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Japan is famend for its world-class rail and excellent delicacies, and among the best methods for vacationers to expertise each is by sampling ekiben (bento bins designed for practice journey).
Ekiben, ubiquitous in practice stations all through Japan, are way more than fundamental pre-arranged meals in a field. Reflecting native and seasonal specialties, the very best ekiben are superbly offered and have a colourful array of components, providing vacationers a uniquely Japanese culinary expertise.
Excited to discover Japanese delicacies whereas touring between Japan’s greatest locations? That will help you journey like a neighborhood, we’ve put collectively this information to Japan’s beloved practice meals so you may dine in type whereas driving the rails.
What Are Ekiben?
The phrase ‘ekiben’ is a portmanteau, combining the Japanese ‘eki’ (which means ‘practice station’) and a shortened type of ‘bento’ (which means ‘lunch field’). These boxed bentos are bought at long-distance practice stations throughout the nation, typically utilizing regional components that seize the style of Japan’s particular person prefectures.
A far cry from pre-packaged, nutritionally poor snacks, ekiben are well-known for high-quality components. To create a balanced meal, these bentos normally include rice or noodles, greens, and meat, fish, or seafood for protein.
The dishes can vary from the straightforward (omelets, rice balls, tempura, or fried tofu) to the extra extravagant (sea urchin, grilled beef tongue, stewed eel, and rice pilaf, or tender Wagyu beef). The katsu sando (breaded pork cutlet sandwiched in white bread) is a traditional lunchtime favourite, and also you’ll typically see gyoza and sushi in ekiben kind too. So long as it’s transportable and designed for practice eating, just about any meal may be loved as ekiben.
The ornamental outer packaging of ekiben is sometimes elegant or distinctive sufficient to warrant protecting as a memento. Whether or not lacquered wooden, a ceramic pot, or a plastic storage field formed like its bullet practice namesake, these ekiben containers may be reused as soon as empty – even perhaps for making bento at house.
Whereas it’s not widespread etiquette to eat and drink on native transit in Japan, long-distance trains such because the shinkansen (bullet practice) are a unique matter. Not solely is it completely acceptable to get pleasure from a meal on board, it’s a nationwide custom, and shinkansen seats have tray tables for this particular function. There’s one thing splendidly charming about savoring your ekiben whereas watching the surroundings fly previous via the window.
Learn extra about getting round in our complete information to coach journey in Japan.
How Did Ekiben Develop into Commonplace Fare for Vacationers?
Particularly in comparison with practice meals in different international locations, ekiben are outstandingly stunning and scrumptious. However they continue to be a meals of the folks, and their reputation has grown alongside the event of the unparalleled Japanese rail community.
The primary ekiben may be traced again to Tochigi prefecture within the late nineteenth century when a brand new JR line was established. At Utsunomiya Station in Japan’s northern Kanto area, distributors walked the platforms and bought a ‘station lunch field’ to passengers via the practice window: a meal consisting of two freshly made onigiri (rice balls) and some slices of pickled daikon (radish), all wrapped in a sheet of bamboo leaves. (Enjoyable truth for food-lovers: Utsunomiya is now synonymous with gyoza!)
Whereas not the frilly ekiben we all know in the present day, these early practice lunches had been fortunately welcomed due to the pre-existing reputation of bento, a compactly carried and neatly compartmentalized boxed meal. Japanese households had been carrying bento to work or faculty for hundreds of years, so train-specific bento was a straightforward transition. Nevertheless, the earliest ekiben weren’t but an reasonably priced possibility for almost all of practice passengers.
A couple of years later, a mixture meal of white rice and aspect dishes like rolled omelets and fish muffins was bought by distributors at Himeji Station in Hyogo prefecture. Within the late Showa Interval, ekiben started to appear at successive stations, bought on the platform’s edge by stall holders profiting from the steam practice’s frequent pauses alongside its route.
