When you think of Japan today, two of the first images that spring to mind may be of its food and of its Shinkansen (bullet train) – which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024. While the innovation and speed of Japan’s railways are globally famous, for travellers the distinctive experience of choosing an eki-ben at the station and eating it as their train hurtles across country, is often a highlight.
An abbreviation of eki-uri bentō (lit. ‘lunchboxes sold at stations’), eki-ben are boxed lunches sold in railway stations and on platforms throughout Japan. With roots predating the arrival of rail travel in Japan, they became widely popular with the opening of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, as rail travel boomed during a period of unprecedented economic growth.
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What is in an eki-ben?
Tasting a local eki-ben while traveling through the islands and mountains of Japan is probably the easiest and most cost-effective way to discover new food from local regions. Although there are no rules about what cannot be in an eki-ben, the tried and tested combination is of rice with different variations of meat or another main ingredient.
Some eki-ben focus on a particular food but most use a selection of ingredients often cooked or prepared in different ways: steamed, grilled, deep fried, simmered in a broth, or pickled. In inland areas eki-ben may include sansai (mountain vegetables), which are particularly seasonal.
One of the joys of eki-ben is being able to take some of the food you have enjoyed with you when exploring the country by train. Sitting back on the Shinkansen, heading to a new destination and unwrapping an eki-ben – for me the memory of a Yonezawa wagyu beef eki-ben springs to mind – allows you to savour a favourite food encountered at your last stop as you head to the next.
Of course, eki-ben don’t actually need to be eaten on a train, but they generally should be eaten on the day of purchase – some even give an actual time by which the eki-ben should be eaten.
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The first eki-ben
The first eki-ben are thought to have been sold from a stand at Utsunomiya station, in Tochigi Prefecture, when the line to Ueno in Tokyo opened in 1885. These early eki-ben consisted simply of onigiri (rice balls) with pickled radish or plum, wrapped in bamboo leaves. As trains of this time had windows that could be opened, eki-ben sellers also stood on the platform and sold their wares through the windows.
In 1888 the Sanyō line between Himeji and Akashi opened and it is believed that the first maku no uchi eki-ben were sold here. Consisting of white rice with elements such as fried egg, grilled fish and stewed and pickled vegetables, maku no uchi bentō (lit. ‘between-act lunchboxes’) had been eaten since the Edo period (1603-1868) originally during the intervals of kabuki and other theatrical performances. They became a staple offering at stations throughout Japan, with more elaborate items such as fish or Japanese fishcakes, Japanese rolled omelette, simmered dishes, pickles and white rice. Maku no uchi bentō are still available in many places but by the late 1890s eki-ben featuring local produce such as eel and sushi started to appear.
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Buying an eki-ben today
By the time of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen opening in October 1964, eki-ben were an established part of rail travel – but the bullet train offered no open windows through which to sell them. Attendants with carts, or trays hung round their necks, went up and down the train carriages selling eki-ben, before being gradually phased out as the station kiosk became more convenient. In recent years, eki-ben have become a popular buy in department stores or supermarkets and even online.
While most train stations continue to focus their eki-ben offer on local produce, two outlets in Tokyo station – Ekibenya Matsuri and Ekibenya Odori – sell eki-ben with food from all over Japan. They’re a great place to try something from a different region – and predictably very popular with crowds.
Choosing what to eat in Japan is made easier for customers, including non-Japanese speakers, by the fact that many restaurants display shokuhin sanpuru, realistic food replicas of their menu items. The same applies to eki-ben – at stands and in shops you will often find replicas giving you a preview of what is inside the various packaged eki-ben.
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Anna Udagawa is co-author of Japan by Rail, a guidebook to discovering Japan by train.
Find out more about eki-ben in the exhibition Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture at Japan House London, on until 16 February 2025.
Japan House London is also celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen through a special display of the ‘Series 0’ Shinkansen Nose Cone, in collaboration with Central Japan Railway Company.