When people travel to Japan, temples, cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji are often on their list of things to see. But more and more, visitors are falling in love with something much more everyday — the Japanese convenience store, or konbini. Japanese konbini are different from convenience stores in other countries like the US or Australia — as well as selling food and drinks, they also sell things like socks, umbrellas and makeup. People can pay bills, send packages, or even buy concert tickets there too. The stores are usually clean and colorful. They're also a cheap and easy way to try Japanese food and snacks. Konbini started becoming more well-known in other countries during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Many foreign reporters in Japan weren't able to travel around much because of COVID-19 restrictions. So they began eating food from konbini and also writing about konbini, and this helped these stores become popular around the world. Since then, photos and videos of konbini have gone viral online. Many tourists make sure to visit konbini as part of their trip, and stores near popular sightseeing spots have started to add more English signs and sell souvenirs. In fact, konbini are so popular, there are even tours for them now! Ryo Ito is a tour guide who takes tourists to visit popular konbini chains including 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart. During his tours, Ito shows guests popular snacks and drinks. "When I'm doing this tour, I'm really having fun with the guests. It's not only about the convenience store, we also can exchange cultures through the convenience store," Ito told The Japan Times. For visitors, konbini are more than just a place to get a snack — they're an easy way to experience Japanese life.