These Japanese Character Bentos Take Meal Prepping To The Next Level
Melissa Neilson
Japanese bento boxes are taking lunch boxes to a whole new level. What makes them stand out over classic lunch boxes in other cultures is the extreme attention to detail and the variety and balance of ingredients. Everything is packed into the bento box in a beautiful display that sometimes makes it look almost too good to eat. Putting together a proper Japanese bento lunch can take hours of prep time plus all the time spend arranging and decorating the items to perfection.
Some bentos go above and beyond by not only organizing each component in a visually appealing way, but but making the food look cute too.
A classic way the kawaii touch is added to Japanese bentos is by slicing the end of a mini sausage so that becomes a little octopus. Turning food into cute animals is also often done with apples by cutting the edges of an apple slice to make it appear as though it has two bunny ears. These cute elements are just the tip of the iceberg. Some dedicated bento makers take it to the next level by making full character displays with the food.
Here are some Japanese character bentos that are so extra and are taking meal prep to the next level.
Kawaii My Melody Bento
This little My Melody bento is too cute to eat! This bento really nails the My Melody design right down to the little box fascened at her ear and her little yellow nose!
Daisy Duck
Upon first glance, Daisy Duck’s face in this bento looks like it could have been a drawing printed out and pasted on top of the bento. Take another look though, her face is actually made out of food right down to those black lines made from thin pieces of nori!
Credits: @kaseifu_mudazono
Hello Kitty
This vibrant bento has the cutest little hello kitty peeking out of what appears to be roses or some sort of red flower which must have taken ages to make! There is so much going on in this bento, it really makes you appreciate all the time an effort this bento maker put into making this!
Credits: @yocchimama_chiyuki
Simba
You can never go wrong with a Disney character bento! Not only does simba from The Lion King looks stunning, they even added in his little whiskers! Not to mention each little detail in the flower garden surrounding him, this is yet another character bento that is knocking it out of the park!
Credits: @hide_811
Snowman Winter Wonderland Bento
What better way to get in the holiday spirit or feel festive than a winter wonderland bento! Just looking at these designs would brighten your mood, there’s no way anyone can eat this snowman bento and have a bad day,
Credits: @comugi.bento
Ghibli Character Bentos
These Ghibli character bentos are a work of art! It looks likes some of them feature edible hand drawings of the characters, now that’s dedication.
Credits: @tomoxryuxtora
Whoever started this character bento trend was really onto something, these kawaii bento designs would certainly brighten anyone’s day during and make lunch time something to really look forward to! Now imagine prepping a week’s worth of character bentos, would you be able to do it??
If you liked these character bentos, then these cute bento will definitely make you smile!
Which character bento was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
Keep up with all the fun news coming out from Japan by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Want a free Japanese subscription box? Make sure to check out how to get one here!
Related articles
Dagashi for Tsukimi: Best Snacks to Have!
When the weather turns crisp and the autumn moon shines bright, Japan celebrates tsukimi, the traditional moon-viewing festival.
Egg Drop Soup: Tsukimi Traditions in a Swirling Bowl
Can you imagine sitting under a glowing autumn moon, warming your hands and spirits with a bowl of egg drop soup? In Japan, as the air gets crisp and families gather for tsukimi, or moon viewing, this gentle soup transforms from a quick comfort food to a celebration of the season.
Curry Udon: A Comforting Twist on Japanese Noodles
When it comes to warm, cozy comfort food in Japan, curry udon is hard to beat. It’s thick, chewy udon noodles swimming in rich, flavorful curry broth. The soup is savory, a little sweet, and satisfying.
Aaron and Claire Show Us an Amazing Shogayaki Recipe!
Aaron and Claire are back with another quick and flavorful Japanese recipe: shogayaki, or Japanese ginger pork. If you like simple, affordable dishes that taste like they came straight from a cozy Japanese diner, you’ll want to try this.
Nori Snacks: Seaweed Treats You Need to Try!
When you think of Japanese snacks, you might picture Pocky, mochi (Japanese rice cake), or soft, fluffy custard cakes. But Japan also has another snacking world: crunchy, savory seaweed treats made from nori (Japanese seaweed) and other ocean goodies.
Japanese Burger Offerings for Tsukimi Season!
Tsukimi, or autumn moon-viewing, is a traditional event in Japan filled with cultural customs that many people love participating in. To help everyone enjoy the moon-viewing season even more, restaurants work hard to create special tsukimi menus. These seasonal offerings often include creative dishes and drinks, and surprisingly, even Western-style burgers join in the fun. Let’s...