Today, we're taking the Shinkansen Train from Tokyo to Kyoto.
Specifically we're riding Nozomi,
The fastest Shinkansen.
With limited stopping points, the journey will take less than 2 and a half hours.
To keep our taste buds entertained,
We explore the world of to-go bento box!
Hey guys! Greetings from Tokyo:)
We are taking the bullet train to Kyoto; it's our first time.
Let's get in line to buy our tickets,
That's right, we didn't purchase them in advance
Everything is in Japanese, but guess what? I know how to read time.
The cashier hands us a paper, showing seat options in English.
Non-smoking or smoking,
Window seat or aisle seat,
Seaside or Mount Fuji side.
Total cost is 27,480 yen for Mommy Oh and I.
Which is about $250 US.
There's a place where you can get your tickets by a machine,
but we wanted human service; face to face.
11:51
We are going to go pick up a bento box, for lunch. A to-go one.
They actually have a shop inside the station!
A rainbow of options await you.
Whether you're into seafood or are vegetarian, they got you covered.
Awhh, this uneven rectangular egg reminds me of Aladdin's magic carpet!
*Sings 'A Whole New World'*
I love how this eel is not cut into bits.
It's shape and size is embraced.
Rather than fitting the eel into a box, the box is designed to house it.
Typically, bento box interiors are divided into rectangles and squares,
this one is a rebel.
Angled lines create a triangle.
Wait a second, Illuminati?! *dun dun dun*
Ah, so when they run out they put a sign up.
I believe that says "sold out".
It's a big order,
they will come later.
If you love rice, this box is for you.
Nearly half of it contains white rice!
So cute how the umeboshi is just chillaxing in the middle!
A horizontal line of black sesame seeds sandwiches it.
Each compartment looks like contemporary art,
the last compartment is a minimal painting.
I'd hang it in the dining room, or living room.
But not in the bedroom, I'll think about food before sleepy time
and go on a midnight snacking spree!
You know what, I'm leaning towards this,
it looks like it's 2 stories!
This also looks good!
Which one?
Alright we got our bento boxes!
It's only 12:01!
29 minutes to kill before out train departs!
Let's head to the platform anyhow!
Better to be a little early than miss the ride.
In a rush, bento stalls are on the platform!
So if you have only 1 minute to spare before the train departs,
this is your chance!
There is also a mini convenience store nearby, for snacks and drinks!
Wait a second, is this a restaurant in the middle of a railway platform?
They sell various noodles with seaweed, tempura,
wild plants and tofu!
We already have food, so let's find our car number.
Which is #14
We had the choice of a getting non-reserved seat or a reserved seat.
To get a reserved seat it was about...$8.30 more?
I figured it's better to get a reserved seat because
if it gets really packed, there's no guarantee
that Mommy Oh and I will get a seat next to each other.
*sing-song voice* Guess what?
Boarding time!
The leg room situation is two thumbs-up!
If I was 7 feet tall, maybe not so much.
Power! Disclaimer: supply voltage may shut down or fluctuate.
So, I thought this window opens up, but it seems to be a mini-counter.
Here, we have the option to get shady.
See you later Tokyo,
we need to hang around again sometime soon,
there is still so much left to discover of you.
Guess what this flap does,
it brings you down! In a good and relaxing way!
Mommy Oh joins in.
Kay, but let's eat!
360 tour of my baby!
Mommy Oh's box has a dragon fish on a roof.
My box is decorated with flowers and ornaments.
Unboxing makes it feel like Christmas all over again!
And now for the big reveal!
*Angelic sounds*
The paper seems to explain the items in the bento box,
though all in Japanese.
Step 1: remove the plastic sheet.
Step 2: admire the textures, shapes, and colors.
I'm not sure what is what, but I do know that I'm excited!
We know what the top floor looks like,
let's venture downstairs!
Hm, first floor also looks promising!
Nom nom nom nom nom, my bento box is like a buffet,
we have a little bit of everything, but in small portions.
