3 Simple Ways to Discover Japan’s Unique Food Culture
Please excuse the hyperventilating tone of this piece, but I get pretty excited when writing about food in Japan. The Japanese have transformed their konbini (convenience stores), ekiben (train station bento) and depachika (department store basement food halls) like nowhere else in the world. Five trips in, and I’m still hungry for more. Here’s the story published on GaijinPot.com.
Two-tiered train station bento box from Matsumoto Station, Nagoya prefecture.Inside: 14 little dishes made from local ingredients and prepared by local businesses.Gorgeous ekiben artwork, Matsumoto StationSpecial Hello Kitty-themed ekibenEkiben from Hokkaido: crab, salmon roe and shredded omelette on riceMy favorite department store food hall so far is in Hankyu in Umeda, OsakaApple tarts shaped into roses. Just one of the many elegant treats in Hankyu’s basement food hall.