弁当箱 (bentobako)

my favourite tiffin-style bento box via vivodirect

the very wonderful hellosandwich a little while back published a great post on the joys of bento - hellosandwich's beautiful pictures of delicious bite-sized food packed into bento and arranged on pretty floral tablecloths are an absolute  feast for all senses and for me the post is the definitive ode to bento, so lovely.

 

inspired by bento i went on search for bentobako. here are some of my picks for bento boxes available via amazon japan and US amazon. amazon japan a little bit frustratingly does not post many of their covetable items internationally - despite the fact they would quite clearly, along with rakuten, take over the word and cut out a lot of intermediary exchange rate blues if they made their sites a little more accessible to overseas interested persons!  japancentre might also be a good place to look for bento boxes online.

a lovely bento  picture from hellosandwich

the traditionalist option from hakoya

classic kyara bentobako - totoro (see similar via jbox)

primal designs bento box from amazon japan

picnic-style bento box in nice tones from amazon japan

i just like the green straps here - from amazon japan

pretty traditional sakura style from hakoya as before

bento box in shape of hamburger - great stuff. also amazon japan.

nice primary colours in japan's version of tupperware for bentos - gel cool. via amazon japan.
and of course i have to include an ever so cute onigiri case by shinzoh katoh