Since Japanese elementary and middle schools provide lunch for their students, the only time I took my own lunch was when we went on a field trip or when the school kitchen was closed. Usually a bento consists of a variety of items along with rice or rice balls carefully packed in a special bento box. On those rare occasions, I used to look in on what my mother was making for my lunch and nibble on some food before she packed it into a bento box. My bento box represented a home cooked meal.

Japanese bento have a surprisingly long history. Rice ball called “tonjiki” are said to have existed back in the Heian Period (794 - 1185 A.D.). New kinds of packed lunches were developed during the Edo Period (1603 - 1867 A.D.) as more and more people began traveling. People started carrying their bento around their waists tied with sashes. This was also the time when Noh and Kabuki plays first became popular in Japan.

When people went to see a play, they would enjoy a bento during the intermission. By the Meiji Era (1868 -1912 A.D.) Japanese businessmen went to work and students traveled to school carrying their bento wrapped in a bundle around their waists. In October 1872, trains started running and train stations across the nation began selling their own bento called “ekiben” (“eki” means station). Then anodized aluminum bento boxes appeared in stores early in the Showa Era (1926 -1989 A.D.). Since they were simple and convenient as well as being easy-care, the anodized aluminum bento boxes were a huge hit. The “hinomaru bento,” which I will explain later, also became popular during and after World War II. In 1970, bento boxes with thermal insulation appeared in the market and became the talk of the town. Their popularity, however, only lasted until the rise of convenience stores and microwave ovens. The bento readily available at convenience stores, which can be reheated easily, are the norm in Japan today.

Of course, Japan is not the only country where people carry their lunches. Yet bento are so uniquely popular in Japan that they have taken hold deeply in the Japanese culture. There are stores that sell nothing but bento, and many train stations have a signature ekiben. This phenomenon may be partially based on the fact that Japanese people generally eat japonica rice. Unlike basmati rice, japonica rice retains its rich flavor even after getting cold. That feature may have contributed to the popularity and growth of bento in Japan. There is no set way of preparing or packing a bento. You just have to be careful not to include anything that may go bad quickly. You also want to prevent the spillage of soup or sauce from the packed items, because that could spoil your lunch.

Hinomaru bento consist of a box full of rice and umeboshi (pickled sour plums). They got their name because these bento with white rice and red umeboshi in the middle look like the Japanese national flag. Hinomaru bento first appeared in the early Showa Era when people were experiencing food shortages during and after the war. The acidity of the rice becomes neutralized by the salt content in the umeboshi. This helps in the absorption of the calories from the white rice. Although hinomaru bento is not very nutritious, it was economical and practical at a time when other food was scarce. You may think it is easy to make hinomaru bento due to their simplicity. Japanese people, however, have devised many different ways to adapt their lunches to the different weather conditions, or perhaps people’s individual medical needs. On hot summer days, for instance, people mix vinegar or salt in with the rice as a preservative.