Fish Scraps for Lunch? Students Step Up with Bentō Ideas to Meet Sustainable Development Goals

Yokohama Nanbu Market has both wholesalers and retailers selling marine products, fruit and vegetables, and fresh flowers. The building on the left houses a variety of eateries, including Yokohamaya Honpo Dining.

The poster at left proudly announces that Yokohamaya Honpo Dining serves MEL-certified seafood.

Professor Shibata’s students discuss ways to make better use of Yokohama Food Service’s products.

Packages of salmon and tuna fish burger patties (packs of five cost ¥580; all prices listed excluding consumption tax).

Shibata’s students pose with their SDG bentō boxes the day before the new products went on sale.

Both the salmon and tuna fish burger loco moco bowls are priced at ¥498. The female students say the idea came to them at a café.

The three-colored salmon bento box with its striking striped design is ¥450.

The Osakana Gozen is priced at ¥598. The box label proudly proclaims, “Jointly developed with Shibata seminar students at Yokohama City University.”

The students’ handmade posters have a special appeal.

The students savor the box lunches they created. “Once they go on sale, I’m going to buy one of every kind,” asserts one team member.