10 Best Ekiben in Japan: Our Favorite Railway Bento Boxes

Obviously, we travel by train in Japan a lot. Still, over the years, one of the highlights of the journeys for me has always been enjoying an ekiben on the train. These special railway bento boxes are sold at train stations throughout the country and often feature regional ingredients and local specialties.

Whenever we visit a new area, trying the local ekiben is always part of the experience. Over the years, we’ve sampled countless station bentos across Japan, from seafood-packed boxes in Hokkaido to famous beef and chicken bentos in Kyushu.

Here are the 10 most delicious ekiben we’ve tried during our travels around Japan.

What is an Ekiben?

Before talking about our favorites, let’s quickly explain what an ekiben actually is.

The word ekiben comes from eki (station) and bento (boxed lunch). You can find these bento at large railway stations, especially stations where limited express trains and the Shinkansen stop. They are designed to be eaten during the journey and are usually sold at small kiosks or dedicated ekiben shops inside the station.

Ekiben are a long-standing staple of train travel in Japan. The first Ekiben can be traced back to a small stall at Utsunomiya Station in the late 19th century that sold two rice balls with pickles. Since then, countless varieties of ekiben have been created so travelers can enjoy local food while riding the train. However, today trains are faster, and convenience stores offer travelers many more food options than before. As a result, ekiben are not as popular today as they were in their heyday.

While typically somewhere in the ballpark of 1,500 yen, ekiben are a bit expensive compared to the food sold at convenience stores. But what you’re paying for is completely different. Ekiben strongly reflect regional tastes and often contain local specialties. If you want to experience authentic Japanese flavors, ekiben are the way to go!

10 Best Ekiben in Japan

1. Shiumai Bento (Yokohama Station, JR East)

One of the most famous ekiben in Japan is the Shiumai Bento made by Kiyoken. Sold at many stations around Yokohama, it has become something of a symbol of the region. Yokohama is well known for its Chinese influence, and shumai is one of the city’s most popular foods. Because of that, many people consider Shiumai Bento to be the representative ekiben of the Kanto region.

Kiyoken also operates stands in department stores, so you can sometimes find it even if you’re nowhere near a train station.

The highlight, of course, is the shumai itself. The meat dumplings are juicy, flavorful, and surprisingly satisfying. The bento also includes several classic side dishes such as tamagoyaki, karaage, and bamboo shoots, along with a generous portion of rice. It’s exactly the kind of meal you want with a beer on the Shinkansen after a long day. 

2. Tori Meshi (Odate Station, JR East)

Since 1947, the Tori Meshi ekiben is practically an ambassador of the flavors of the Tohoku region.  

The rice is cooked in flavorful broth and topped with sweet, tender chicken. The other side dishes, such as candied chestnuts, are all quintessential examples of classic Japanese cooking. What I love about Tori Meshi is that it fills you up without making you feel stuffed. It’s the kind of ekiben you’ll want to buy whenever you want to enjoy authentic Japanese flavors. 

Speaking of chicken ekiben, Kashiwa Meshi from Kokura and Hakata in Kyushu is also extremely popular. They are very similar to Tori Meshi, but the ones from Kyushu are a bit sweeter. 

3. Kaki Meshi (Akkeshi Station, JR Hokkaido)

Kaki Meshi, literally meaning “oyster rice,” is one of Hokkaido’s most famous ekiben. Sold at Akkeshi Station, this ekiben features large locally harvested oysters and rice cooked in rich oyster broth. The rice absorbs all that oyster flavor, and the combination is incredibly satisfying. Needless to say, if you love oysters, this one is for you.

Before you know it, you’ll have finished the whole thing! 

Speaking of oysters, Hiroshima is also famous for oysters. Hiroshima Station’s Kaki Zukushi is another excellent choice. Compared with Akkeshi’s Kaki meshi, it focuses more on variety, including fried oysters, grilled oysters, simmered oysters, and oyster rice all in one box.

4. Gyuniku Domannaka (Yonezawa Station, JR East)

Another popular ekiben from the Tohoku region is Gyuniku Domannaka.   

The name comes from Domannaka rice, a variety grown in Yamagata Prefecture. On top of that rice sits a generous layer of Yonezawa beef seasoned with a special sauce. The first time I bought this, I underestimated how much beef they packed into the box. The side dishes, including rolled omelet, fish cake, and kelp rolls, are also excellent.

What I particularly like is that the flavor of the beef takes center stage without becoming greasy. In some circles, this is the king of ekiben. 

It’s available not only in Yonezawa but also at Fukushima Station and several other locations. You can sometimes find it at Tokyo Station as well, though it tends to sell out quickly because it’s one of the station’s most popular ekiben.

