bento Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

If lunchboxes that you eat on a train don't sound unique or exciting, then you haven't had an ekiben while traveling 300 km/h on the Shinkansen. Ekiben -- a combination of the Japanese words eki (train station) and bentō (lunchbox) -- have been around in Japan since before plastic was invented. The origins are debated, but as soon as the first train stations popped up, bentō were sold to hungry commuters. What are ekiben? Ekiben are packed meals specifically designed for eating on train journeys. There's even an initiative underway to register ekiben as an intangible cultural asset. Back in the day, train staff would carry ekiben along the platform and sell them through train windows, but as the trains got faster, this became a surefire way to lose an arm. Nevertheless, a few places, such as Maibara Station in Shiga and Orio Station in Fukuoka, have revitalized the old tradition (minus the train windows) -- the guy at Orio Station even sings. However, you're now more likely to find stationary ekiben, which brings us to answer the following question ... Where can I buy ekiben? Wherever there's a Shinkansen, there's an ekiben. But you can also find your packed train lunch in locations that have long-distance trains, such as Sapporo Station or Hakone-Yumoto Station. Focusing on Tokyo, the main places that'll satisfy your needs are Shinjuku Station, Ueno Station, Ōmiya Station, Shinagawa Station, and the most famous of all, Tokyo Station. Ekiben at Tokyo Station The holy grail of ekiben can be found inside the ticket barriers of Tokyo Station, and the undisputed king of stores is Ekibenya Matsuri on the first floor. On a busy morning, the shop can get pretty cramped and the staff slightly prickly, but it's worth the pushing and shoving for the options they have (if you are a meat or fish eater, that is). There are many types -- including sandwiches, self-heating bentō, meat, and seafood -- but they are most known for their wide selection of regional bentō (more on that below). Their prices start from a reasonable , but expect to pay around to for one that'll fill you up. Around the corner, and in front of the Shinkansen ticket entrance, is Ekibenya Odori, their sister store. They are most known for character-shaped bentō -- come here if you feel like something a little more exciting. There are also many more bentō and ekiben shops dotted around the station; you can find counters in the Ecute and Gransta malls. These are a safe bet if you want more breathing room. Pro tip: You can go through the ticket gate at Tokyo Station and visit these stores even if you have nowhere else to go. Just tap your IC card in and out or buy a platform ticket. Both cost for two hours in the station. Just note that you may have to ask for help exiting with the IC card. Ekiben at Shinagawa Station If you're taking the bullet train from Shinagawa Station, the best places to purchase an ekiben are Hanagataya (outside the ticket barriers) and Plusta Bento (past the ticket barriers). The selection won't vary much, but you might find that Plusta Bento is a lot busier with passengers rushing to grab a bite to eat at the last minute. Just like at Tokyo Station, though, you'll find ekiben of all kinds, including self-heating types and at least one Shinkansen-shaped variety. Note that Hanagataya, at the time of writing, does not carry any vegetarian, vegan or halal bentō. As new bentō are constantly being invented and released into the market, this may change in the future -- but don't hold your breath. For other bentō -- technically not ekiben -- you'll want to head to Ecute, also outside the ticket barriers. There are plenty of food shops here, as well as more specialty bentō purveyors focusing on, for example, high quality wagyu or fresh fish, all sourced domestically. More spots for ekiben You'll find similar stores in the other main stations in Tokyo, such as Ekibenya Top on the second floor of Shinjuku Station (behind the ticket barriers). If you can't make up your mind, you can also find detached shops in the middle of some platforms for last-minute or impulsive bentō purchases. Some trains offer a service where you can buy bentō onboard, but options are limited. Aside from the stations, trains, and platforms, "normal" bentō stores are prevalent around Tokyo, usually offering cheap, ready-made meals to workers on their lunch breaks. Companies who