Oct. 28, 2024
A typical bento bought from a grocery store
A bento (&#;&#;, bentō, Kyūjitai:&#;&#;)[1] is a Japanese-style single-portion take-out or home-packed meal, often for lunch, typically including rice and packaged in a box with a lid (often a segmented box with different parts of the meal placed in different sections). Outside Japan, similar meals are common in other East and Southeast Asian culinary styles, especially within Chinese, Korean, Singaporean, Taiwanese cuisines and more, as rice is a common staple food in the region. The term bento is derived from the Chinese term biandang (&#;&#;, pinyin: biàndāng), which means "convenient" or "convenience".[citation needed]
A traditional bento typically includes rice or noodles with fish or some other meat, often with pickled and cooked vegetables in a box.[2] Containers range from mass-produced disposables to hand-crafted lacquerware. Dividers are often used to separate ingredients or dishes, especially those with strong flavors, to avoid them affecting the taste of the rest of the meal. A typical divider is green plastic grass, also known as the 'sushi grass'. This also works to slow the growth of bacteria.[3]
Bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops (&#;&#;&#;, bentō-ya), railway stations, and department stores. However, Japanese homemakers often spend time and energy on carefully prepared box lunches for their spouses, children, or themselves. Outside Japan, the term bento box may be used (e.g., on English menus for Japanese restaurants). Bentos can be elaborately arranged in a style called "kyaraben" ("character bento"), which are typically decorated to look like popular characters from Japanese animation (anime), comic books (manga), or video games. Another popular bento style is "oekakiben" or "picture bento". This is decorated to look like people, animals, buildings and monuments or items such as flowers and plants. Contests are often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically attractive arrangements.
There are comparable forms of boxed lunches in other Asian countries such as in China, Taiwan and other Sinophone communities known as héfàn (&#;&#;) or biàndāng in Mandarin and piān-tong in Taiwanese Hokkien or in Korea as dosirak (Hangul: &#;&#;&#;). Other Asian countries would either just use bento as a loanword or hokben, which means steaming bento. There has also been discussion regarding what the bento means for Japanese society and what it represents. The analyses range from a simple semiotic approach to one that outlines the deeper ideological meanings behind the bento.
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In Japan, "bento" is written in kanji as &#;&#;. The word itself originates from the Chinese Song dynasty slang term &#;&#; (&#;&#;, pinyin: biàndāng), meaning "convenient" or "convenience" (This sense is still used in Wu dialects such as Shanghainese[4]). When it was imported to Japan, it was written with the ateji &#;&#; and &#;&#;.[5][6] In modern times, the term is commonly used in East and Southeast Asia. In mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, "bento" remains written as the original name &#;&#; (pinyin: biàndāng). In other Sinophone communities, both biandang and bento are often interchangeably used.
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The increased popularity of bento and its term can be traced back to the 12th century during the Kamakura period, when cooked and dried rice called hoshi-ii (&#; or &#;&#;&#;, literally "dried meal") was developed, to be carried to work.[2] Hoshi-ii can be eaten as is or boiled with water to make cooked rice, and is stored in a small bag. By the 16th century, wooden lacquered boxes were produced, and bento would be eaten during a hanami or a tea party.
In the Edo period (&#;), bento culture spread and became more refined. Travelers and sightseers would carry a simple koshibentō (&#;&#;&#;, "waist bento"), consisting of several onigiri wrapped with bamboo leaves or in a woven bamboo box. One of the most popular styles of bento, called makuno-uchi bentō ("between-act bento"), was first made during this period.[7] People who came to see Noh and Kabuki ate specially prepared bentos between maku (acts). Numerous cookbooks were published detailing how to cook, how to pack, and what to prepare for occasions like hanami and Hinamatsuri.
In the Meiji period (&#;), the first ekibentō or ekiben (&#;&#;&#; or &#;&#;, "train station bento") was sold. There are several records that claim where ekiben was first sold, but it is believed that it was sold on 16 July , at the Utsunomiya train station, in the northern Kantō region of Japan, and contained two onigiri and a serving of takuan (pickled radish) wrapped in bamboo leaves. As early schools did not provide lunch, students and teachers carried bentos, as did many employees.
