Temptation of Japanese Lunch

Bento Culture

Its Fascinating Evolution

From Its Beginning to Becoming a Household Name

A "bento" (or "o-bento," using the honorific prefix "o") is a portable, packed lunch with a long history. It's said that the earliest style of bento emerged during the Heian period (794–late twelfth century) and consisted of either dried, cooked rice called "hoshi-ii" or a rice ball known as "tonjiki." The most important requirement for bento in those days was practicality: these lunches had to keep well and be easy to carry. In the late sixteenth century, people started enjoying bento on other occasions. They put bento in lacquer ware boxes for cherry blossom–viewing parties and tea ceremonies.

During the peaceful Edo period (1603–1867), bento were used for various occasions and came in different styles. People began to travel more frequently and longer distances during this period, creating a need for bento that could be carried along with them. The lunch, usually rice balls, had to be simple and portable and was wrapped in bamboo leaves, which help to preserve food. The "makunouchi bento" consists of small rice balls and an assortment of side dishes that are conveniently packed in one box. This type of bento is enjoyed during the intermission of kabuki and noh plays, both of which gained popularity in the Edo period. (The "maku" in "makunouchi" means curtain, by the way.) The makunouchi bento was originally sold only in theaters, but nowadays it is available everywhere and is one of the most popular styles of bento.

Shokado Bento

Shokado bento is a style of bento served in a box with four divided into four squares. This famous type of bento that Japanese enjoy these days is somewhat casual, but originally it is related to kaiseki, the delicate cuisine served in tea ceremonies. An interesting story lies behind the emergence of this bento style. In the early Edo period, there was a priest in Kyoto's Iwashimizu Hachimangu named Shojo Shokado. In the house of his neighbor, a farmer, Priest Shokado found an unusual box divided into four squares. Although the farmer used the box for keeping seeds, Priest Shokado had another idea, and he started using these boxes for his paints and as plates in tea ceremonies. In the beginning of the Showa period (1926–1989), the founder of Kiccho, a prestigious kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto, discovered one of Priest Shokado's boxes in Iwashimizu Hachimangu. He then developed a way of using this type of box for serving kaiseki, thus creating the Shokado bento we know today.

Bento in the Modern Age

In the modern age, different styles of bento have been developed to accommodate changing lifestyles and technological advancements. Once the railroad spread nationwide, long distance trips became easier and travelers needed to eat something while on board. Each station started to provide bento, and as a result, "eki-ben," which literally means "station bento," were created. Eki-ben are made with local ingredients and are a convenient way to sample regional specialties. Before eki-ben were sold on the train, passengers got off to buy eki-ben at kiosks or from the vendors selling only eki-ben on the platform during the brief stop at the station. Although the golden age of eki-ben ended a long time ago, many Japanese today still seek out eki-ben to appreciate local flavor. For these fans of eki-ben, "eki-ben fairs" are often held in department stores and supermarkets. By the twenty-first century, a new version of eki-ben had emerged: the "sora-ben" and "haya-ben." The literal meaning of "sora-ben" is "bento in the sky"; sora-ben are bento sold in the airport. Meaning "fast bento," "haya-ben" refers to the bento sold in service area in highways.

Bento took a drastic turn in the 70s. Take-out bento specialty stores started providing freshly cooked bento that was made to order. This type of bento store took advantage of the franchise system and spread nationwide very quickly. Thanks to these franchises, it was now possible to eat steamy hot bento at any time. At about the same time, another franchise spread: the convenience store. The bento sold in these stores are not made to order, but customers can warm bento by themselves in the stores' microwaves.

The Latest Trends

As in the U.S., Japan is also experiencing a recession, and this influences the lunch scene as well. Many office workers now bring homemade bento instead of going out for lunch. Even young, single male workers, who typically do not cook regularly and are the least likely to bring their own bento, are now cooking bento to save money.

Bento competition among convenience stores is also heating up. Each franchise has to establish a strategy to compete with the other franchises. In order to attract customers constantly, each franchise keeps introducing new flavors, styles, and packaging of bento almost every week. The cycle of introducing new items is becoming shorter and shorter these days. One recent marketing strategy to capture bento customers is to establish brand images in collaboration with celebrities, popular TV programs, and movies. For example, one of the main convenience store franchises has recently launched two new items, "Katsu-Don" and "Ton-katsu Roll," in collaboration with the TV drama series "Konkatsu!," the main character of which is the son of the owner of a ton-katsu (pork cutlet) restaurant.

The "collaboration bento" is one of the recent trends for bento in convenience stores. Examples are the Konkatsu bento (left) and Konkatsu roll (middle) that promote a popular TV drama.

Another important trend that should be mentioned is "Chara-ben" (pronounced "kya-ra-ben"), a shortened form of "character bento." These are homemade bento that take the shape of anime characters, superheroes, and original cute characters. The creators of chara-ben are mainly mothers of small children, who must bring bento to school. Chara-ben are absolutely works of art. The precise and meticulous reproduction of characters is amazing. These ladies even use tweezers for miniature decorations.

Tasty reproduction of SpongeBob SquarePants for Chara-ben. SpongeBob is made of tamago-yaki (Japanese omelet) and his sidekick Patrick Star is made of tsukune (meat pate).

What Do You Eat?

Bento by Working Women in Tokyo

Many Japanese make and bring their own bento to their offices and schools every day. Here, we peek at some bento made by working women in Tokyo.

Miku Tamura
For me, "saving" is the key. Today's o-bento cost less than 50 cents to make! I can save money as well as cooking time. Plus, by using plastic wrap before placing it in the container, I can save washing time, too!"
Mami Shinoda
"Healthfulness" is my philosophy for cooking o-bento. They are all handmade, and no frozen item is used. Also, the white rice I eat, Akitakomachi, is harvested in my grandma's rice field—that's the best!

Miku Tamura
[ingredients] Rice with furikake sprinkles, boiled sausage, sautéed maitake mushroom.

Mami Shinoda
[ingredients] White rice with sesame, pickled plum, seaweed with herring roe, marinated chicken and onion, mabo vermicelli, butter-sautéed spinach and bacon.

Mifuyu Sasaki
When I make an o-bento for my husband, I make one for myself as well. All the cooking preparation is usually finished the night before. Today's o-bento misses color, I think. A cherry tomato or pickled plum would add a perky color and make it more appetizing.

[ingredients] White rice and Todaiji Temple miso, grilled chicken with shiso and miso, egg salad, mizuna ohitashi, lightly pickled cucumber and cabbage.

Ichigo Nagai
I try to have as wide a variety of vegetables as I can and to use the Japanese cooking style and seasoning to keep my bento healthful. Also, in order to enjoy a sense of the seasons, I usually incorporate seasonal ingredients.

[ingredients] Chirashi-zushi, beef-rolled vegetables, boiled komatsuna, hijiki, boiled egg, wild vegetable ohitashi, salad.