Best Lunch Ever!

For a limited time only, 7-Eleven (Japan) is offering a special bento box commemorating the 20th anniversary of Chibi Maruko, Japan’s animated sweetheart.

The $11 meal includes a two-tiered plastic container, a mini fork and a mini tote bag. Inside the box you’ll find an assortment of tasty morsels like bacon-wrapped asparagus, a grilled meat patty, seasoned vegetables, cheesy potatoes and a rice ball. Best lunch ever! \(^o^)/

Bento boxes are what I love about Japan’s 7-Eleven. They’re quick, cute, nutritious and affordable. And from time to time you’ll come across one of these synergistic meal deals that also make a great collector’s item.

Chibi Maruko is one of the most-watched animated series in Japan, airing Sunday evenings just before dinnertime. It’s a wholesome show depicting the often comical idiosyncrasies of Japanese family life. With the show’s mass-appeal, I’m sure the bento box will be sold out before it even hits shelves.

It’s just too bad that nothing as fun as this comes to 7-Eleven in the U.S. Though when I think about it, those Simpson’s Movie and Domo-kun collectibles from the past couple years were pretty cool. Maybe there’s more to come? Family Guy bento box, perhaps!?

Himawari

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My Lunchbox is Better Than Yours

What’s for lunch? McDonalds? Leftover pasta?

In a perfect world we’d all have amazingly cute lunches packed by mom. It’d have rice balls, juicy sausages, tiny boiled eggs, a pocketful of potato salad, an orange wedge… and every day we’d sit at a park bench nibbling on every morsel with a Thermos of green tea.

Realistically, it’s way easier just to throw last night’s meatloaf into a Tupperware and bring it to work. But being the Japanophile I am, I substitute Mister Tupper for a fancy bento-bako (lunch box) if just to pass off the illusion that my lunch is better than yours.

At Tokyu Hands you’ll find an entire section dedicated to these plastic boxes, some with their own tote and chopsticks, others shaped like a Hello Kitty.

Bento-bakos are one step cooler now, literally. Some of them carry a cold-pack to keep your fruit salad crisp and perky. And then there’s the insulated boxes: Stuff it with rice, microwave, and voila! your meal is pipping hot 6 hours later.

There’s also fancy lacquered boxes that come in stacks, that way you can separate your rice from the meat and vegetables. If you want to really impress your man, give him one of those and watch him devour each box as pink hearts flutter from his chest.

Any of these boxes will set you back $25-$30, so it’s a wonder why people would buy them when a Ziploc could easily do the trick. But if you ask me, a cute bento box is the way to go. It’s eco-friendly, it helps curb portions, and it’s so damn cute it even makes brussel sprouts taste good. So what are you waiting for? Buy your own box and be the envy of all your friends!

Himawari

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Thinking of doing business in Japan? We can make it easy for you!
japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more
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