Quiz

b) Kimono

There are some 40,000 convenience stores in Japan, and the average store carries about 3,000 different products. These stores sell foodstuffs like boxed lunches, rice balls, bread, juice, and snacks, as well as everyday goods, magazines, and tickets to movies and events. Almost every daily necessity can be found, but not kimono. There are even bank ATMs and copy machines available for use. Customers can also pay their electricity, gas, water, and other bills at convenience stores 24 hours a day. These stores really are convenient.

About 200 new products hit convenience store shelves every week, replacing existing products whose sales have been less than expected. It is said that some 70% of all the products in a convenience store will have been replaced in a year’s time. Convenience stores are very safety-conscious, and they throw away all the foods that have passed their expiration date. As they are very useful for people who live alone, convenience stores are used by young people quite frequently. Among the larger population, convenience stores are used every day by one person in four. This may be the coolest kind of store in Japan!

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