Mommy Oh's turn!
A pair of wooden chopsticks are taped to the box.
Ta-dah! The wrapping transforms into a place mat.
Abracadabra!
Potato salad and radish share the same unit with Mr. Cutlet.
Their neighbors are eel, mushroom, and greens.
Before we dig in, a family portrait.
Mommy Oh will start us off with tonkatsu.
*seductive music*
The outside looks crispier than it actually is,
I'll say it's a bit soggy.
After all, it's a to go style.
It's sweet...and I'm a little sick right now,
so it's probably sweeter than I can taste.
Under the tonkatsu is a bed of white rice,
the neighboring compartment also contains rice!
On top, egg is sliced so thinly that it almost looks like noodles!
In the attempt to honor my mother with the first bite,
the tempura proves to be a challenge.
The struggle is real!
*Mina laughs* It's falling pieces of- *giggles more*
It's on your phone!
I would have to wrestle with.
This is just a plain pepper.
Hm, not pickled.
Here we have a black and white rice combo,
which makes shades of purple.
Something pickled must be on the top!
Oh wow! That little piece is so salty!
This is *name of food*
Hm! This is rice cake!
Just admire the texture on this guy!
This, must not eat it. It's plastic grass.
Looks crunchy and pimple-y,
the colorful specs make it look more fun!
It's savory in a seafoody way.
Oh, it's very chewy!
This pickled radish has the shape of sliced bread.
Taro, is it you?
Top and bottom views are a hexagon.
And the sauce is so close to dripping!
That's not a potato nor a sweet potato.
Now this must be potato, covered in black sesame.
Hm! It's crisp like a lotus!
Tamagoyaki, Japanese rolled omelette.
Break it in half so Mommy Oh can try it as well.
As expected, it's sweet,
if we had egg like that in Korea, it would be more savory.
What is this? Some kind of root?
Why is it gray?
It's hard to break it with a chopstick, but it's easy to break it with your teeth.
Dissecting this bento box is an adventure,
it's a bit of an unknown territory to me.
Like exploring a jungle on a treasure hunt.
Except here, we are seeking flavors.
*happy music*
Hm! It's tofu!
There is black sesame seeds inside,
and um, little pieces of carrot.
Woah! So glossy!
Kombu Maki are kelp rolls,
the belt I believe is dried slice of gourd.
It's like candy. Like seafood candy.
The interior reveals layers,
kinda like fruit roll-ups!
Onto the salmon! Golden tones embellish the skin.
It's dry, yet moist.
If you did not get the chance to buy food before boarding, no sweat!
An attendant comes by with a cart filled with snacks and drinks,
including beer and shochu.
What is this?
Pretty sure that's seafood?
If you breathe into your mouth, through your throat,
you can taste more of the flavor.
It tastes like a really subtle version of dried squid.
Mommy Oh tried a bunch of these with me, and you're right!
A lot of the side dishes tend to be on the sweet side, in Japan.
It reminds of my childhood, the side dishes in Korea.
My mom will make all kinds of side dishes sometimes.
And your mother grew up in Japan.
She was born in Tokyo and grew up in Tokyo.
This to go box is pretty nice.
If I lived in Japan, I'd wash and reuse it!
Back in college, when I an aspiring architect,
we used to make scale models with textures like this.
We wrapped it all up as neatly back as possible.
3 -story bento box.
We are more than halfway to Kyoto and just about to pass Nagoya.
We have luggage to pull around, so let's toss the trash before exiting the train.
These doors have motion censor,
quite handy for flu seasons.
Near the exit is a map showing where the smoking rooms and trash bins are.
Woohoo! We made it to Kyoto!
I notice that there is a non-smoking waiting area on the platform.
Perfect for cold winter days.
This looks so good!
Appears to be the love child of donut and layered sponge cake.
Hope you guys enjoyed riding the bullet train with us!
And exploring the jungle of bento box!
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See ya next week! Buh-Bye <3