In the Taishō period (&#;), the aluminum bento box became a luxury item because of its ease of cleaning and its silver-like appearance. Also, a move to abolish the practice of bento in school became a social issue. Disparities in wealth spread during this period after an export boom during World War I and subsequent crop failures in the Tohoku region. A bento too often reflected a student's wealth, and many wondered if this had an unfavorable influence on children both physically, from lack of adequate diet, and psychologically, from a clumsily made bento or the richness of food. After World War II, the practice of bringing bentos to school gradually declined and was replaced by uniform food provided for all students and teachers.[8]
Aluminum bento box, . Lid fits closely. Small compartment for condiments.Bentos regained popularity in the s, with the help of the microwave oven and the proliferation of convenience stores. In addition, the expensive wood and metal boxes have been replaced at most bento shops with inexpensive, disposable polystyrene boxes. However, even handmade bentos have made a comeback, and they are once again a common, although not universal, sight at Japanese schools. Bentos are still used by workers as a packed lunch, by families on day trips, as well as for school picnics and sports days. The bento, made at home, is wrapped in a furoshiki cloth, which acts as both bag and table mat.
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In recent years, bento has seen a variety of trends in Japan. Often, these trends lead to remarkable transformations in the consumption behavior of the Japanese. The following are examples of some of the trends in Japanese bento and their timeline.
Kyaraben (s&#;present) &#; cute bento shaped like characters.
High-quality nori bento (s&#;present) &#; Luxurious bento made with high-grade nori seaweed.
Single-serving size bento (s&#;present) &#; Large bento for large appetites.
Taco Rice Bento (s&#;present) &#; Bento featuring taco rice, a local dish of Okinawa Prefecture.
Frugal bento (s&#;present) &#; Bento boxes that are simple and unique are becoming popular.
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The Chinese word for boxed lunches is héfàn (&#;&#;), though biàndāng as a re-borrowing from Japanese may also be used. There are numerous regional styles, ranging from Northeastern Chinese lunch boxes[9] to the Hong Kong "two dishes with rice" lunch box.[10] Packed lunches would traditionally be carried in boxes known as shí hé (&#;&#;) which translates to "food box". Shí hé ranged from basic styles to elaborate, multi-tiered designs.
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The bento made its way to Taiwan in the first half of the 20th century during the Japanese colonial period and remains popular to the present day.[11] The Japanese name was borrowed into Taiwanese (piān-tong) and Hakka (phien-tông). A modern Taiwanese bento always includes protein, such as a crispy fried chicken leg, a piece of grilled mackerel and marinated pork chop, as well as the side dishes.[11] Taiwan Railway Bento is a well known bento manufactured and distributed by the Taiwan Railways Administration at major railway stations and in train cars. It is estimated that, with five million boxed meals sold per year, the annual revenue from bento distribution is 370 million NTD (approx. 10 million USD).
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In Korea, the packed lunch boxes are called Dosirak (also spelled "doshirak") (Hangul: &#;&#;&#;) and they are either made at home or bought at the store. They are similar to Chinese and Japanese variations with some slight differences. Korean bento boxes are usually made with a few different vegetable and meat side dishes, often including a kimchi.[13]
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In Singapore, such packed lunch boxes are often acculturated and localised with cuisines slightly different to Japan. These may include roasted pork (similar to char siew) and soy eggs, as well as fried rice.[14] It has been a common method of meal preparation within Singaporean cuisine as early as the start of the 20th century, which was intensified during the Japanese occupation and cultural influences in subsequent decades, with Japanese-style bento also being common in the country today.
In , the Singapore Food Tech Event showcased as to how bento of the future might look like for a sustainable food system.[15]
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In Japan, it is common for mothers to make bento for their children to take to school. Because making bento can take a while, some mothers will prepare the ingredients the night before, and then assemble and pack everything the following morning before their children go to school.[16] It is often a social expectation of mothers to provide bento for their children, to create both a nutritionally balanced and aesthetically pleasing meal.[17] This activity is expected of the mother and emphasized by society at large,[17] and is common in nursery school institutions.
