Ekiben:Recipes and stories of Japan’s train bento

Discover the cult-favorite bento boxes served at train stations all around Japan and learn how to recreate them in your own home.

For travelers crossing Japan by rail, few things capture the excitement of the journey quite like the ekiben, the bento boxes that are available at train stations. Delicious dishes packed neatly into lacquered trays, cardboard cases, or even plastic trains, these regional lunchboxes offer a taste of the landscape that rushes past your window.

Each train station has its own specialty, from Hokkaido’s oyster rice to Yamagata’s tender gyu dominika (braised beef) or Tokyo’s famous karaage chicken bento. More than just a meal, ekiben are a celebration of local ingredients and craftsmanship. They are a delicious map of Japan’s geography and culture.

In this book, you can explore the significance of these special lunchboxes and recreate their components at home. There are recipes for the fillings of more than 20 ekiben, which sit alongside essays about the origins of this delicious tradition, its significance today and its future. Ekiben is an invitation to experience a unique aspect of Japanese culture and cuisine. | A chef by training, Brendan Liew has worked at restaurants including Kadeau in Copenhagen and Benu in San Francisco, and the three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo and Hong Kong. He studied the craft of ramen making in Osaka before settling on specializing in kappo and modern kaiseki cuisine. Previously he has authored Tokyo Up Late (voted one of New York Times’ best cookbooks of 2022) and Konbini (2024), published by Smith Street Books.