Food of Japan - Ekiben Train Bento
Find out about ekiben Japanese train bento + soraben sky bento (plus ekiben etiquette & tips on how to buy)...
(originally published in 2017 - not updated)
Ekiben are bento boxes developed especially for train travel; they evolved from standard bento box lunches with the advent of the railway system in Japan at the turn of the 20th century. Originally available from special vendors on the platform, they are now widely available at train stations in dedicated shops and at platform kiosks, in addition to being available on some trains. Once you tune in to them, you will see them everywhere at stations.
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| Ekiben & snack kiosk on a platform at Nagoya Station |
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| A popular ekiben store at Tokyo Station that sells bento box specialities from around Japan |
Regional specialities & local cuisine.
Contents vary by location or station and represent the local produce or gourmet speciality of the area. Some are even designed to compliment your journey, with a portion of food related to each area on the route.
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| Ekiben with samples and information about the cuisine and specialities of the Tohoku region. |
Nutritious & fresh.
Ekiben are amazing quality, nutritionally balanced and absolutely fresh - most are cold and developed to be both safe and tasty eaten this way. However, boxes are now available that can be warmed using a heating mechanism concealed within the packaging.
Limited or special editions.
Some are produced in very limited numbers or in special editions, making them very sought after. Other than these, which sell out quickly in the morning (or need prior ordering in the case of some special editions), ekiben can be found regularly stocked and fresh in shops from morning to night.
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| Yokohama shumai dumpling ekiben - sells out fast! |
Content & price.
Prices vary with size, ingredients, quality and rarity but tend to be good value for money and can be an excellent way to try out local specialities and new foods on a budget. - most shops have models or pictures that can help you make your decision. Knowing what the contents are is an art if you don’t understand Japanese fully but part of the fun is choosing....and perhaps even finding something unexpected.
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| Hakata Station Tonkatsu Ekiben |
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| Himeji seasonal selection ekiben |
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| Nagoya speciality chicken and rice ekiben |
Ekiben enthusiasts - a delicious hobby.
There are plenty of websites and blogs dedicated to ekiben and some great YouTube videos from enthusiasts who travel far and wide across Japan to experience the trains and try the different boxes - some even collect the wrapping paper as these can be works of art in themselves.
Tips if you don't speak Japanese.
On our first visit to Japan, I printed off pictures of the ekiben that looked appealing from the videos and sites I had visited and stuck them in a small notebook. At the outset, this was done because of my concern about not understanding what to buy or how to ask for it - a visual dictionary of sorts that I could match things up with (I added other items too, not just ekiben and now this visual reference is something I update and take with me every trip). In the end it became a ‘spot the ekiben’ mission, hunting them down with varying degrees of success!
There are so many different ekiben that the only real difficulty in buying is making a decision which to try. The language barrier is not a problem as samples or pictures will be on display - just make your choice and point!
Soraben - sky bento.
Similar to ekiben, soraben (sky bento) are widely available at airports - usually in the domestic terminals - as carry-on meals for flights where meals are not included.
Ekiben etiquette.
- It is OK to eat and drink on Shinkansen and Limited Express trains. However it is considered rude on other types of train and modes of public transport.
- Packaging is generally disposable & there is lots of it (although some special, limited edition meals may come in ceramic or plastic collectable containers). Rubbish should always be taken with you and never left at your vacated seat. Bins can be hard to find in Japan but there will almost always be facilities on Shinkansen and Limited Express train platforms. Disposal facilities can usually be located near the doors inside the train too.
- You’ll get chopsticks, a wet hand wipe and a toothpick with your ekiben. If you find using chopsticks tricky, it's a good idea to carry a fork with you, as cutlery is unlikely to be available at the ekiben kiosk.
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