Ekiben (Train Bento) Day (Ekiben Kinenbi)

What is Ekiben Day?

Every year on July 16th, Japan celebrates "Ekiben Day." On July 16, 1885 (Meiji 18), when Utsunomiya Station opened on the Japan Railway line (now JR's Tōhoku Main Line), the local inn Shirakiya began selling boxed meals at the station — traditionally regarded as Japan's first ekiben (train station boxed lunch). The day celebrates the culture of ekiben — an essential part of the joy of train travel — and offers a chance to rediscover Japan's regional food cultures. Separately, April 10th is known as "Ekiben no Hi" (Ekiben Day).

The Beginnings at Utsunomiya Station

Japan's ekiben culture developed alongside the expansion of the railway network, incorporating ingredients and ideas from every region.

• The first ekiben: The ekiben sold at Utsunomiya Station is said to have been two rice balls and takuan (pickled radish) wrapped in bamboo sheath. There are, however, several competing claims about where Japan's first ekiben was sold; Utsunomiya is the most widely cited.
• The first boxed ekiben: One theory holds that the first ekiben in a wooden box — a makunouchi-style lunch — was sold at Himeji Station by Maneki Foods around 1889–1890. This became the prototype of today's ekiben, filled with a variety of side dishes and regional specialties.

How Regional Ekiben Were Born

Many famous ekiben have stories rooted in the local area or the railway itself.

• "Tōge no Kamameshi" at Yokokawa Station: To climb the steep Usui Pass, trains once stopped at Yokokawa for a long time while extra locomotives were coupled. Kamameshi served in a Mashiko-ware clay pot became the famous meal to buy during that stop.
• "Ikameshi" at Mori Station: A specialty of Mori Station in Hokkaido — squid stuffed with glutinous rice and simmered. It is also a perennial favorite at department-store ekiben fairs.

Interesting Facts About Ekiben

• Pull the string to heat it up: Pioneered in 1988 by Awajiya of Kobe with a chemical manufacturer, these ekiben use the heat released when quicklime in the base of the container reacts with water — no flame needed.
• The "ekiben mark": Rice-based boxed meals made by members of the Japan Railway Station Vending Central Association carry a shared "ekiben mark" design.
• Famous without rice: Items like Yokohama Station's shumai and Ōfuna Station's sandwiches can't carry the ekiben mark because they contain no rice, but they are still loved as ekiben.
• Tea in clay pots: From the Meiji era until around the 1960s, tea was sold alongside ekiben in small ceramic pots called "kisha dobin," whose lids doubled as cups.
• "EKIBEN" abroad: Italy's high-speed Italo trains have offered boxed meals inspired by Japanese ekiben, and ekiben shops have appeared in Paris.

Tips for Enjoying Ekiben Day

• Pick out a regional ekiben at a station kiosk or a department store ekiben fair — a taste of a place without having to travel there.
• Look for the "ekiben mark" on the wrapper.
• Pay attention to the container: thin wooden boxes, clay pots, and all kinds of unusual shapes are part of the fun.
• Share memories of a favorite ekiben with family or coworkers.

A Whole Region Packed Into One Small Box

July 16th is a day to reflect on how Japan's railway food — said to have begun with just two rice balls — grew into a nationwide array of regional specialties. Each ekiben carries local ingredients, railway history, and the care of the people who make it. Why not swap your usual lunch for an ekiben today and enjoy a little taste of travel?