JAPAN – The Jinbocho branch of convenience Japanese retailer Family Mart is luring new consumers and increasing store traffic by doing its part to help boost interest in table tennis.

“It may come as a surprise for people to see table tennis tables in convenience stores and restaurants, but the number of people playing table tennis is increasing, thanks to the easy accessibility to facilities for playing the game,” writes The Daily Yomiuri.

Inside the Family Mart store, customers can take up a game of table tennis in the Famitaku area that is partitioned off with glass walls and has five table tennis tables available around the clock. Famitaku opened in October of 2005 and also offers lessons to those who want to learn the sport.

“It's fun playing here, and the air-conditioned temperature is cool for playing in summer,” commented one table tennis player.

The newspaper writes that gyms and sports clubs are the most common places to practice and play table tennis, but some people are reluctant to frequent such facilities because of booking times. And there is also the issue of competition. Because most gym and sports club table tennis players are highly skilled at the sport, those new to the table tennis arena will often opt to not risk embarrassment, therefore avoiding the game altogether.