お弁当 (おべんとう - obentou) - Bento

お弁当 is another of Japan's better known exports, having made the journey from its humble roots all the way into dictionaries and foodcourts across the world. It's thought that the word "弁当" comes from an old Chinese word meaning "something convenient", but these days it refers to a bought or home-cooked box lunch; what probably springs to mind for most people is the ubiquitous multi-sectioned plastic tray. In one form or another though, お弁当 has been around for hundreds of years and people have been tucking into countless different varieties since the 15th century. Let's pop the lid and see how the world's oldest lunchbox has evolved over the years.

At its roots, お弁当 was little more than おにぎり (onigiri - rice balls) wrapped up in a 風呂敷 (ふろしき - furoshiki - wrapping cloth) to make them easier to carry. On long marches, soldiers in particular would need to carry something sustaining that was quick and easy to eat. Any accompaniments to the rice were very frugal; one of the earliest examples was known as "日の丸弁当" (ひのまるべんとう - hi no maru bentou) or "Japanese flag bento". Much like basic おにぎり, this consists of a single 梅干し (うめぼし - umeboshi - dried plum) on white rice which makes it look like Japan's red sun flag. Poverty was widespread at this stage and the acidity of the 梅干し was a cheap way to preserve the rice a little longer, but it obviously caught on in the meantime. While modern お弁当 is generally much more extravagant, it's not uncommon to find 梅干し popped on top of your rice to this day.

Like most Japanese traditions, a lot of the old ways have been maintained but prosperity means that people now have more choice in the matter; you can make or buy お弁当 just as cheap and simple as the old days, or splash out on a deluxe lunchbox and spend more than you would at a restaurant. 味噌汁 (みそしる - miso shiru - miso soup) and 御茶 (おちゃ - ocha - green tea) are still staples regardless, although the former is usually in instant form and the latter tends to be served in cans or bottles rather than earthenware cups. Generally though, there's much more of an emphasis on quality ingredients in modern お弁当, with a huge range of local and international side dishes to accompany the rice. The most common additions are 漬け物 (つけもの - tsukemono - pickles), 卵 (たまご - tamago - egg), ソーセージ (sausage), meat and boiled fish, either placed in a side compartment or chopped up and popped on top of the rice. Anything easy to eat can be used though, from 肉団子 (にくだんご - nikudango - meatballs) to 春巻き (はるまき - harumaki - spring rolls) to エビフライ (ebi furai - fried prawns). Some お弁当 even forego the rice entirely, making them more "sandwiches in a box" than an eye-opening culinary experience.

Perhaps the most famous kind of 弁当 is known as 駅弁 (えきべん - ekiben), which quite literally means "station bento". They're sold at major train stations across Japan and can also be bought on board most long-haul trains. In the old days, vendors would rush up and lean through the train windows to sell 駅弁 to hungry commuters at each stop, but the arrival of 新幹線 (しんかんせん - shinkansen) with their pressurised cabins and sealed windows means that these days people have to settle for food trolleys and specialised kiosks. 駅弁 are one of the highlights for domestic tourists while out on the rails; they usually feature fresh produce from the region and are often served in special boxes decorated with local scenery. I've heard of 駅弁 boxes shaped like castles and trains and they can be made of wood, lacquer or even china.

The more everyday variety of お弁当 can be bought almost everywhere else. Basic, upmarket and seasonal versions are available at コンビニ (konbini - convenience stores) and supermarkets, デパート (depaato - department stores) hold special events where you can sample regional お弁当 and most offices and schools have a 弁当 catering service provided by local businesses or organised by their 食堂 (しょくどう - shokudou - canteen). A more recent invention is specialised 弁当 shops such as "Hotto Motto" and "Hokka Hokka Tei". These are marketed as purveyors of hot, simple and delicious meals and invariably their ads feature gratuitous closeups of steaming rice; "ほかほか" (hoka hoka) is actually 擬音語 (ぎおんご - giongo - onomatopoeia) for warmth and hot food. It's obviously effective - these chains are growing in popularity and their ever-expanding menus now offer everything from simple のり弁当 (nori bentou - seaweed bento) to laptop-sized monstrosities piled high with 焼き肉 (やきにく - yakiniku - Japanese barbeque) and other extravagances.

With the current state of the economy, it will be interesting to see what lies in store for お弁当 in the future; many families now forego catered or bought lunchboxes in favour of home-cooked fare to better look after their health and their wallets. Most デパート and supermarkets have sections designated to お弁当 materials, offering everything from compartmentalised lunchboxes to little moulds and cutters than can be used to style the food and make it look as professional as what the shops sell. Newlywed couples have been known to send each other messages and lovehearts in their lunches and some people take it even further than that; a trend known as キャラ弁 (kyara ben - short for "character bento") involves styling a 弁当 so that it looks like a game or アニメ (anime) character. Bought or made, simple or extravagant, it's clear that お弁当 will be a big part of Japan's culture and food scene for many years to come - whatever the next stage of evolution.