“Convenience Store Woman” in Cultural Context

Centering on Sayaka Murata’s novel "Convenience Store Woman," this online workshop explores the meaning of work, family, and happiness in Japan as they manifest in the life of one quirky female protagonist. Convenience stores—konbini in Japanese—are a distinctive marker of the Japanese cityscape. For some, they are the first stop for everyday essentials. For others, they are a place to grab a quick meal or browse a weekly comic. For still others, like the fictional character at the heart of Murata’s novel, they are a welcome respite from the pressures of conformity and conventional pathways to motherhood or career.

"Convenience Store Woman," which won the Akutagawa Prize in 2016, is an entertaining window into aspects of contemporary Japanese culture rarely seen in literature. The book is accessibly written and will interest students from middle school on up.

• • Starts:
  • May 14, 2026
• • Ends:
  • May 14, 2026
• • Time Detail:
  • 6-8pm (ET)
• • Learning Format:
  • Online
• • Type of Course:
  • Workshops
• • Audience:
  • K-12 Educators
• • Offered to:
  • All States
• • Registration and Info:

  • The workshop will be moderated by Shawn Bender (Dickinson College) and feature a framing lecture on Japanese convenience stores by Gavin Whitelaw (Harvard University). The lecture will be followed by a session led by Michele Beauchamp (Mannheim School District) on adapting Convenience Store Woman in the classroom. Participants will receive a copy of the short novel to read in advance of the workshop.

    Registration deadline: May 1