By the Fifties, private practice journey was booming: extra folks wanted to eat throughout their lengthy journeys, and using extra native components made ekiben a less expensive and thus extra accessible possibility for vacationers.
By the Eighties, ekiben had advanced to a degree of cultural necessity. Specific regional ekiben had been solely obtainable at one particular practice station, making a layer of uniqueness to a traveler’s journey – although malls additionally started internet hosting annual ekiben tournaments for folks to strive Japan’s regional varieties with out the necessity to journey.
Although in the present day’s trendy trains are a lot quicker and there are extra eating choices obtainable, ekiben are firmly entrenched in Japan’s culinary tradition.
The place to Discover the Greatest Ekiben
Ekiben are normally greatest bought earlier than your practice journey: Although some trains will supply on-board meals service (trolley service), it’s not a assure. As an example, the Kagayaki Shinkansen (Hokuriku Shinkansen), which connects Tokyo with Kanazawa, has the luxurious ‘Gran Class’ service. This ticket class comes with limitless drinks and a small bento – although we nonetheless counsel purchasing for bentos at Tokyo Station beforehand, because it’s a singular expertise to browse the outlets forward of the journey.
Scouring the cabinets for a bento field that takes your fancy is an excellent a part of making ready for the shinkansen, and there are many locations to select from. In Tokyo Station, you’ll discover maybe the most important array of ekiben within the nation: There are stunning choices of bentos all through the station, together with specialty snacks and sweets, and Japanese craft beers and sake to get pleasure from on the practice.
Remember the fact that time of day makes a distinction: looking in the course of the commuter rush-hour means you’ll undoubtedly be queuing on your ekiben!
Listed below are a couple of of our favourite locations in and round Tokyo Station to browse for distinctive and high-end ekiben:
- Daimaru Tokyo division retailer has an exquisite depachika (meals corridor) that opens at 10:00 am. You’ll discover it related to the station’s Yaesu North Exit.
- eCute and GranSta, two buying areas inside the principle ticket gates, are nice locations to choose up a wide range of premium bentos, candy treats, and extra.
- Ekiben-ya Matsuri is an especially widespread retailer, simply previous the ticket gates on the primary ground of Tokyo Station. With over 170 various kinds of ekiben, together with many regional varieties from across the nation, it’s an ideal place to browse.
- For some high quality sake to enhance your meal, go to Hasegawa Saketen within the GranSta buying space, which additionally has loads of wine and craft beer.
Looking for ekiben in-store additionally permits you to ask extra questions before you purchase. Greater shops can have allergen info and English translations obtainable, although there are sometimes plastic representations or pictures of the bentos on sale.
When you’ve got meals allergic reactions or restrictions, learn our information to touring in Japan with dietary necessities.
With 1000’s of variations of ekiben obtainable in Japan, it may be a bit of overwhelming to choose. Our most popular methodology is to maintain an eye fixed out for essentially the most intriguing or superbly packaged bentos whilst you browse the cabinets. Culinary adventurers can go for the specialties that every area is thought for, like Hokkaido’s seafood, Mie’s Wagyu beef, or Sendai’s grilled beef tongue.
Listed below are a couple of of the very best varieties to strive when touring round Japan:
Shinkansen E7 kei Bento
An ideal memento merchandise courtesy of Ekiben-ya Matsuri in Tokyo Station, this shinkansen bento field comes within the type of a brightly painted plastic bullet practice. Inside is a variety of traditional meals – fried hen, onigiri, shrimp tempura and pickled greens – making this ekiben notably interesting to the younger vacationers in your group.
Masu no Sushi Toyama
Probably the most well-known regional dish of Toyama prefecture is Masu no Sushi: strips of native fatty trout that’s been salted and seasoned atop a spherical mattress of dense, sticky rice. The ekiben model can also be offered in a round trend, wrapped tightly in bamboo leaves to take care of stress and held in a spherical cedar wooden field which permits sufficient aeration for the sushi. It’s so distinctive that there’s even a museum in Toyama Metropolis devoted to the 300-year historical past of making this regional specialty.
