BENTO

Over the decades, this staple of the Japanese culinary culture has developed its own customs and variants. While it’s impossible to count them all, here’s a brief introduction to the most common ones!

We’ve compiled a list of 12 bento based on Japanese holidays and festivals, so be sure to mark the dates for these special lunches!

Japan's regional cuisine hits the road—er, tracks—with "ekiben," or bento sold at train stations.

From moms and their children to university students looking for a cheap meal, bento is a familiar presence at every stage of life in Japan.

A well-done bento is truly a work of art, and a number of English-language YouTube channels have sprung up with the hope of teaching folks easy techniques for preparing a unique and tasty box.

From motherly love to a meal of vengeance, you can lift up the lid to uncover your message!

Odate bentwood, or magewappa, is characteristic of the Odate region in Akita Prefecture.