If you’re at a sushi or ramen restaurant in Japan, chances are you'll find chopsticks at your table. At a ramen shop, you will also have a 'renge' which is a bowled spoon. Chopsticks began to be used for meals in Japan from around the 7th to 8th century. From ancient times to the present day, chopsticks have been an integral part of Japanese culinary culture. Globally, dining cultures can broadly be divided into three categories: using hands, using cutlery of knives, spoons and forks, and using chopsticks. Chopstick-using cultures make up about 28% of the world’s cultures. Let's take a lo ..read more

What is jubako? In Japan, bento boxes, or "obento bako," are an ingrained part of everyday life. They are used to pack lunches for children at school, for individuals at work or otherwise, and for outdoor activities like excursions, hiking and picnics. While your typical bento box serves these everyday purposes, on special occasions in Japan, a "Jubako" is often used. The term "Jubako (sometimes spelt “Juubako" or “Jyubako”) literally translates to "stacked boxes," and it refers to a multi-layered, large capacity bento box. Hanamaru jubako picnic bento boxes. In modern times, jubako is strong ..read more

Contents Gifts under $30 Chopsticks for the noodle and all round Japanese food lover Furoshiki for the lover of Japanese art and aesthetics Furoshiki reusable gift wrapping that conveys a message Bento box accessories to liven up a lunch box Gifts under $50 Bento boxes for big appetites Bento boxes for small appetites Bento boxes for the food artist Wagara bento boxes Slim type bento boxes Bento boxes with a more traditional Japanese design Drink bottles to accompany bento boxes  Gifts under $100 Bento box sets Picnic bento boxes Quick gift idea suggestions by occasion and ..read more

Written by: Ken from Majime Life Japanese cuisine is renowned for its exquisite flavours and attention to detail. Among the various condiments in Japan that add a burst of umami and texture to dishes, furikake is a beloved staple that can be used in almost any meal setting. It is a versatile seasoning that has become popular worldwide for its ability to enhance the taste of various foods. In this blog post, we look at the origins of furikake and introduce an easy way to make it at home so that you can add it to your bento boxes (and any meal for that matter). The origin of furikake Furikake, w ..read more

Japanese curry is one of the most beloved foods in Japan. You’re bound to find a specialty restaurant or at least one that serves it when you walk around town. Shopping at a supermarket, you’ll also find aisles that are stacked to the top with different brands and flavours. Japanese curry has a thick sauce consistency, and cooking this dish is very easy with only a few core ingredients. But creating a curry with deep umami, texture and flavour is where the real journey begins. Like most foods, there is no correct recipe as it comes down to what you like, and many recipes will have their own sp ..read more

Summary of koji Shio koji (塩麹) - Rice malt fermented with salt Shouyu koji (醤油麹) - Rice malt fermented with soy sauce Shouyu (soy sauce) koji and shio (salt) koji are traditional Japanese condiments/seasonings that can be used in a variety of ways to increase flavour and umami in food. They are so flavoursome that you can just top it on rice to eat! It doesn’t get more Japanese than that. You can also use it to marinate meat or add to dishes during cooking. You can also just add a dob of it on the side in your next bento box as a dipping sauce. Koji is usually made by fermenting a starter cult ..read more

So you’ve exhausted ideas for your bento box, and you’re pressed for time, but you still want to make a bento that not only looks great but tastes great. And you’re limited in ingredients. That’s a lot of checkboxes to tick. A Japanese style bento typically contains not just one ‘main’ dish, but also a number of side dishes that play an equal role in making the meal not only look great but provides healthy nourishment (well, more or less!). One might often wonder, how does anyone have the time prepare a complicated bento with 3-5 side dishes, every single day? Well, many households in Japan pr ..read more

Updated 21st Oct 2022 With Halloween nearly upon us, there's no shortage of food ideas to keep the kids and ourselves entertained. With a little bit of effort, you'll be able to create a Halloween themed bento to impress your family and friends. Bento boxes and in particular picnic bento boxes are ideal containers to pack food to bring to gatherings and parties. They are also perfect for presentation when entertaining at home.  But what do you prepare? There are so many ideas out there, and it can hard to decide what’s yummy and easy enough to prepare. Here are 5 bento ideas that wil ..read more

“Takuan” or “Takuwan”, 沢庵 (pronounced ta-ku-one) If you ever needed a ‘filler’ for your bento box, then look no further than the humble Takuan! In fact, you could probably just use Takuan for your whole lunch… ok maybe that’s a bit much but it is definitely tempting as far as the author is concerned. You see, the crunchy texture and sweet and just slightly sour taste makes Takuan one of those foods where you crave for more once it’s in your mouth and tummy. So what is it? What is Takuan and its origin? Takuan is often a yellow pickled “daikon” (radish) that is used widely as a side dish during ..read more

“Furikake” (pronounced fu-ri-kah-keh) Translated literally, the term means shake (furi) and put on something (kake). A staple in Japanese food culture, this is usually a dry seasoning condiment that is made with almost any assortment of ingredients. Typical contents are dried seaweed, sesame seeds, and bonito flakes but really anything goes. Pictured is dried salmon and egg flakes with other seasoning. Wasabi, ramen, curry - you name it, there probably is a flavour for it.  Furikake is usually sprinkled on rice and of course can be used in bentos! Sometimes people like to use it on onigi ..read more