Bento Lunch Boxes available around Kawasaki Station, Kanagawa, to eat during your trip! [Awaji-ya, famous for its hitari-meshi (pulled rice)

  • Kanagawa
  • Eating
Best-selling product - Hittappadako-meshi

A long-established bento shop in Kobe, established 120 years ago, opens its first store in the Tokyo metropolitan area at Lazona Kawasaki♪

Awaji-ya, famous for its flagship product "Hittari Dako Meshi" from Kobe, the birthplace of ekiben, opened its first store in the Tokyo metropolitan area on September 22, 2023, in Lazona Kawasaki Plaza. Awaji-ya's products, which until now could only be purchased at the occasional ekiben conventions held in various regions or in the Kansai region, can now be purchased in Kawasaki.
Awajiya Lazona Kawasaki

History of Awajiya

Here is an introduction to Awaji-ya. According to one of the few records of ekiben, ekiben were first sold at Kobe Station in 1877 (Meiji 10). Nearly 30 years later, in 1903, Awaji-ya opened its first ekiben shop. Originally, Awajiya ran a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant) in Sonezaki-shinchi, Osaka in the early Meiji period under the name of "Awaiu." In 1903, Awajiya was allowed to operate inside the premises of the then Hanzuru Railway (now JR Fukuchiyama Line) and established an office in Osaka Station to start selling boxed meals in trains between Osaka and Fukuchiyama. The following year, they began selling boxed lunches at Ikeda Station, and the year after that, at Ikuse Station, which was a busy gateway to the Arima Hot Springs. From the end of the Meiji period to the beginning of the Taisho period, the railroad network was rapidly developed throughout Japan. In this era, ekiben became an indispensable part of railroad travel and became popular among people. Since then, the ekiben business has been passed down through five generations, but the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 was a major event. It will be 30 years next year, but immediately after the disaster, various infrastructures and lifelines were cut off, and there was no prospect of reopening for business. The management at the time was inspired by the situation, saying, "We can't just wait and see. Gas was switched from city gas to propane gas through a rush job, and water was secured with the cooperation of a major beer manufacturer. The factory was back in operation around two weeks after the disaster, supplying boxed lunches to evacuation centers throughout Japan. In order to meet the needs of customers, Awajiya has always pursued deliciousness and continues to provide bento boxed lunches that incorporate a variety of ideas in flavor creation, including "niku meshi," a variety of authentic Kobe flavors, and "auchiuchi steam bento," which breaks the common practice of ekiben, while making use of its own particular tastes.
From ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant) Awaji-U to ekiben shop Awaji-ya

Best 3 boxed lunch sales in FY2023!

We asked Awajiya about their top three bento sales for fiscal year 2023. Some of the items are included with comments from staff who have actually purchased and eaten them, so why not use them as a reference for your own purchases?

No. 1: Kobe sukiyaki and steak bento

This bento box lunch box, wrapped with an illustration of a Kobe landscape, is a must-have for meat lovers who can enjoy sukiyaki and steak at the same time. The sukiyaki meat is very tender, the rice seasoned with a special soy sauce sauce soaks up the flavor, and the steak is tender yet resilient, making it a perfect combination with the mushroom pilaf and vegetables. This is also available in a heated version, and when the lid is opened, the mellow aroma of the steam that rises up from the bowl whets the appetite, making the hot bento boxed meal taste just like the one served at a restaurant.
Kobe sukiyaki and steak bento

No. 2: Hittari Meshi

This is one of Awajiya's representative ekiben, produced as a Nishi-Akashi Station ekiben to commemorate the opening of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge on April 5, 1998. The container for the uniquely named "Hittari Dako Meshi" is actually made to resemble an octopus pot used in the traditional Akashi fishing method called "Takotsubo (octopus pot) fishing," and the inside of the octopus pot is filled with soy sauce-based takikomi-gohan (cooked rice) with umani (seasoned sea octopus), shigureni (simmered eel), and a fish paste called "Takoten" (octopus tempura), etc. The rice is cooked in an octopus pot and is packed tightly together, It is a hearty and satisfying bento.
Hittabidako-meshi (pulled octopus rice)

No. 3: Rokkosan traverse bento

The compact size of the bento is designed to be easy to eat and convenient to carry, inspired by the beautiful greenery and fresh breeze. This product is not available for pickup or sale at the Lazona Kawasaki store, and must be purchased at stores in the Kansai area.
Rokkosan Traverse Bento

Other items in the lineup are also available♪

In addition to the top three, there are many other eye-catching products in the "Hittaridako Meshi" series, such as character collaboration products. The "JR Freight Container Bento," "Original Chanko Bento Series," and "Seasonal Makunouchi Bento" are also available. Unique goods for various purposes are also available at the store, so why not enjoy them along with the bento?
JR Freight Container Lunchbox Kobe no Sukiyaki Hen
Bento no Awaji-ya's official website

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