Bento Boxes for a Perfect Day Out

That excited feeling when you open the lid of your bento box.
Just knowing it's a bento box makes you
look forward to eating a little more than usual.

ZUTTO also carries many bento boxes.
But when we say "bento box," the shapes and materials vary widely.

We'd like to introduce bento boxes for your daily lunch,
and ones you'll want to take outside on sunny days.

■ A Presence Like a Mirror

The first is a bento box fromKobo Aizawa.

Its defining feature is above all the matte finish.
The smooth surface gently reflects light,
creating a distinctive contrast of light.

Kobo Aizawa was founded in the 11th year of the Taisho era (1922).
Starting out in the cutlery business, they began working with
small stainless steel items in the early Showa period.
Today, artisans handcraft each piece in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture,
now known as a production center for stainless steel goods.

■ What Exactly Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel:
A steel made by adding elements such as chromium and nickel to iron.

Stainless steel materials are often described as "18-8 stainless steel."
This means the raw material contains 18% chromium and
8% nickel.

The inclusion of multiple elements gives stainless steel
its defining characteristic: resistance to rust (stain = rust, less = resistant to)
just as its name suggests.

Stainless steel has other advantages as well:

・ Resistant to staining and odors
・ Easy to wash since dirt doesn't stick easily
・ Sturdy and resistant to breaking

That's why you can use it worry-free,
whether for everyday lunches or outings.

Since stainless steel bento boxes have such a simple look,
they're perfect for showing off colorful ingredients.
Even rich dishes made with sauce or ketchup
are no problem at all.

Spaghetti Napolitan with potato salad.
A bento that kids love too.

■ Choosing the Right Bento Box Size

Kobo Aizawa's bento boxes come in
a variety of shapes and sizes.

With so many options,
it's easy to wonder which size is right for you.
In such cases, we recommend deciding based on the capacity
of the bento box and the ingredients you plan to pack.

1. Square Lunch Box, Small…360ml
Feels quite small when held by an adult.
Recommended for elementary school-age children.
Also good for holding fruit as a dessert box.

2. Square Lunch Box, Medium…670ml
A size recommended for women.
With its divider, you can fill it half with sides and half with rice,
or use it for noodle dishes like pasta.

3. Square Lunch Box, Large…1,000ml
For men with hearty appetites.
Its substantial size makes for a satisfying, appetite-inducing bento.

4. Square Lunch Box, Small, 2 Tiers…360ml×2
For those who like to keep rice and sides separate.
Recommended for both men and women.

5. Round Lunch Box, 2 Tiers…400ml×2
For men. Also just right for women with hearty appetites.
The unusual round shape has a retro feel.

6. Slim Rectangular Lunch Box, 2 Tiers…350ml×2
For those who like to keep rice and sides separate.
Its slim shape takes up little space in a bag.
Recommended for both men and women.

■ Tips for Long-Term Use

＜Basic Care＞

Wash with a sponge and neutral detergent or soap,
then rinse with water.
There's no problem washing it the same way as your other dishes.

If you let it air dry, water marks may remain,
so wipe off any moisture with a dry cloth after washing.

If using a dishwasher, please remove the packing first.

Also, please be careful not to wash it with
the metal side of a sponge or with cleanser,
as this can scratch the surface.

＜Things to Avoid＞

・It cannot be warmed in a microwave.
Stainless steel blocks heat.
Using a microwave has no effect and
will result in uneven heating.

・It can rust in some cases.
Stainless steel is not entirely rust-proof.
If it comes into prolonged contact with another metal,
it may rust (discolor).
For this reason, try to avoid using
aluminum foil as much as possible.

Also, leaving leftover food or cooking oil in the box for a long time,
or soaking it in cleaning solution or salt water for extended periods,
can likewise cause rust to form,
so please be careful.

・It's sensitive to acidic substances.
Prolonged contact with acidic substances
can cause corrosion.
Try not to leave acidic foods like lemon
or umeboshi (pickled plums) in the box for long periods.

