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A is the Japanese iteration of a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal, often for lunch. Outside Japan, it is common in other East and Southeast Asian culinary styles, especially within Chinese, Korean, Singaporean cuisines and more, as
rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
is a common staple food in the region. The term ''bento'' is derived from the Chinese term ''biandang'' (, ), which means "convenient" or "convenience". A traditional ''bento'' may contain rice or noodles with fish or meat, often with pickled and cooked vegetables in a box."Bento: Changing New York's Lunch Culture," ''Chopsticks NY,'' vol. 27, July 2009, p. 10-11. Containers range from mass-produced
disposables A disposable (also called disposable product) is a product designed for a single use after which it is recycled or is disposed as solid waste. The term is also sometimes used for products that may last several months (e.g. disposable air filte ...
to hand-crafted lacquerware. Often various dividers are 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. ''Bento'' are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including
convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery ti ...
s, , railway stations, and
department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic appe ...
s. 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 , a shortened form of , is a style of elaborately arranged bento (Japanese boxed lunch) which features food decorated to look like people, characters from popular media, animals, and plants. Japanese homemakers often spend time devising their f ...
''" ("character ''bento''"), which are typically decorated to look like popular characters from Japanese animation (
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
), comic books (
manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is ...
), or
video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...
. 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 mainland China, Taiwan and other
Sinophone Sinophone, which means "Chinese-speaking", typically refers to an individual who speaks at least one variety of the Chinese language. Academic writers often use the term Sinophone in two definitions: either specifically "Chinese-speaking populat ...
communities as ''biàndāng'' in Mandarin and ''piān-tong'' in
Taiwanese Hokkien Taiwanese Hokkien () (; Tâi-lô: ''Tâi-uân-uē''), also known as Taigi/Taigu (; Pe̍h-ōe-jī/ Tâi-lô: ''Tâi-gí / Tâi-gú''), Taiwanese, Taiwanese Minnan, Hoklo and Holo, is a variety of the Hokkien language spoken natively by about ...
or in Korea as ''
dosirak ''Dosirak'' ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ), also known as ''gwakpap'' ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ) refers to a packed meal, often for lunch. It usually consists of '' bap'' (, cooked rice) and several ''banchan'' (side dishes). The lunch boxes, also called ' ...
'' (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The l ...
: ;
Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...
: ). 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 Semiotics (also called semiotic studies) is the systematic study of sign processes ( semiosis) and meaning making. Semiosis is any activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, where a sign is defined as anything that communicates something ...
approach to one that outlines the deeper ideological meanings behind the bento.


Etymology

In Japan, "''bento''" is written in the
Kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequ ...
. The word itself originates from the Chinese
Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-gr ...
term (, ), meaning "convenient" or "convenience". When it was imported to Japan, it was written with the ateji and .Bent
弁当(べんとう)
語源由来辞典 (Etymology Dictionary)
The word "''bento''" has been used since the 13th century, and the container itself, also called "''bento''", has been known since the 16th century. In modern times, the term is commonly used in East and Southeast Asia. In
mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the China, People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming Island, Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territorie ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...
and
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
, "''bento''" remains written as the original name (). In other
Sinophone Sinophone, which means "Chinese-speaking", typically refers to an individual who speaks at least one variety of the Chinese language. Academic writers often use the term Sinophone in two definitions: either specifically "Chinese-speaking populat ...
communities, both ''biandang'' and ''bento'' are often interchangeably used.


History

The increased popularity of ''bento'' and its term can be traced back to the 12th century during the
Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle b ...
, when cooked and dried rice called ''hoshi-ii'' ( or , literally "dried meal") was developed, to be carried to work. ''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 is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; in this case almost always refer to those of the or, less frequently, trees. From the end of March to early May, cherry trees bloom all over Japan, and around ...
'' or a tea party. In the
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...
(1603–1867), ''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. People who came to see '' Noh'' and
Kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought ...
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 is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
(1868–1912), 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 1885, at the
Utsunomiya is the prefectural capital city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 519,223, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Utsunomiya is famous for its '' gyoza' ...
train station, in the northern
Kantō region The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Sl ...
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 (1912–1926), 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. ''Bentos'' regained popularity in the 1980s, with the help of the microwave oven and the proliferation of
convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery ti ...
s. In addition, the expensive wood and metal boxes have been replaced at most ''bento'' shops with inexpensive, disposable
polystyrene Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic polymer made from monomers of the Aromatic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon styrene. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and brittle. It is an inexpensive resin pe ...
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 are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths traditionally used to wrap and/or to transport goods. Consideration is placed on the aesthetics of , which may feature hemmed edges, thicker and more expensive materials, and hand-painted designs; h ...
'' cloth, which acts as both bag and table mat.


In other countries/regions


Taiwan

The ''bento'' made its way to
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
in the first half of the 20th century during the Japanese colonial period and remains popular to the present day. The Japanese name was borrowed as bendong (
Taiwanese Hokkien Taiwanese Hokkien () (; Tâi-lô: ''Tâi-uân-uē''), also known as Taigi/Taigu (; Pe̍h-ōe-jī/ Tâi-lô: ''Tâi-gí / Tâi-gú''), Taiwanese, Taiwanese Minnan, Hoklo and Holo, is a variety of the Hokkien language spoken natively by about ...
: ''piān-tong'') or ( Mandarin: ''biàndāng'') 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. Taiwan Railway Bento is a well known bento manufactured and distributed by the
Taiwan Railways Administration Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is a railway operator in Taiwan. It is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services ...
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).


