I Heart Bento

Bento boxes date back as far as the fifth century in Japanese history. People who worked in the fields, mountains, on fishing boats or in town carried their lunches in these boxes as they did not have time to go home for meals.

Nowadays, Bentos remains very common and popular in Asian cuisine. They are readily available in many places throughout Japan. These to-go lunch boxes can be found in convenience stores, Bento shops, railway stations, and department stores. However, Japanese home makers will often spend time and energy on a carefully prepared lunch box for their family.