JAPANESE SCHOOL LUNCHES DECORATED LIKE CUTE CHARACTERS: BENTO BOX CHARABEN.
Do you remember the scene in Kamikaze Girls where Momoko takes out her school lunch? Everyone’s nibbling on rice balls and sandwiches – but our Lolita heroine opens up a pink heart-shaped box filled with girly-colored sweets, meticulously arranged for maximum cuteness.
She is not alone. Every school day, Japanese children tear open their bento boxes at lunchtime and squeal “KAWAII!” Their mothers had risen at dawn and spent three hours arranging slices of egg, cheese, and seaweed into Doraemon, Pikachu, and Super Mario. Okay, I’m hyperbolizing… but “charaben” (character bento boxes) arranging is in fact soaring in popularity in Japan.
In his new book Face Food, Christopher Salyers documents the art of the kid’s meal. Character bentos are a modern spin on elaborate food arrangments dating from 12th century Japan. To my surprise, the driving force behind these visual feasts is not artistic fulfillment. The parents toil in the kitchen for the sake of their children; one arranges ham slices into Piglet to delight them, encourage them to eat nutritiously, and hopefully boost their social standing in the classroom.
The book includes helpful hints on how to make your own bento box character lunches. Above are some adorable animals that would suit a Sweet Lolita. Rice is dyed with curry powder or pink food coloring. Egg, sausage, and fish cake form the facial features.
Gothic Lolitas would never be deficient in iodine: a lot of black seaweed (nori) is required to sculpt Emily the Strange, Jack Skellington, and Spiderman.
I whined to my mom: “I’m so deprived! You should have woken up at 5am to craft Goth-themed lunches for meee. Like a skull-shaped sandwich, impaled with red peppers and dripping with ketchup-blood. Or a soy-based interpretation of the Seven Sins, one for every day of the week.” She snapped: “Well you were lucky to have ANY FOOD at ALL!”
† From Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes by Christopher D. Salyers (New York: Mark Batty Publisher, 2007). For more bento box imagery, check out the Face Food blog.
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LA CARMINA
31 Comments
I LOVE JAPANESE FOOD… TO THE MAX. SO GOOD!!!
Pig food! <33
i love the piggy Japaneses food. how cite <3
The three little pigs are my favorite as well!
I LOVE JAPANESE FOOD… TO THE MAX. SO GOOD!!!
Pig food! <33
i love the piggy Japaneses food. how cite <3
The three little pigs are my favorite as well!
Piggies! -^..^-
Wow, I had no idea bento could become that adorable… but to “hopefully boost their social standing in the classroom”? I guess elementary school is pretty different over there… Dang, if I could climb the social ladder just by having cute things, I'd be emperor! xD
Piggies! -^..^-
Wow, I had no idea bento could become that adorable… but to “hopefully boost their social standing in the classroom”? I guess elementary school is pretty different over there… Dang, if I could climb the social ladder just by having cute things, I’d be emperor! xD
i don't have the heart to eat such adorable food :(
well, i don't how they taste though since i've never eaten one (other than a couple of sushi) but i must admit they look absolutely delish.
anywho this link is to a friend of mine. her lunch may not be as fancy as those but i must say they still look very very yummy to me
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bl…
OH MY GOD
I was already going to learn how to make bento just for the sake of knowing how, but seeing this just makes it official:
I must learn the art of Bento!!!
How cute *__* I love Japanese food!
Wow, that's so cute! ^___^ Japanese food is a masterpiece!
The Pikachu bento looks really delicious and nice. :)
i don’t have the heart to eat such adorable food :(
well, i don’t how they taste though since i’ve never eaten one (other than a couple of sushi) but i must admit they look absolutely delish.
anywho this link is to a friend of mine. her lunch may not be as fancy as those but i must say they still look very very yummy to me
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=1000247873&blogID=382754326
OH MY GOD
I was already going to learn how to make bento just for the sake of knowing how, but seeing this just makes it official:
I must learn the art of Bento!!!
How cute *__* I love Japanese food!
Wow, that’s so cute! ^___^ Japanese food is a masterpiece!
The Pikachu bento looks really delicious and nice. :)
I wana try ^^
I wana try ^^
I totally agree about the piggies being the cutest! Even though they are all cute~
This looks like a challenge to make… I would be afraid to eat it because it looks so cute.. haha
I totally agree about the piggies being the cutest! Even though they are all cute~
This looks like a challenge to make… I would be afraid to eat it because it looks so cute.. haha
cool
i think i wouldnt stop to look at hehehe^^
cool
i think i wouldnt stop to look at hehehe^^
That's not good =(
I would be crying while I eat ;-; they're too adorable xD
That’s not good =(
I would be crying while I eat ;-; they’re too adorable xD
owwww….cute….=)
owwww….cute….=)
owwww….cute….=)