One of the best parts about taking a shinkansen or liner train is having an ekiben (駅弁) or train bento. The name is actually an abbreviation for station bento.
Bento Boxes
I think part of the reason I like them is from growing up watching anime. The characters always had really cute lunch boxes. Later on, when I was coming to Japan frequently, a souvenir I HAD to have was a bento box. They are adorable and cute and make you realize how much food American’s really do eat lol. Your stomach is the size of your fist people!
What’s for lunch?
Go figure, now that I live here, I don’t make my lunch. I just drool over the beautiful creations some of my coworkers bring with them. Convienence stores have great lunch items (yes, I know that’s a scary thought if you live in America and wouldn’t dream of eating at a 7-11, but the food is pretty good) but it’s not cute bentos. Shinkansen stations have that covered.
I think part of the allure is the small compartments and everything is for flavor and not just to fill you. You see this also with a traditional Japanese meal where everything is served on very small dishes and it more of a tasting than gorging yourself. Reminds me of french restaurants where you always have at least 7 courses but it’s not overwhelming. Don’t get me started on the equivalent at an Italian place — so much food!
You can find healthy options
The nice thing is you can keep it healthy, there are veggie centric versions as well as “monster” proportions of rice and meats. Though last time I looked, none were over 900 calories. Generally they are a reasonable 500-800 and are quite tasty.
Don’t forget a few beverages and if you’re on board and still need something, a beverage and おつまみ （otsumame…. literally snacks to have with beer, I love Japan) cart will come through.
This one, however, I couldn’t pass up in the “nice” train bento shop. Full on omurice and Japanese curry. This doesn’t count as a small healthy one!
Where to buy ekiben at shinkansen stations
If the name didn’t already give it away… at the station. Generally, after you go through the turnstile but I’ve seen them before as well. But don’t freak out if you don’t see one. Shinkansens are realllllly large trains, so the platforms are quite large. Sometimes it just takes going up and back down to another lobby area to find the good food.
It’s a good idea to check the station map if all else fails. Ekibenya Matsuri in Tokyo Station is located in the main thoroughfare to get to the platforms.
How much does an ekiben cost?
Generally, somewhere around 700-1200 yen. There’s always the cheaper onigiri option as well. And if you forget a beer or other beverage, they’ll be around with a cart onboard!
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