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Bento is a well-balanced, visually striking meal packed in a box, traditionally containing rice, meat or fish, and cooked or pickled vegetables. There are different types of bento, including ekiben, kouraku bento, and makunouchi bento. Kyaraben and oekakiben are elaborate bento designs. Bento dates back to the Kamakura period, and its use became widespread during the Edo period. Bento returned to common use in the 1980s with the popularity of convenience stores and microwave ovens.
In Japanese cuisine, bento or o-bento, refers to a visually striking, well-balanced meal that comes packaged in a box. Bento meals are usually placed in boxes that can be easily transported and come in different sizes with numerous internal compartments. These meals traditionally include rice along with meat or fish which is packed with some cooked or pickled vegetables. Their use dates back to the Kamakura period, while the corresponding boxes were not created until the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
There are different types of bento, each of which satisfies a different culinary need. Ekiben, short for ekibento, are sold in airports, train stations, and various other locations as portable, disposable lunch boxes that are usually filled with local fare. Kouraku bento boxes are used for picnics and other outdoor events and contain enough food to feed a small group of people. Makunouchi bento is a more elegant and formal affair, usually placed in a lacquered box and served in restaurants where it is eaten at a table.
Bento can be carried in virtually any box-like container, and boxes that are specifically designed to carry these meals are called bento-bako. They can be big or small; of wood, plastic or metal; and even tiered to carry piles of food. The type of box used depends on the type of meal being prepared and where the meal will be eaten. Children’s versions are small, lightweight, and often display a picture of their favorite anime or manga character, while the boxes used by workers are usually made from stainless steel
Kyaraben, or charaben, which translates as “cute bento,” “bento art,” or “bento-entertainment,” has gained popularity since the turn of the 21st century. These elaborate meals are little culinary works of art. They are designed to look like popular anime, manga or video game characters. Oekakiben, or picture bento, is formed into images of architecture, animals or people.
Meals in Japan date back to the Kamakura period, which began in 1185 and lasted until 1333. Hoshi-ii, which literally means “dry meal”, first appears in this period. It was carried in a small bag and could be boiled or eaten uncooked. About 300 years later, the first lacquered wooden boxes were created, similar to the modern versions.
Throughout Japan’s Edo period, from 1603 to 1867, the practice of bento was widespread. His techniques were perfected and cookbooks were written about what foods to produce and how to cook and package them. Japanese travelers often carried a koshibento, or “waist bento.” These typically contained onigiri, or rice balls, carried in a bamboo box. During the Meiji period, from 1862 to 1912, ekiben were sold at train stations to travelers and students and teachers began carrying the boxes to school.
In the 1980s, bento returned to common use after microwave ovens and convenience stores became popular across Japan. Meals packaged in Styrofoam boxes are sold in most grocery stores and can be easily taken out after eating. Handmade bento is still a common sight in Japanese schools. It is also carried by workers and families on trips, picnics and other outdoor occasions. When a meal is prepared at home, the box is usually wrapped in a cloth, called a furoshiki.
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