The traditional bento that is eaten at school or at work is most often prepared by the mother or the wife. However, it can also be bought in konbini (mini-markets) or from street vendors who appear on street corners at lunchtime. For those in a hurry who have to spend their lunch time aboard the shinkansen (bullet train), there is also the bento ekiben which, as its name suggests, is on sale in the train stations. Bento is also present in more solemn moments, even on the Japanese New Year's table for example. Then called osechi, it comes in two or three levels and contains expensive dishes that are eaten at this high point of the Japanese calendar.[citation needed]
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Many scholars have written about the bento since the late 20th century. The foundation of their approach is based on the idea that food can carry many different meanings.[18]
In the s, Chie Nakane used the ekiben, a specific type of bento sold in train stations, as a metaphor for group organization in Japan. By comparing this variant of bento to groups in Japan, he considered how different organizations in Japanese society often include identical components so it does not depend on any other groups for its success.[18] For O-Young Lee in , the bento is utilized to present the reductionism tendencies of Japanese culture. All the food in this Japanese style lunch box is only able to be reduced to fit in a little box due to it being Japanese food; it naturally lends itself to being tightly packed.[19] Roland Barthes, on the other hand, used a symbolic approach to describe the lack of a centerpiece in Japanese food. He described the distinct contents of a bento box as a multitude of fragments or ornaments that are thrown together to beautify each other.[20] Joseph Jay Tobin in discussed how the meticulous assembly of individual bentos has been aided by the reinterpretation of Western goods, practices, and ideas through a process he classified as domestication.[21]
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Hinomaru bento (just one umeboshi in the center) Shōkadō bentō[
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&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;
) is the name for a bento consisting of plain white rice with an umeboshi in the centre. The name was taken from the Hinomaru, the Japanese flag, which has a white background with a red disc in the centre. Pure Hinomaru bento only consists of rice and umeboshi to flavor rice without any other side dishes. The metal bento boxes, once popular in Japan, were often corroded by the acid of umeboshi, eventually making a hole in the middle of the lid.&#;&#;&#;
) is nori dipped in soy sauce covering cooked rice.&#;&#;&#;
) is a simple bento with a slice of broiled salmon as the main dish.&#;&#;&#;
) consists of pieces of chicken cooked in sauce served over rice. It is a popular bento in Gunma Prefecture.
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&#;&#;
) is a bento sold at railway stations (eki) or onboard trains. There are many kinds of ekiben. Most are inexpensive and filling.&#;&#;&#;
) is any kind of bento bought at a take-out bento shops. Freshly cooked hot (hokahoka) rice is usually served with freshly prepared side dishes. The name was popularized after a pioneering take-out bento franchise in the field, Hokka Hokka Tei.&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;
Goto Tongqi to know more.
) is made in a restaurant and delivered during lunch. This bento is often eaten at a gathering like a funeral or a party. It is usually packed with traditional Japanese foods like tempura, rice and pickled vegetables. A shidashi bento packed with European-style food is also available.&#;&#;
) is a bento sold at airports.
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), literally "early bento", is eating a bento before lunch and having another lunch afterward.[
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You may be familiar with the bento box as a "little bit of everything" shidashi option at Japanese restaurants. In it, a wide tray is divided into several compartments, like a dollhouse laid on its side, with each individual room assigned to a specific standard offer. In a typical spread, you'll find a few flash-steamed shumai (dumplings), fried gyoza, or spring roll to start; some bites of a crowd-pleasing hand roll, California perhaps; a couple slices of ginger and dab of wasabi to accompany; a green iceberg salad with that tantalizing ginger dressing; a tidy scoop of plain rice; and the recipient's entree of choice &#; typically a teriyaki or tempura of sorts.
But this commercialized bento box offering is far from the only way to bento. Let's break it down!
What Is Bento?
In simple terms, bento is a single-serving, packed meal, transported by the eater already assembled and ready to be savored. Like an American lunch box, only so much more.
Bento historically stars rice or noodles as the foundational starch, accompanied by a protein or two like fish, eggs, or meat. These two main focal points are accented with a variety of pickled and cooked vegetables, and a few bites of fruit, creating an easily balanced meal for healthy eating away from home. Modern bentos may take inspiration from the western world, such as the inclusion of sandwiches, yogurt, dessert, green salads, and fried potatoes. Check out these 15 bento box lunches.
No matter what is in the bento box, the components are all neatly tucked into containers that tend to be on the deeper side, more like rectangular bowls than flat plates, and as satisfying to look at as dig into.
What's My Bento Style?
The word "bento" comes from the Southern Song Chinese slang term that means "convenient," but make no mistake &#; this designation only makes sense for the one enjoying it! Bentos are inventions of convenience for the recipient, but they're often a labor of love from the maker.
Kyaraben is roughly translated to "character bento," and they are absolutely adorable. They take their inspiration from anime, cartoons, comic books, video games, and other pop culture references meant to make adults and children alike squeal with glee. These time-consuming preparations often require a good deal of consideration by the maker to create the shapes and likenesses of favorite characters. Pikachu, Hello Kitty, Angry Birds, and other delightfully rotund creatures like pigs and cows are some of the most popular forms you'll see rice rolled into, decorated with seaweed sheets cut to form eyes, whiskers, and other details that give the food forms personality.
Oekakiben is the next most familiar style. These are picture bentos, where buildings, monuments, flowers, and other landscapes inspire the meal presentation. All elements within the box provide function beyond food; all have integral, intentional placements designed to create a comestible image that puts a smile on the eater's face even before they taste it. If you've cut carrots into blossoms, made celery sticks into stems, congratulations! You've already taken the first step.
