Note the title’s latter half! In Japan, with its codified manners and refined aesthetics, few things are ever “casual”—particularly not food. The cuisine, whatever the level, strictly follows centuries-old culinary doctrines.
      Even the humble lunchbox has evolved into something quite elaborate. Known as the bento, the Japanese equivalent is a full meal with meat or fish, vegetables and rice, all put into separate sections in a special type of container.
      The aesthetics are vital. Colors and shapes should harmonize beautifully, so that the food pleases both eyes and palate. Importantly, the contents—and the choice of container—should match the event, and reflect the current season through its colors and ingredients.
Not your average lunchbox, is it? Some Japanese bento meals are true works of art (photo courtesy of www.e-obento.com, website in Japanese only)
A high-quality bento is a feast for the eye as well as the palate
      For instance, the o-hanami bento, eaten under the cherry blossoms in the spring, is often pink-colored with ingredients cut into flower shapes. Bento for really special events, such as the Japanese New Year, often come in lacquerware boxes, with the contents elaborately prepared and arranged.
      The bento has a long history. In the tumultuous 1500s, it followed clan lords, officers and soldiers to the battlefields, and during the Meiji period (1868–1912) it became standard rail travel fare in the form of eki-ben, or “station bento,” offering a taste of an area’s local delicacies in a convenient format.
      Today, the bento typically appears during lunch hour in offices and schools. While office workers usually buy theirs at a nearby supermarket, mothers commonly prepare bento for their children every morning. This is serious business, as the child’s bento is said to reflect the mother’s devotion. Besides, what mother could resist an artistic flourish now and then for the daily lunchroom gallery?
      No, one can hardly brand the bento a “lunchbox.” If you get a chance to pick one up, see it as an expression of the very non-casual Japanese approach to food.