A day for Japan's beloved "ekiben"

Today, and April 10th annually, is Ekiben Day 駅弁の日 (ekiben no hi) in Japan. Ekiben is made up of the words for station, as in train station, and the ben from bento lunch boxes. It is used to specifically describe bento boxes bought at train stations for train travel. 

Established in 1993 by the Japan Railway Station Bento Association, the date carries layered symbolism. April marks the start of the spring excursion season, when demand for station bentos naturally rises. The number “10” echoes the tō of bentō, and when you combine the Western numeral 4 with the kanji 十, the shape resembles the character 弁 ben of bento, subtly reinforcing the theme.

The day’s purpose is to share the charm of eki‑ben with more people and to preserve its culinary culture. The very first eki‑ben is said to have been sold on July 16, 1885, at Utsunomiya Station, so it has a very long history in Japan and a very special place in many people's hearts.