Aisai bentos, on the other hand, bring new meaning to the phrase "food is love." These often contain specially made treats and sweet, sentimental messages written in furikake seasoning, and are reserved for those made by significant others for their partners or mothers for their children. Learn how to shape a heart and you're well on your way.
Shikaeshiben takes it in the other direction, allowing the preparer to express displeasure at the recipient. If you've ever made edible Halloween treats, you've got a solid foundation for these, as angry preparers have long created monster faces on a palette of rice, cut sausages into severed fingers, or added vinegar or unappetizing seasonings to hilariously trick the eater into dining on something unpalatable. These "spite bentos" prove that revenge really is best served cold &#; especially since bento is meant to be eaten that way!
Kyaraben-style Bento Box | Photo by Ko Sasaki, Getty Images.
How Do I Assemble a Bento?
There are a few principles beyond aesthetic style and theme to follow when it comes to putting together a proper bento meal. Variety is key for a great bento, and not just in terms of the carb, protein, vegetable, pickled vegetable or fruit mix, which should appear in a 4:3:2:1 ratio, respectively. You want to shop seasonally for the ingredients, and have a lot of different items in small quantities on hand to bring your creative vision to life, however inspiration moves you!
With that said, planning the designs ahead of time and assembling the assorted items in advance is a must. All elements should be prepared separately to retain their flavors and textures. Think sweet, lightly acidic pickles against mild egg noodles, toothsome rice with crunchy vegetables, and tender, savory meat and juicy fruit. Combining sensations like this also helps with satiety, making it as good of a health tip as it is one for better enjoyment.
And finally, make sure a combination of red or orange, yellow, green, white, and black appear in some form somewhere &#; a rule of thumb to help you eat that rainbow!
Where Can I Buy a Bento Box?
Buy bento boxes online. Although most of the world's bento boxes are manufactured in the Ishakawa Prefecture of Japan, global trade has made it easy to get them to your door. They come in all shapes and sizes, from 2 compartment or 3 compartment plastic boxes, to stackable round or rectangular stainless steel boxes, to fun kid-friendly containers featuring snow owl, fox, and lion decals. Specialty retailers like Karma Bento, Yiruishi Shop, Genius Villain, and Lunchbox.Sale carry all styles and types, featuring gorgeous craftmanship, ingenious designs, and whimsical shapes. For affordable options, look for the Sistema brand, the New Zealand-based experts on strategically divided food storage, good for kids and adults &#; although the younger set might prefer the fun, child-sized ones from Bentgo or OmieBox. You can also buy direct from designers like Takenaka, whose simple, clean designs are soothingly zen.
In the meantime, while you're waiting for your fancy box to ship, you can also make do with cupcake liners to keep things separate&#; or, just enjoy the planning stages. Itadakimasu!
Where Did Bento Come From?
Bento is an art form that dates back to the s. The first documented use of bento as a concept can be traced back to Japan's Kamakura period (&#;), when cooked rice would be carried into work in a small bag. But it wasn't until the Azuchi-Momoyama period, between and , that bento as we know it appeared.
It was then that lacquered wood boxes came into existence, becaming Japan's elegant version of a picnic basket. The art of urushi, a time-consuming practice that is not without its dangers (raw liquid lacquer is poisonous to the touch; its fumes, poisonous), made toting a meal stylish as well as practical. Designed to hold several different bites for several different folks to share, preferably while sipping tea under shady trees and sunny skies, this leisurely practice became mainstream during the Edo period, which lasted into . Outdoor events and long theater performances, in particular, called for stacked boxes of multiple courses sampled among friends. Also during this time, the two-part boxes with rice and side dish sections came into popular use, which carried over into the next stage of bento evolution.
It was with the emergence of rail travel during the Meiji period that a new style of bento came into being: ekiben. These boxes for individual consumption for folks on the go were and still are prized for their focus on regional specialties. But as these became more common at train stations, bento lunches became less available, and the use of stainless steel began to serve as a wealth indicator at school. By the end of World War II, the practice of bringing bento to school in lieu of standardized lunches was all but gone.
However, in the s, on-the-go ready meals returned to trend as modern inventions like the microwave and convenience stores took root. Disposable boxes eliminated the issue of class discrimination, and the increasing sight of people with them paved the way for their return to the classroom in unimaginably adorable forms.
Today, in Japan and in the United States, bentos are back stronger than ever, with new styles, new takes&#; and a refreshed level of respect for an age-old tradition that makes desk lunches anything but sad.
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