5. Ganso Kanizushi (Tottori Station, JR West)

One of the most popular ekiben in the San’in region is Ganso Kanizushi from Tottori Station. Crab ekiben can be found all over Japan, especially in Hokuriku, San’in, and Hokkaido. I’ve tried quite a few of them over the years, but Tottori’s version is probably my favorite.

The bento is generously topped with crab meat layered over shredded egg, all sitting on a bed of sushi rice. It’s a simple combination, but it works incredibly well. Every bite has plenty of crab, which is exactly what you want from a crab ekiben.

Ganso Kanizushi debuted in 1952 and has remained a favorite among travelers ever since.

Nearby Fukui has its own popular crab ekiben, Tokusen Kanimeshi, which generously tops the rice with crab meat. The plastic bento container is very cute, and you can reuse it as a bento box afterward.

6. Momotaro no Matsuri Zushi (Okayama Station, JR West)

If you’re in Okayama, you must pick up the Momotaro no Matsuri Zushi. This one ekiben manages to bring together all of  Okayama’s speciality foods like mamakari (small sardines) and sawara (Spanish mackerel) together in ekiben form.

The container looks like a peach because Momotaro, peach boy, is allegedly from Okayama. As it is made from plastic, you can reuse it as a bento box too!  

7. Fufu Anago Meshi (Hiroshima Station, JR West)

When people think of food in Hiroshima, either okonomiyaki or oysters usually get all the attention. However, anago (conger eel) is another local specialty that’s well worth trying. That’s exactly what you get in Fufu Anago Meshi: two healthy pieces of anago sside by side on top of the rice like a married couple (fufu in Japanese). The bento also includes a special sauce that, in my opinion, takes it to the next level.

If you enjoy anago, another excellent choice is Goso Anago Meshi from Himeji. As the name suggests, it comes with five pieces of anago layered across the rice. I honestly have a hard time choosing between the two.

8. Taimeshi (Shizuoka Station, JR Tokai)

One of my favorite ekiben along the Tokaido Shinkansen route is Tai Meshi from Shizuoka Station. With a history stretching back more than 130 years and feels like a perfect example of traditional washoku. The rice is seasoned with soy sauce and topped with generous amounts of shredded tai (sea bream), accompanied by simple simmered vegetables on the side.

The flavors are clean, gentle, and comforting. It’s the sort of ekiben that reminds you how good simple Japanese cooking can be.

You can only buy this particular Tai Meshi at Shizuoka Station, although other versions of sea bream rice sometimes appear at Odawara Station or even Tokyo Station.

Shizuoka has plenty of excellent ekiben. Numazu’s Minato Aji Zushi is another favorite, but if I had to choose just one, Tai Meshi would win by a small margin.

9. Hipparidako Meshi (Nishiakashi Station, JR West)

When it comes to Kansai ekiben, Hipparidako Meshi is probably one of the most famous.

Originally sold at Nishi-Akashi Station, it can now be found at several locations including Kobe and Osaka. It’s produced by Awajiya, one of the best-known ekiben companies in the Kansai region.

The bento showcases Akashi’s famous octopus. Inside you’ll find octopus rice along with side dishes such as shiitake mushrooms, simmered anago, and several large pieces of boiled octopus.

Of course, the most famous part of this ekiben is the container. Instead of an ordinary plastic box, it comes in a ceramic pot shaped like a traditional octopus trap. You can take it home as a souvenir, afterward. Just be warned—it looks small, but is surprisingly heavy!

10 Nishin Migaki Bento (Hakodate Station, JR Hokkaido)

The all time Hokkaido classic ekiben Nishin Migaki Bento definintly deserves a place on the list.This long-selling bento has been around since 1966, back in the days before the Seikan Tunnel connected Hokkaido and Honshu.

The bento makes full use of nishin (herring), one of Hokkaido’s traditional foods. On top of the rice are several large pieces of migaki nishin (dried herring) along with kazunoko (herring roe), a food that many Japanese people associate with New Year’s celebrations.

The large pieces of herring are excellent with rice. Combined with the slightly salty kazunoko, they create a flavor that feels distinctly Hokkaido.

I can see this bento being a little salty for some people, but personally I think that’s part of its charm. It’s the kind of meal that would pair perfectly with a cold drink while watching the scenery pass by outside the train window.

Ekiben: A Small Taste of Every Region

One of the things I love about ekiben is that they give you a small taste of the place you’re visiting before you’ve even left the station. Some of the sightseeing spots we’ve forgotten over the years, but certain ekiben are still easy to remember. If you’re traveling around Japan by train, don’t always just grab something from the convenience store. Take a second to snatch up on the local ekiben! You might discover a favorite of your own.