These days, the Japanese are thinking more about their health. This is especially true when it comes to food-more people are choosing food products and ingredients that are good for them.

As part of this movement for better health, a convenience store called Natural Lawson is promoting better eating habits. Some of the shelves are crammed with vegetables grown with lower levels of agricultural chemicals than you would see elsewhere.

Shodo Yuka manages the store, which is located in Meguro, Tokyo. "Our vegetables are grown in Chiba, a prefecture next to the Tokyo metropolis. They are really fresh, because they are delivered directly from the farm to us the day after the harvest."

Pamphlets displayed at the entrance explain how to choose the right foods for better health-for example, food to help people cope with diabetes or reduce blood pressure. Notes attached to the shelves list the ingredients and beneficial effects of some of the products displayed there. Next to items containing blueberries is a note, "For eye fatigue," and next to the figs, "Aids digestion." If you're worried about your health, you may find this helpful.

Have you been putting on weight lately? Try the low-calorie soup with four types of vegetables. The rice balls and take-out meals are made with brown instead of white rice, for people who want more vitamins, minerals and fiber. Shodo says, "Many of today's illnesses are said to be caused by food which is too refined, too rich. In the old days the Japanese ate brown rice and plenty of miso (bean paste) soup and vegetables, and people are now realizing the health benefits of such a diet."

Convenience stores offer easy shopping and convenient services, but this one has a philosophy behind it, too. Sometimes staff members give customers advice on eating well. It's a new type of store helping people in their search for better health, and many customers come from a considerable distance just to shop there.