Japanese culture: Bento lunchbox

This is a typical bento lunchbox that Japanese women prepare for children and husbands to take to school/work. (Photo taken with my cellphone...resolution not bad hor?)

So pretty yah? Hoshino-sensei from one of my visit schools made it for me. The school asked me to stay and teach another period after lunch, so she made me a bento box!! Really nice of her! She said that she was making a bento for her son anyway, so just made another one for me so that I could experience eating a Japanese mother's bento. According to her, Japanese mothers put in a lot of effort in making bentos so that their children will feel happy when they see a pretty box with lots of delicious food in it during lunch break. The pretty sight certainly lifted my spirits when I opened the lid! It's an amazing feeling...you feel like "omigod! this person cares enough about me to make such a pretty and delicious bento for me!"...I was really touched. Japanese kids are really lucky!

If you want to try making a pretty Japanese bento, here's a tip Hoshino-sensei gave me: the colours green, red and yellow must be present to make the bento look appealing.