• Posture and the way your legs are crossed is more important than breathing in meditation (Bragg, Daisen-In Garden)

So, my question is "What does Bonsai tell us about Zen Buddhism?"

Methodology 

For my project I read websites, visited museums, interviewed people, watched documentaries and even listened to a podcast:

I read thirteen different books and websites.

I watched three documentaries 

I visited five museums

I interviewed three people: a bonsai enthusiast, and two bonsai apprentices.

I visited seven different Buddhist temples.

In total I have twenty-four different sources.

Section 1: Wabi Sabi

Mariya Kanegi’s article “What Role did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture” taught me about the wabi sabi. Wabi sabi is a Buddhist concept that means to “embrace imperfection, embrace impermanence, celebrate the natural cycle of growth and decay, and celebrate the imperfection of nature” (Kanegi). I think that bonsai has a lot of wabi sabi in it, especially with the style of “shari” bonsai, which has a lot of dead wood.

Here is a photo of bonsai that I think depicts that.

I feel like it is rough because it has all of the sharp bits, and the roots are showing to emphasize that it is barely holding on. It is asymmetrical because it is a semi cascade style, which means it is slanted. It is decaying because of the driftwood and, since it is slanting it looks like it is slowly dying. 

This reflects Zen Buddhism because, according to Mariya Kanegi, “the Zen aesthetics in bonsai is to accentuate the essence of the tree”. That basically is wabi sabi because wabi sabi is to celebrate the imperfection of nature, and the essence of trees is usually not perfect. 

This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: Stop trying to be perfect. You will never be perfectly symmetrical, or get perfect scores on tests, or get a perfect life. And that's okay.

Section 2: Shibui

One of the other reasons for what bonsai tells us about Zen Buddhism is shibui. I learnt about shibui from Mariya Kanegi’s, What Role did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture. According to her, shibui is to “value simplicity, and to understand simplicity”. To me, for shibui, simplicity is the key. No need to do crazy, big stuff. Just small. It does not have to be eye-catching. Bonsai shows this because most are simple and don't draw too much attention grabbing. Again, a bonsai tree that shows shibui.

I feel this tree shows shibui because it does not draw too much attention, but when you stop to look at it closely, there is so much more to it. It is simple, but says so much more. Just for an example, for me the roots look like a turtle swimming with a tree on its back. Another example is the trunk on the far right. To me it looks like someone singing with their arms held up high. And that is just from glancing at it. What more would you see when fully taking it in? Would it look like a face? I don't know. But I think that is what shibui is. Simple, but extravagant on the inside.

This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: Stop thinking so much. Let your mind go blank.

Section 3: Satori 

My third reason is Satori. I learnt about satori through the D.T Suzuki Museum. 

D.T Suzuki said, “The acquiring of a new viewpoint… Satori is the unfolding of a new world hitherto unseen.” Satori is like putting on glasses for the first time. It's all blurry at first, but then it all comes into focus so suddenly. The glasses are like understanding the meaning of life, that we are one with nature. 

Bonsai is kind of like satori because the trees seem to be only a few years old at first, but actually are hundreds of years old. Once you change your perspective, you can see the true meaning behind the trees (Omiya Bonsai Museum, D.T Suzuki Museum).

This tree shows satori because to me it seems mysterious, and big, and old, and secretive, and nobody will crack the code. It seems like it has answers to everything, but won't give a clue of what they are. 

It also shows satori because when we were looking at this tree from above, it looked tiny and meek, but when I took this picture from below, it looked mighty and wise. This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: satori is something kind of like Enlightenment.

Conclusion 

So, in conclusion, the answer (in my opinion) to my topic “What does Bonsai tell us about Zen Buddhism?” is wabi sabi, shibui and satori. Now we will play some games. Choose which type of style these bonsai trees are!

 

1. Forest style

2. Broom style

3. Shari style

1. Broom style

2. Informal upright style

3. Slanting style

1. Shari style

2. Slanting style

3. Cascade style

Answers are A, B, C! Did you get it right?

Works Cited

Admin Wazakura. “A Short Introduction to Japanese Bonsai Philosophy and Wabi Sabi.” Wazakura Japan, 31 May 2024, wazakurajapan.com/blogs/news/introduction-to-japanese-bonsai-and-wabi-sabi?srsltid=AfmBOop-fDsNrwrLpq8EYEVn8kb6VozhlMgPx_yoC8DFj2MLeR_80eQZ . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

BBC. “BBC - Religions - Buddhism: Zen Buddhism.” Bbc.co.uk, 2 Oct. 2002, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/zen_1.shtml . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Bragg, Melvin. In Our Time, Zen. BBC, 2014. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

C.L./ J.R. “Wabi-Sabi, a Spiritual and Aesthetic Concept.” Japan-Experience.com, 2020, www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/wabi-sabi-a-spiritual-and-aesthetic-concept . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025 .

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. Introduction to Zen Buddhism. 1949. 2018.

Dhamma in English. “Documentary - the Buddha - PBS Documentary (Narrated by Richard Gere).” YouTube, 17 Sept. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc7_VyVXDLs .

Happy Boots: step into the world. “Temples and Shrines in Japan: Key Differences Explained!” YouTube, 6 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uWdar2jJOE . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Japanese Temples.” Www.japan-Guide.com, 8 June 2025, www.japan-guide.com/e/e2058.html . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Jason Hanrahan - The Bonsai Garden. “Zen and the Art of Bonsai.” YouTube, 8 Mar. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5a5A6skCWY.  Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Joseph. Shunkaen Bonsai Museum. 4 Oct. 2025.

Kin. Shunkaen Bonsai Museum. 4 Oct. 2025.

Mariya Kanegi. “What Role Did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture? - Mariya Kanegi - Medium.” Medium, 6 Oct. 2024,medium.com/@mariya.kanegi/what-role-did-zen-buddhism-play-in-bonsai-culture-c3b9d218895a . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Ronald Eyre on Zen.” YouTube, 5 Feb. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsMH0VjmP0I&list=PLnSbMXkqvdJxVImdg_hqpWMGOeoLq2xBX&index=4 . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Shaping and Styling Bonsai Trees.” Bonsai Empire, www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/ .

“The Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Temples and Shrines | Motto Japan Media - Japanese Culture & Living in Japan.” Motto-Jp.com, 10 Mar. 2020, motto-jp.com/media/lifestyle/the-beginners-guide-to-japanese-temples-and-shrines/ . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Yuka. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. Sept. 2025