Delicious Ekiben Meals on the Go!

Bento box meals are a fast, healthy, and cost effective way to get a satisfying meal. The word bento came from southern Song Dynasty slang, from the word “convenience,” in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) when cooked and dried rice (hoshi-ii) came about. Intricate wooden lacquer boxes held bento at hanami (tea parties) and bento flourished until after WWII, when standardized food was supplied for school lunch boxes. Interest in it would rise again in the eighties.Ekiben  (駅弁)  or railway boxed meals, are a specific type of bento boxed meals sold in train stations in Japan. The 1980s were considered as the “Golden Age” of ekiben. Its popularity was at its peak when air travel was expensive and tourists would opt to take trains to get to their destination. It’s a fast and convenient way to get a healthy meal while on the go.

There are several types of ekiben available at food kiosks and even food vending machines on the train station platforms. Ekiben meals are mostly a complete balanced meal that includes disposable chopsticks or spoons, and the containers are usually wood, plastic, or ceramic. Many train stations have become popular for the affordable and delicious ekiben meals passengers can get whenever they are hungry. The ekiben meals are usually prepared with local, fresh specialties.

Another variation of a bento box is kyaraben or “character bento” (キャラ弁). These are elaborately created using edible ingredients made to look like popular characters in Japanese anime, manga, or video games. But you can also use your creativity and make anything you like. Kyaraben was originally intended to make children more interested in eating vegetables and new ingredients.

It’s a wonderful way to see and travel around Japan on a train. And whenever you are travelling on a train, never fret about getting hungry because there are always ekiben bento boxes to keep you satisfied and full with all the healthy options to give you all the energy you need when exploring Japan!