As England was once called a nation of shopkeepers, Japan could be called a nation of readers.
Accordingly, at coffee shops and ramen shops you'll often find magazines and comic books provided for patrons. Walk into any convenience store, at almost any hour of the day or night, and you're bound to see a magazine browser or three, all standing and reading in a row. Even on tightly packed rush-hour trains, valiant readers hold books mere centimeters away from their noses, while their neighbors surreptitiously read over their shoulders.
In this readers' paradise, there are dozens of places where you can while away the hours reading . . . for absolutely free.