Ekibenya Matsuri Gransta Tokyo

Takeout Restaurant · Chiyoda

3

@atlasobscura

"It’s always a festival (in Japanese, a matsuri) of feasts between tracks 6 and 7 at Tokyo Station. Here, at Ekibenya Matsuri, travelers bustle around choosing from nearly 200 different kinds of ekiben, portable meals meant for the Shinkansen bullet train and other local trains that set off from the cosmopolitan city’s central train station. A portmanteau of eki (Japanese for “station”) and ben (from the Japanese bento, meaning “boxed meal”), each ekiben holds bite-size holistic representations of Japan’s food culture, portioned out in compartments of beautifully designed bento boxes that resemble wrapped and string-tied gift boxes. At each train stop in Japan Railways’ vast network, vendors sell ekiben containing the specialties of that particular region. In Hyogo prefecture, this might mean the hipparidako meshi ekiben: A rice, octopus, eel, and vegetables dish served in a miniature takotsubo, modeled on the traditional earthen pot designed to catch octopus in the area. At Shizuoka station, travelers might line up for the tai meshi, a locally popular dish of sea bream and rice. But circling the displays at Ekibenya Matsuri, one can find most of these region-specific novelties, stacked against one another in a single frenetic train station shop. The popularity of Ekibenya Matsuri, which sells over 10,000 ekiben daily, covers the cost of sourcing ekiben from all the prefectures of Japan. Indulge your inner child with an ekiben shaped like a train. Or, take advantage of seasonal ekiben, made only with location-specific seasonal produce. Then there’s the high-tech self-heating ekiben, packaged in a box that heats up when a string is pulled. Or, you might keep it traditional, with the Daruma bento, packaged in a box that looks like Daruma, a doll meant to represent Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. The box has a slit at the mouth, and can be used as a coin bank, making it a lucky keepsake. The average price of a box at Ekibenya Matsuri is about $10, and travelers will typically purchase several boxes for themselves and as gifts. Ask for a warmed bottle of miso soup when you pay, or grab a bottled matcha tea, or even single-serve bottles of wine, which they also sell. Travel through Japan’s culinary foodways with ekiben that look like boxes of jewels, as you traverse its beautiful landscape on your rail journey. Know Before You Go The store is located in the GRANSTA shopping area on the first floor of Tokyo Station, near the Yaesu Central Exit. It's open every day from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm." - Fred Cherrygarden, Rohini Chaki

Ekibenya Matsuri – Tokyo, Japan - Gastro Obscura

JR Tokyo Station, 構内, 1 Chome-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan Get directions

shop.jr-cross.co.jp

3 Postcards

See full details

More Places For You

apéro. wine bar AOYAMA

Wine bar · Minato

Step into Tokyo’s Apéro, where Guillaume and Chloe serve a refined blend of organic French wines and hearty, farm-to-table dishes in a cozy, elegant setting.

1 Postcard

Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo

Serviced accommodation · Chiyoda

Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo offers sleek, spacious serviced apartments with modern amenities and rooftop views, perfectly situated for business travelers near Otemachi Station.

3 Postcards

Restaurant Hyene

Bistro · Shibuya

Tucked away in a charming renovated 70-year-old traditional house, this intimate Omotesando gem serves a unique fusion of seasonal French, Japanese, and Korean cuisines with an impressive drink pairing experience.

1 Postcard

Grand Kitchen

Western restaurant · Chiyoda

Nestled on a leafy terrace overlooking a park, this Tokyo hotspot serves stylish breakfasts, indulgent brunches, and decadent wagyu dinners amid stellar service.

1 Postcard

Ramen Break Beats

Ramen restaurant · Meguro

Step into Ramen Break Beats, where expertly crafted bowls of shoyu and shio ramen harmoniously blend rich flavors and top-notch ingredients with a cool DJ vibe.

2 Postcards

Bricolage bread & co.

Bakery · Minato

Nestled in Roppongi, this chic café and bakery serves up artisanal French bread, sumptuous pastries, and delightful coffee in a stylish, welcoming setting.

1 Postcard

Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku

Japanese restaurant · Taitō

Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku, Tokyo's oldest onigiri joint, serves made-to-order rice balls bursting with traditional flavors in a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

4 Postcards

MAZ

South American restaurant · Chiyoda

At MAZ in Tokyo, indulge in a two-star Michelin dining journey crafted by the team behind Lima's Central, exploring Peru's biodiversity through artful, seasonal dishes infused with Japanese ingredients.

5 Postcards

Narisawa

Kaiseki restaurant · Minato

Narisawa is a two-Michelin-starred haven in Tokyo’s Aoyama district, where chef Yoshihiro Narisawa artfully melds French finesse with innovative Japanese ingredients to create stunning seasonal tasting menus that tell a story about nature.

8 Postcards

Chiyoda City

Train Stations · Chiyoda

Located in the heart of Chiyoda, Tokyo Station is a sprawling, beautifully restored hub of transport and dining, offering a maze of shops and eateries that reflect Japan’s vibrant culture and culinary delights.

0 Postcards