Daruma Bento Gunma
One other widespread collectible ekiben field is the daruma bento, formed like the normal doll from Takasaki in Gunma prefecture which is a talisman for good luck. After having fun with a meal of rice, hen, and greens hiding beneath the daruma’s face, you should utilize the emptied daruma-shaped field as a coin financial institution through the doll’s open mouth.
Hipparidako Meshi Nishi Akashi
Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture is famend for each its plentiful and tender octopus and the clay Takotsubopots historically used to catch them. The result’s an ekiben served in a reusable ceramic pot that’s opened to disclose fluffy rice on a soy sauce base, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carved carrots, and the show-stopper: chunks of native stewed octopus. First bought at Nishi-Akashi Station alongside the Sanyo Shinkansen line, the Hipparidako ekiben is now a preferred dish bought at a number of JR stations in Hyogo.
Moo Taro Bento Mie
It’s troublesome to overlook the hanging container of this Moo Taro Bento, formed like a cow’s head full with horns and a nostril ring. Inside, you’ll discover premium Wagyu beef and chopped ginger strips served on a mattress of rice, with a small serving of pickles alongside – and also you’ll even be handled to a musical rendition of the ‘Furusato’ people music, which performs each time the lid is eliminated.
Kaizen Ezo Shomi Sapporo
The standard and freshness of the seafood from Hokkaido is excellent, due to the chilly waters surrounding the prefecture. Eating on the Kaizen Ezo Shomi ekiben is an opulent but surprisingly cost-effective strategy to pattern the very best of Hokkaido’s seafood: regionally caught salmon, crab, scallops, sea urchin and fish roe, all served on a mattress of vinegared sushi rice.
Ika Meshi
Hailing from the Oshima space of Hokkaido, Ika Meshi incorporates two small simmered squids seasoned with soy sauce and filled with candy sticky rice. This ekiben is normally sliced into rings for straightforward consuming, though typically the squid is solely skewered on a stick. It’s most available at Mori Station and different stations in Hokkaido.
FAQ
Are Bento Bins Eaten Chilly?
Whereas most bento and ekiben are designed to be scrumptious when eaten chilly or at room temperature, occasionally, you could discover bentos with self-heating bins. Tucked contained in the field is a heating component: merely pull the hooked up string and wait a couple of minutes on your meal to emerge steaming scorching. Self-heating ekiben are normally costlier, so in the event you’re eager to eat a scorching meal, look out for the microwave ovens obtainable at varied outlets and stations.
To assuage any fears about meals security and the dearth of refrigeration on board, ekiben packaging will clearly function each expiration dates and instances.
What Is the Distinction Between Ekiben and Bento?
There isn’t actually a distinction between ekiben and bento besides of their names. Bento is the catch-all time period for compactly packed lunch bins, whereas ekiben are a particular sort of bento for consuming on a practice – and in some methods is seen because the high-end gourmand model of bento. Equally, soraben are the air journey options, bought on the airport and eaten whereas flying.
Are There Chopsticks in Ekiben?
Sure, ekiben sometimes include disposable picket chopsticks and a small oshibori. Relying on the particular dish, many may also embrace a packet of soy sauce, some pickled or contemporary ginger, or different seasoning.
Can You Drink Alcohol on the Practice?
Sure, it’s fairly widespread for Japanese folks to accompany their ekiben with a chilly beer bought from the practice station. Some practice stations even have small liquor shops the place you may decide up native craft beers, jizake (native sake), and even small bottles of wine designed for practice journey. Simply don’t overdo it, as practice journey in Japan is supposed to be loved quietly.
Which Ekiben Will You Attempt?
At Boutique Japan, we’re keen about planning journeys to fit your ideally suited mixture of locations, actions, and experiences – together with meals! Now that we’ve awoken your style buds, get in contact about constructing a customized Japan itinerary that features the nation’s most original and scrumptious meals experiences.
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