make and ship the ekiben also occasionally have brick-and-mortar stores with delivery options, such as Oginoya, which has locations in Ginza and Yurakucho. Ekiben maker Miyoshino also does nationwide shipping (they sell the buttocks bentō featured below). Plus, if worst comes to worst, there's always the conbini. What types of ekiben are there? It's sometimes hard to get your head around the types of ekiben on offer. While diehard bentō fans may run straight to the limited-edition section, you may find yourself wanting to know all your options. Regional ekiben One of the major pulls of ekiben, and one of the reasons why they are so popular in Japan, is the ability to taste different types of cuisine from different prefectures. Japanese towns and cities tend to have a food product or dish they are known for. For example, Aomori has delicious apples, Miyagi has beef tongue, and Tochigi's Utsunomiya has gyoza. In other words, ekiben allow you to savor your recent trip with the last bite of the local flavor. Ekiben tournaments Luckily, you don't have to travel all over Japan to try the various options. You can go to the aforementioned Ekibenya Matsuri in Tokyo Station, or wait for an ekiben tournament event. Makunouchi ekiben For a little bit of everything and a whole 'lotta rice, try one of the first types of ekiben ever sold: the makunouchi bentō. This is one of the most widespread types of ekiben (and bentō) in Japan. Makunouchi bentō originally got their name because they were sold during intermissions of Noh and Kabuki performances in the Edo period. This type of bentō traditionally consists of white rice shaped into mounds and topped with sesame seeds and umeboshi, plus side dishes such as pickles, some fish, and a bit of meat. This is great if you are looking for a more balanced meal. Character ekiben Character bentō are great for taking pictures -- we should know; take a look at our viral Instagram reel. From cute Kirby bentō to butt detectives, you'll find something amusing. They can be hard to find, or often sold out in some places, so make sure to arrive early. We personally enjoy the daruma-inspired bentō from Takasaki in Gunma. Sometimes the food can be shaped creatively, but generally, the inside isn't as exciting as the packaging, and that's probably because they are made for a certain clientele, which brings us on to our next type of bentō ... Children's ekiben You may want a children's bentō all for yourself, and nothing is stopping you; there are no ekiben police to snatch it from your hands. But you need to know that the Shinkansen-shaped bentō will not be bigger on the inside. You can expect portions to be small with tiny Wiener sausages, an egg, a handful of rice, and maybe a teeny hamburger patty or fried shrimp. And they aren't cheap (around ), so it's a pretty expensive snack. Vegetarian ekiben The lack of vegetarian options in Japan comes as a shock to many, and unfortunately, the issue also spreads to ekiben. While searching Tokyo Station for meat-free ekiben, we were pointed toward the seafood section. Ekibenya Matsuri used to have a vegetarian bentō a few years ago, but have since discontinued it and now have zero options. There are some alternatives -- such as a salad, inari sushi (the ones that don't use fish dashi stock), takeout at the veggie restaurants nearby (see T's Tantan), sandwiches, or just defaulting to the convenience store again. When hunting, make sure to check the side of the ekiben or ask the staff. We have more advice on being a vegetarian and vegan in Tokyo in our handy guide. Self-heating ekiben The one downside to eating ekiben is that most are served at room temperature, and that's fine if you're having a sandwich, but lukewarm meat and rice aren't the best. Thankfully, an invention born in the 80s lets some bentō be heated up with just a pull of a string. You'll find many of these around the station, and they are easily noticeable. The ingenuity does come at a cost though, and they tend to be pricier than your average lunchbox. Team taste tests On a recent trip, we put two ekiben to the test. Shinagawa Station (Tokyo) We headed to Hanagataya in Shinagawa Station and walked out with a compact, true ekiben from long-running fishmonger Nihombashi Daimasu, active since 1900. We picked up the torimeshi bentō (): seasoned rice, miso-flavoured minced chicken, a chicken meatball, two pieces of grilled chicken, rolled omelette, hijiki, and