O Bento

'O Bento' is the Japanese refined version of lunch boxes. It's either home cooked (eg. B always brings one for her Chigiri-e class) or bought in convenience stores (which we btw have zillions of), supermarkets, department stores, train stations and specialized o bento-shops. You can find them in any price range.


The main ingredients are typical rice, meat/fish, cooked vegetables and pickles.






But often you find regional or seasonal specialties as well, always making it an exciting hunt to find the best o bento where ever you are in the country.



An o bento bought at a train station is called an ekiben (eki means station) and is really popular. Its impossible to travel by the shinkansen (bullet train) with out having half the train eating ekiben.

It gives the train a distinguished smell of food, which you only notice as a gaijin.

Itadakimasu!