What’s the lunch box like in your country?
In Japan, most public elementary and junior high school students eat school lunches, but many people still bring homemade bento to kindergartens, high schools, and workplaces. During cherry blossom season or at school sports days, families often prepare special, more elaborate bento boxes to enjoy together.
When my son was in kindergarten and later in high school, I used to wake up early every morning to make his lunch. It was quite a task! Many mothers in Japan prepare kyaraben — “character bento” designed with animals or popular anime characters made from food — to delight their children when they open the lid.
Some bento boxes are decorated to look like characters, like this:
I wasn’t very good at making cute bento myself, but I tried to avoid using too many frozen foods and always made sure my son’s lunch was homemade.
When he was in high school, he had to leave early every morning for club practicing of kendo (Japanese fencing), so I woke up at 5 a.m. to cook and prepare his large bento for three whole years.
For a growing teenager, the lunch box had to be big and hearty!
When he finally graduated, I was happy to be free from the early mornings — but at the same time, I felt a little lonely.
These days, I sometimes make bento for myself when I go out. If it’s not too early, I actually enjoy the calm, mindful process of preparing it .
↓Here’s a short YouTube video of my bento-making.
What’s the lunch box like in your country?
When I stayed with a host family in England for a month, my host mother used to prepare my lunch box every morning. It always had simple sandwiches filled with ham, cheese, or jam — and one apple. It was completely different from Japanese bento, yet it was yummy and I loved it so much.
Each country’s idea of a “lunch box” is unique and fascinating, isn’t it?
I’d love to hear what kind of lunch boxes you have in your country — feel free to share in the comments!
Thank you for reading. I’ll keep sharing little moments from my life in Japan — from my garden, kitchen, and everyday reflections. See you in the next post!
by WANOKA
※Please refrain from using or reposting the photos and images in this article without permission.
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