are a type of bento boxed meals, sold on trains and at train stations in Japan. They come with disposable chopsticks (when necessary) or spoons. Ekiben containers can be made from plastic, wood, or ceramic. Many train stations have become famous for their ekiben made from local food specialties (tokusanhin).
Ekiben were first sold in railway stations in the late 19th century, and developed at a time when meals on trains were necessary during a long train journey. The popularity of ekiben reached a peak in the 1980s, but declined as air travel became more affordable and trains became faster. However, numerous types of ekiben can still be purchased at stands in the station, on the platform, or on the train itself, some of which may be presented in unique containers that can serve as souvenirs or collectibles. Despite undergoing a decline in popularity in the 1990s and 2000s, ekiben remains popular among travelers, and gained popularity on the Shinkansen ever since the dining car service that replaced it was discontinued when Japan's asset price bubble burst in the early 1990s, leading to the Lost Decades.
History
thumb|Ekiben vendors serving train passengers in 1902
The word ekiben comes from "eki", meaning railway station, and "ben", which is short for bento (box meal). In the beginning, the ekiben offered were simple fare; the ekiben offered at Utsunomiya Station were simply onigiri (rice balls) wrapped in young bamboo leaves. A well-known example is ikameshi, squid stuffed with rice, served at the Mori Station in Hokkaido. It was first produced as an ekiben meal but has since become a noted regional dish.
thumb|Ekiben served in a decorative box designed after the [[E7 and W7 Series Shinkansen|E7 Series Shinkansen]]
Rail travel in Japan boomed after the Second World War, and with it the popularity of ekiben. Sales of ekiben was further spurred on in the 1970s by Ekiben Hitoritabi, a drama based on a manga about a person who travelled round Japan to taste the ekiben in different parts of the country. At its height in the mid-1980s, it was estimated that twelve million boxes were consumed daily. Faster trains such as the Shinkansen also eliminated many stops along a railway journey, which contributed to its decline, and some stations no longer offer ekiben. Japanese railfans who have a particular enthusiasm for ekiben are known as ekiben-tetsu.
Types
There many types of different ekiben available. The standard ekiben available throughout Japan is known as makunouchi-bento, which typically features rice, grilled fish, fish cakes, pickles, and other standard elements. There are also regional varieties of ekiben that incorporate elements of the local cuisine. For example, masuzushi is a variety of ekiben from Toyama Prefecture that features trout oshizushi (pressed sushi) wrapped in bamboo leaves.
A similar style of meal is also popular in Taiwan, known as Taiwan Railway Bento.
Gallery
<gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="140">
File:巡回強化中 (19719167566).jpg|A variety of ekiben on sale at a railway station
File:KatsuSando6515.jpg|Katsu-sando served as an ekiben aboard a Shinkansen service
File:Ofuna ken ekiben booth.jpg|Ekiben shop on a platform at Kamakura Station
File:Chicken Bento Box - Shinkansen (42174775622).jpg|A bento box sold at Hiroshima Station
File:発熱ユニット (5512967989).jpg|Sukiyaki bento sold at Yonezawa Station, with the heating pack used to heat the contents visible
</gallery>
See also
- Kyaraben: elaborately arranged bento
- Ikameshi: a regional dish composed of squid cooked with rice inside
- Kamameshi: dish of rice, meat, and vegetables cooked in a pot