“Ekiben” Station Lunchboxes Taking Root in Paris, the City of Haute Cuisine?

Striking torimeshi banners stand next to the shop’s microwave. © Hanazen

Travelers decide on their ekiben with explanations from French staff. President Yagihashi looks on in his happi. (© Hanazen)

Yagihashi, the grandson of fifth-generation head Hanaoka Uta, was born and raised in Tokyo. When he was 20, unemployed and unambitious, Uta told him, “I want to open a branch in Tokyo, so come train for a year in Ōdate.” He has lived in Ōdate ever since. He once worked with a professional wrestling group, and he ordered the champion’s belts on his shoulder to commemorate the company’s ekiben titles. (© Hanazen)

Hanazen brought five different labels to the 2018 event at Gare de Lyon. All were designed to appeal to French tastes. (© Hanazen)

The torimeshi bentō makes up fully half of all sales (€14.50). The rice variety is Akita Komachi. The chicken is all Europe-grown due to EU regulations, but the shop has been able to re-create about 80% of the original Japanese flavor. French diners also seem to like the kinpira gobō stewed burdock root salad. (© Hanazen)

The Akita bentō, featuring a selection of local Akita dishes, is a new product made at the request of the prefecture. It has delicacies like kiritanpo with dengaku miso, Akita’s original inaniwa udon noodles, and iburigakko smoked daikon. (© Hanazen)

Many local Akita residents put their hearts into this project. Customers buying the Akita bentō also get a bookmark made by Ōdate elementary school students. Junior high students developed the tea to pair with torimeshi, while high school students made the menus. Students at Akita International University chose French language product names and planned the video that runs in the shop. (© Hanazen)