Kobo Aizawa's stainless steel bento boxes
suit anyone who uses them.

Their clean, sophisticated look appeals to women, of course,
while the simple design and larger sizes make them easy for men to use too.
And being sturdy and long-lasting, they're perfect for children as well.

Making the most of stainless steel's inherent advantages,
and designed with the user in mind,
these are bento boxes that have been loved by people until now, and surely will continue to be.

■ The Power of Akita Cedar and the Tradition It Carries On

Next, marked by its oval and mess-tin shapes,
Let us introduce the bento boxes from Odate Kogeisha.

In Odate City, Akita Prefecture,
it is said that magewappa (bentwood ware) has been
actively made for around 400 years.

Still made today using traditional techniques and raw materials,
Odate's magewappa has long been
cherished by people as an everyday tool.
It is the only one in Japan
to be designated as a traditional craft.

The bento boxes from Odate Kogeisha are made
using natural Akita cedar (akita sugi) that is
around 150 to 200 years old.

Moreover, the wood used is taken from
the part near the center of the tree known as
masame (straight grain), so even though each piece is unique,
every one has a beautifully
straight-running grain.

After the Akita cedar is felled, it is cut into thin sheets, boiled,
and then bent into a circular shape.
Once the wood cracks, there's no going back—
magewappa is made under just that kind of tension.
The beauty of the bending makes you wonder if wood could really be such a pliable material,
and you can truly sense the craftsman's skill in it.

The bentwood is fastened together with cherry bark.
Thin slits are cut into the Akita cedar, and cherry bark is threaded through them,
almost as if sewing with thread, to hold the piece together.
This, too, is a technique that only skilled handwork can achieve.

What's truly surprising when you hold one in your hand is how light it is.
The photo shows the weight of thekoban bento (medium).
※Please note there may be slight variation between individual pieces.
This gives you a sense of just how thinly the cedar is shaved before processing.
This lightness is one of the reasons
this shape has survived as a practical everyday tool into the present day.

When you hear the phrase "traditional bento box,"
you might feel that it seems somehow
hard to pick up and use casually.

But the natural quality of Akita cedar
actually goes surprisingly well
with any kind of bento wrapping.

And because the natural material
is used just as it is,
it's also perfect for enjoying bento outdoors.
Akita cedar has antibacterial properties,
and it keeps the moisture of the food at just the right level,
so you can enjoy rice that stays fluffy and delicious.

Soboro rice with grilled salmon. Savor the essence of Japanese cuisine, eaten from a wappa.

The bento boxes from Odate Kogeisha, where skilled craftsmanship shines through in every detail,
have a charm you can only truly appreciate by holding and using them yourself.
They carry the long history woven by traditional Japanese bentwood craft.
These are bento boxes that let you directly feel
the reasons why they have been loved by people for so very long.

■Things to keep in mind for long-term use

Caring for magewappa is basically no different from caring for any other
bento box, so there's no need to worry.

After use, wash with dish soap, and wipe away moisture after washing.
Dry the container facing upward, in a well-ventilated place
out of direct sunlight.

Keeping the container facing upward is important
so that moisture inside can evaporate.

・It is vulnerable to water.
Since it is made of wood, prolonged contact with water
will damage it.
Be sure to dry it thoroughly after washing.
If it isn't dried well enough,
the wood surface may turn dark,
so please be careful.

・It is vulnerable to hard objects.
If chopstick tips or other tableware knock against it
and scratch the surface, the coating may peel off.
If the coating peels off, moisture can get inside,
which can cause staining.

・It cannot be used in a microwave, over an open flame, or in an oven.
This is because it is made of wood.

・Do not use hard scrub brushes, bleach, abrasive powder,
dishwashers, or dish dryers.

・It is vulnerable to heat sources and direct sunlight.
This may cause discoloration or warping.
Please be mindful of where you store it.