a flower-cut carrot. The Edo-merchant chicken on the box is a delight. Verdict: tasty, if on the mild side. For the price, it’s solid value, as most ekiben these days run closer to . Also, low risk of weird burps. Kōriyama Station (Fukushima) We were running late and dashed into 7/11. Alongside forlorn sandos and mass-produced onigiri (which we also love) sat the Nori Nori ekiben, a Kōriyama special. True to its name, it's a happily seaweed-forward box piled with thin-sliced beef simmered in a sweet-savory soy base, then draped over rice with a generous blanket of nori -- all locally sourced from Fukushima Prefecture. The packaging leans nostalgic, with a string that requires untying to access the treasures within. Price-wise it sits slightly below the fancier wagyu boxes at . Verdict: very filling, though it could use a side or two for variety. The commitment to local ingredients is a highlight, not least because Fukushima farmers still face hurdles in getting their goods onto shelves. Top ekiben around Japan If we haven't made it clear already, ekiben are serious business in Japan. Every year there are competitions to determine the best ekiben, on regional and national levels. Here's a few top ekiben to look out for on your travels: Tōge no Kamameshi (Gunma – Yokokawa Station): Served in its own ceramic pot, this classic packs chicken, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, apricot, chestnut, burdock, and seasoned rice. It hasn’t changed much in over 60 years, and the pot makes for excellent home decor. Masu no Sushi (Toyama – Toyama Station): Two words: sushi cake. This is a whole wheel of pressed trout sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves. Be warned: it's far more filling than it looks. Ikameshi (Hokkaidō – Mori Station): This Hokkaidō classic is made of tender squid stuffed with seasoned rice and simmered in soy until glossy. While it came into being during wartime rationing when rice was scarce, today, the vibe is luxury. Anago Meshi (Hiroshima – Miyajima-guchi Station): Soft, sweet-savory conger eel fillets are laid carefully over soy-glazed rice. It’s the traditional “before the ferry to Miyajima” meal. Ekiben FAQs What if I have allergies? In big stations and popular ekiben stores, such as Ekibenya Matsuri and Odori, there will be an English and Japanese allergen guide on the side of the bentō box that tells you what is inside. Some newer boxes also have a QR code you can scan that lists the main ingredients in multiple languages. If you want to double-check, make sure to tell the staff your allergy: "Gyunyu (milk) arerugi ga arimasu." ("I have a milk allergy."). You can also replace gyunyu with the word nattsu (nuts), niku (meat), sakana (fish), tamago (eggs), or guruten (gluten). Note that as most if not all bentō are centered on rice, it is rare to find a keto-friendly option. What about halal ekiben? Halal ekiben are not common, but you can order bentō online from different providers, including WaO-Bentō Kajiya, and have them delivered. What do you drink with your ekiben? Anything you like! It's not uncommon to see beer being sold alongside ekiben, and it's perfectly acceptable to buy and drink alcohol on the train. Don't be too shocked if you see a businessman chugging a chūhai at 9 a.m onboard. What is the difference between ekiben, soraben, and bentō? The short of it: ekiben you eat on a train, soraben (sky lunchboxes) you eat on a plane, and bento you eat anywhere you damn well like. There isn't a true physical difference. Ekiben and soraben are slightly fancier and tend to come with opaque lids and chopsticks, while bentō come in all shapes and sizes. If you buy a bentō from 7-Eleven and then eat it on the train, does it become an ekiben? This is too philosophical a question for us to answer. But technically, no. Bonafide ekiben bear a square symbol that says "ekiben" in Japanese and English and a red circle as in the Japanese flag, usually in one of the top corners. This signifies that JR recognizes the creator of the ekiben as an authorized organization. If your boxed lunch doesn't have that mark of authenticity, we hate to break it to you, but you're eating just a regular degular bentō. We don't make the rules. Find out more interesting things you can eat in Tokyo, or why not try a theme restaurant? While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change.

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