Korea

In Korea, the packed lunch boxes are called
Dosirak ''Dosirak'' ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ), also known as ''gwakpap'' ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ) refers to a packed meal, often for lunch. It usually consists of '' bap'' (, cooked rice) and several ''banchan'' (side dishes). The lunch boxes, also called ' ...
(also spelled ''"doshirak"'') (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The l ...
: ;
Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...
: ) 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. The special ingredient is Kimchi which adds the Korean element to the bento box.


Singapore

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 ''Char siu'' () is a Chinese, specifically Cantonese–style of barbecued pork. Originating in Guangdong, it is eaten with rice, used as an ingredient for noodle dishes or in stir fries, and as a filling for '' chasiu baau'' or '' pineapple b ...
) and
soy egg The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu and ...
s, as well as
fried rice Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. ...
. 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 2021, the Singapore Food Tech Event showcased as to how ''bento'' of the future might look like for a sustainable food system.


Culture

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. It is often a social expectation of mothers to provide bento for their children, to create both a nutritionally balanced and aesthetically pleasing meal. This activity is expected of the mother and emphasized by society at large, 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 A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tic ...
(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.


Scholarship

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. In the 1970’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. For O-Young Lee in 1984, 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.
Roland Barthes Roland Gérard Barthes (; ; 12 November 1915 – 26 March 1980) was a French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. His work engaged in the analysis of a variety of sign systems, mainly derived from Western pop ...
, 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. Joseph Jay Tobin in 1992 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.


Types


By ingredients

* ''Hinomaru bento'' () 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. * ''Noriben'' () is '' nori'' dipped in soy sauce covering cooked rice. * ''Sake bentō'' () is a simple ''bento'' with a slice of broiled salmon as the main dish. * ''Tori bento'' () consists of pieces of chicken cooked in sauce served over rice. It is a popular ''bento'' in
Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuku ...
.


By style or container

* ''Kamameshi bentō'' () are sold at train stations in
Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
. It is cooked and served in a clay pot. The pot is a souvenir item. * ''
Kyaraben , a shortened form of , is a style of elaborately arranged bento (Japanese boxed lunch) which features food decorated to look like people, characters from popular media, animals, and plants. Japanese homemakers often spend time devising their f ...
'' (キャラ弁) is a ''bento'' with the contents arranged to look like popular characters from anime, manga, or video games. * '' Makunouchi bentō'' () is a classic style of ''bento'' with rice, ''umeboshi'', a slice of broiled salmon, and a rolled egg. * ''Shōkadō bentō'' () is a traditional black-lacquered ''bento'' box. It inspired IBM's (later sold to
Lenovo Lenovo Group Limited, often shortened to Lenovo ( , ), is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer electronics, personal computers, software, business solutions, and related se ...
) ThinkPad design. * '' Wappameshi'' () a cuisine served in a special round wooden bento-styled container.


By where they are sold

* '' Ekiben'' () is a ''bento'' sold at railway stations (''eki'') or onboard trains. There are many kinds of ''ekiben''. Most are inexpensive and filling. * ''Hokaben'' () 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. * ''Shidashi bentō'' () 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 is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ...
, rice and pickled vegetables. A ''shidashi bento'' packed with European-style food is also available. * ''Soraben'' () is a ''bento'' sold at airports.


Bento-related slang

* ''Hayaben'' (), literally "early ''bento''", is eating a ''bento'' before lunch and having another lunch afterward. * ''Shikaeshiben'' (仕返し弁) is a "revenge" ''bento'' where wives make ''bentos'' to get back at their husband by writing insults in the food or making the ''bento'' inedible.


Gallery

File:Kyaraben panda.jpg, An ''oekakiben'' containing rice balls decorated to resemble pandas File:Home made Bento.jpg, Two typical home made ''bento'' (one open, one wrapped); note the ''
furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths traditionally used to wrap and/or to transport goods. Consideration is placed on the aesthetics of , which may feature hemmed edges, thicker and more expensive materials, and hand-painted designs; h ...
'' cloths File:Bento at Hanabishi, Koyasan.jpg, ''Bento'' served at a restaurant in Japan File:Tōge no Kamameshi 02.jpg, ''Tōge no kamameshi bento'' File:Orizume bentō SETSUGEKKA served by Ningyocho Imahan Co,. Ltd. 01.jpg, ''Orizume bentō'' (1) File:Orizume bentō SETSUGEKKA served by Ningyocho Imahan Co,. Ltd. 02.jpg, ''Orizume bentō'' (2) File:Okowa Bento by Yonehachi, Takashimaya Singapore.jpg, ''Okowa bento''-styled meal served in a restaurant. Steamed glutinous rice with ''teriyaki'' chicken and cabbage File:Jūbako.jpg, A set of stacking boxes for ''bento'' called ''jūbako'' File:菊唐草葵紋蒔絵提重-Portable Picnic Set (sagejū) with Chrysanthemums, Foliage Scroll, and Tokugawa Family Crest MET DP154362.jpg, '' Sagejū'', a historical picnic container set of ''jūbako''


See also

* '' Jūbako'' and ''sagejū'' : traditional containers of bento, typically lacquerware *
Plate lunch The plate lunch ( haw, pā mea ʻai) is a quintessentially Hawaiian meal, roughly analogous to Southern U.S. meat-and-threes. However, the pan-Asian influence on Hawaiian cuisine, and its roots in the Japanese bento, make the plate lunch unique ...
: a Hawaiian street food * Tiffin carrier : an Indian lunchbox * TV dinner : a western prepackaged frozen meal


References


Sources

*


External links


Photos of bento
on Flickr {{DEFAULTSORT:Bento Food combinations Food storage containers Japanese cuisine terms Meals Serving and dining