Super Cool "Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento" – Train-Shaped Meal That’s Also a Keepsake After Eating

▲ The "Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento" lunchbox is shaped like a train. (Photo / Reporter Lin Yuling)

Reported and photographed by Reporter Lin Yuling / Japan

Japanese train bento boxes have always been uniquely charming, with great attention to detail in both packaging and contents—many travelers even go out of their way to try them. With the launch of the Hokkaido Shinkansen this March, the newly introduced "Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento" has become extremely popular. The bullet train-shaped lunchbox is not only cool-looking but can also be kept as a souvenir after the meal. The bento includes rice, fried items, and seafood—all made with local ingredients—and is available in limited quantities daily, with different flavors offered at various stations.

▲ Japanese train bento boxes are known for their unique appeal, often using locally sourced ingredients with great care.

Among the many distinctive Japanese train bentos, the "Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento" is currently the most talked about. Its H5 bullet train design is striking and eye-catching. And it's not only sold at stations in Hokkaido—almost all stations along the route carry it, including Tokyo Station.

▲ At Tokyo Station, you can buy the H5 Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento, though the ingredients may differ from those in other regions.

▲ Grab a bento before your trip and make the journey something to look forward to.

▲ %急愕蹦谟姓ㄎ铩Ⅲπ贰Ⅵ儆阕樱??ゲ级际潜焙５赖赝荚煨停?嗟北鹬掠眯模〖br />

Although they’re all called the Hokkaido Shinkansen Bento, the contents and prices may vary slightly depending on the station. For example, the one sold at Tokyo Station costs 1,300 yen (about NT$400), and the ingredients are thoughtfully selected. In addition to rice, it includes salmon roe, crab, fried items, and even kelp shaped like the map of Hokkaido—quite unique.

The H5 bento sold at Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, is priced at 1,250 yen (about NT$370). It comes in a smaller lunchbox and includes a variety of tempura with rice, making it suitable for passengers with smaller appetites.

▲ The Hokkaido Shinkansen H5 Series bento sold at Morioka Station comes in a smaller lunchbox and is also 50 yen cheaper.

▲ Board the Hokkaido Shinkansen again and enjoy the H5 Series bento.


▲ This smaller lunchbox contains a variety of tempura and rice, perfect for those with smaller appetites.

▲ %夹∏删?碌谋愕保?彩艿降钡厣涛袢耸肯舶?＜/strong>