...on CONVENIENT Stores and vending machines.
The best way to give you an idea of what it is, is to say that it is like out convenient stores, which we call....Gas Stations. Yup, Gas Stations. Except in Japan is IS'NT a gas station. No cars service or gas to be found. Just the store part.
These can be found on every corner and street. 7 Eleven, MiniStop, Lawsons and etc. Along with vending machines that pop up no matter where you are in Japan.
I love that they are everywhere and I will explain why. They are nothing like ours, in America those places are only good to by junk food snacks or go to the bathroom if you are really daring. Now, in JAPAN these places are magical kingdoms *throws glitter*! Ok, not really but close. These places will give your sweet tooth the junk food craving it needs but it will also give you a good lunch, heat it up for you, pay your bills, fax that office letter, copy that paper work, use an INTERNATIONAL ATM (7 eleven only) and give you free chopsticks. Seriously, it feels like you could do everything in your day at the Konbini. We even learned about it in class!
The food is also very good. They have bento's and if it needs to be heated up they will do so for you. They also have cooking hot food in the front. Normaly like fried chicken or dumplings...it varies from store to store. They also have bread, milk, baked goods (very delicious I might add), Cartons of Milk, Cartons of Coffee, COFFEE, Hot Coffee, Tea and lots of yummy stuff. Oh! Lots of Cup Noodles also and things that just require water to cook. Those you have to take home but that shouldn't be a problem.
Depending on how big the store is they normally have things like paper, pens, pencils, paper towels, toilet paper, clothes detergent, hangers and other things you would need for your house. It is basically a mini grocery store.
OH! The magazines, they also have magazines and their magazines are the BEST EVER. At least in my opinion. The fashion magazines are just amazing. Not like our little crappy things that are just one add after another giving no useful information. You can also buy manga and sometimes dvd's and hentai for you perverts out there. The porn isn't in the back either, right in the magazine rack on the side, go crazy. Lol.
Oh and as for the junk food. Make sure to look for the weeeird flavors of chips and drinks.
The drink machines are on every corner or just outside some random building. They have lots of variety but you will probably only find one or two soda's. Most it is coffee, millions of teas of tea and juice. Oh, and sports drinks to keep you hydrated. The summers are very humid.
In the winter some of the machines even offer hot drinks. Hot coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Yum Yum!
I would like to add I had a vending machine IN MY DORM! Not in my room of course but down stairs in the lobby. It was cheaper too! Woo!