Ekiben

Ekiben(駅弁, railway bento)are a specific type ofbentoboxed meals, sold on trains and attrain stationsinJapan. They come with disposablechopsticks(when necessary) or spoons.Ekibencontainers can be made from plastic, wood, or ceramic. Many train stations have become famous for theirekibenmade fromlocal foodspecialties (tokusanhin).
Ekibenwere first sold in railway stations in the late 19th century, and developed at a time when meals on train were necessary during a long train journey. The popularity ofekibenreached a peak in the 1980s, but declined as air travel became more affordable and trains becamefaster. However, numerous types ofekibencan 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 assouvenirsor collectables. Despite undergoing a decline in popularity in the 1990s and 2000s,ekibenremains popular among travelers, and gained popularity on theShinkansenever since the dining car service that replaced it was discontinued when Japan'sasset price bubbleburst in the early 1990s, leading to theLost Decades.
The wordekibencomes from "eki", meaning railway station, and "ben", which is short forbento(box meal).Before the introduction of rail travel, travellers would prepare their own meal or buy meals kept in woodenbentoboxes sold in tea houses.  During the intermission ofkabukitheatre performances,makunouchi-bento("between-acts box lunches") were also sold. These would evolve intoekibenwith the coming of railways.  The first sale ofekibenis generally believed to have been at theUtsunomiya Stationin 1885 which opened when theNihon Tetsudoline linked the station toUeno StationinTokyo.In the beginning theekibenoffered were simple fare, theekibenoffered at Utsunomiya Station were simplyonigiri(rice balls) wrapped in young bamboo leaves.The idea of sellingekibenquickly spread to railway stations around the country, and in 1888, the first standardekibenwith rice and a few side dishes were sold atHimeji Station.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many stations began to offerekibenthat served meals prepared from local specialties, andekibenthen evolved into a form of meal distinct from otherbentoboxes. These may be developed specially and are unique to each region, and often found only at the local railway stations.A well-known example isikameshi, squid stuffed with rice, served at theMori StationinHokkaido. It was first produced as anekibenmeal but has since become a noted regional dish.In many places,ekibenhave become souvenirs of local specialty for tourists with unique containers and attractive packaging.
Rail travel in Japan boomed after theSecond World War, and with it the popularity ofekiben. Sales ofekibenwas further spurred on in the 1970s byEkiben Hitoritabi, a drama based on a manga about a person who travelled round Japan to taste theekibenin different parts of the country. At its height in the mid 1980s, it was estimated that twelve million boxes were consumed daily.This "Golden Age" ofekiben, however, ended in the 1980s when air travel became popular and the introduction of faster trains became more widespread. Prior to the 1980s, air travel was expensive and travelers tended to use trains which were then much slower, thereforeekibenwere necessary during their long train journeys.Faster trains such as theShinkansenalso eliminated many stops along a railway journey, which contributed to its decline, and some stations no longer offerekiben.From 1987 to 2008, there was a 50% decline in the number ofekibenmakers.However, the popularity of theekibenincreased when the dining car was discontinued in the 1990s, eventually gaining popularity on theShinkansenaside from remaining popular on the slower but cheaper commuter trains.
Ekibenare now also available outside of railway station in department stores and airports. Annualekibenfairs are held at various department stores, the first of which was held in 1966. The largest of these are the ones at the Keio Department Store inShinjuku Station, Tokyo, andHanshin Department StoreinOsaka.Japanese railfanswho have a particular enthusiasm forekibenare known asekiben-tetsu.
There many types of differentekibenavailable. The standardekibenavailable throughout Japan is known asmakunouchi-bento, which typically features rice, grilled fish, fish cakes, pickles, and other standard elements. There are also regional varieties ofekibenthat incorporate elements of the local cuisine. For example,masuzushiis a variety ofekibenfromToyama Prefecturethat featurestroutoshizushi(pressed sushi) wrapped in bamboo leaves.
A similar style of meal is also popular inTaiwan, known asTaiwan Railway Bento.