Now, “Bento” has become an international term that means box lunch.
Thanks to the self-isolation due to the pandemic, we can eat international bento at home.
curry bento
In Japan various kinds of bento are available at every shops, such as department stores, convenience stores and individual bento stores. Many people make bento by themselves.
Among others, “Makunouchi bento” contains wide variety of foods and very popular. It literally means “between-the-acts box lunch” and used to be eaten between the acts of kabuki or other performance arts.
Traditional Makunouchi bento since the Edo period.
Makunouchi bento in a restaurant
Other than the makunouchi bento, we have “Eki-Ben”, which was originally sold at major stations to be eaten in the train.
They contain foods distinctive of the region and some people go traveling all the way to eat some kinds of Eki-Ben.
We can get some in department stores or other shops.
(Shu-Mai bento at Yokohama station contains Chinese pork dumpling and fried rice, since there is a big Chinatown nearby.)
