Reason #37 on why...

I think I am going to like Japan. If you even remotely know me, you will know that Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. I am also a big fan of food. Put them together and I am one happy camper. These delectable little things are called bento boxes. In short, they are single serving little meals. A more indepth explanation, ala wikipedia, is: A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento is readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops, train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend considerable time and energy producing an appealing boxed lunch.

Bento can be very elaborately arranged. Contests are often held where homemakers can compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. The food is often decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants. This style of elaborate bento is called kyaraben.

Aren’t these cute? And oh so edible. It not only makes me hungry, but makes me want to create my own. Nicole, I miss onigiri. Which one do you think is the best?