Osaka Station, there is a bento shop on the platform for the Thunderbird limited express train to Kanazawa. Since I didn't have time to eat lunch due to my transfer, I decided to have a bento on the train. I didn't know there was a bento shop on the platform, but it's really convenient. Good job, JR West. I didn't have much time to choose, so I picked the "Spring Zen" bento based on the price. It's a product from the Kansai powerhouse in the bento industry, Awajiya. The main dish is bamboo shoot rice, perfect for spring. It also includes sakura mochi for dessert, and kamaboko and fu shaped like cherry blossoms. A spring-filled meal that added to the outing mood.

On the first day of my trip to Tohoku, I took the early morning Thunderbird train to Kanazawa and transferred to the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Joetsu-Myoko. For breakfast and lunch, I had a bento box on the train, which I purchased from a bento shop on platform 11. Among the various options, I chose the grilled eel bento in a long, rectangular container with a "best seller" mark on it. This choice set the tone for the trip as I started by selecting my bento. The tour will cover six prefectures including Niigata over four days, with bus transportation from Joetsu-Myoko. In Kanazawa, I switched to the Shinkansen and enjoyed the eel bento on the train. The eel was tender and flavorful, served on a bed of rice without any sauce, making it easy to eat by cutting open the bag. It was a delicious start to the journey.

I took the Thunderbird train heading to Kanazawa at 8:40. I decided to get a station bento and beer. The person in front of me chose the Nigiwai Gozen, so I did too. In conclusion, the content for 1000 yen was too good for the price. Truly impressive, Awajimaya. The Highball for 500 yen disappeared in no time. I was moved. Highly recommended.

Exploring the rarely visited platform at Osaka Station early in the morning, I came across a bento shop. Although I had already had breakfast, the lady's inviting voice caught my attention and I ended up buying a bento called "Okame Bento" for 1,000 yen. The container was unique, shaped like a gourd with a face, which was interesting. I opened it on the express train and found various ingredients inside. It definitely added to the travel experience. However, I wondered if it was a good idea to eat so much in the morning for work. Overall, it was a nice experience different from the bento shops at Shin-Osaka Station.

I went on a tour to Kurobe Dam with my partner. We traveled by JR with a tour guide, and I accidentally signed up for a full-on tour. We met at Osaka Station and on the first day, we transferred to a bus at Toyama Station to go to Kurobe Torokko. There is no onboard sales on the Hokuriku Line anymore, and we had to rush at Kanazawa Station and Toyama Station with no time for lunch, so they told us to buy lunch in Osaka. I decided to buy a bento box at the station bento corner on the Hokuriku Line platform before boarding the Thunderbird. I chose the bamboo rice ball bento. It comes in a package with a bamboo print, containing two rice balls, rolled omelet, fried chicken, and skewers, making it a colorful bento. I ate it on the bus while enjoying the scenery of Toyama. It was a delicious bento. It seems like this bento is the only option for those who want to eat on the train since there is no onboard sales on the Hokuriku Line.

This is a bento shop located inside the Hokuriku Line platform at Osaka Station. I stopped by for a meal while traveling on the Thunderbird to Kanazawa in Hokuriku. The Thunderbird doesn't have in-flight sales even though the journey from Osaka to Kanazawa is three hours long, longer than the Shinkansen ride from Osaka to Tokyo. I purchased the recommended Traveler's Makunai Bento (850 yen). It came with three types of rice - octopus rice, white rice, and red rice - all of which were cold and hard. The side dishes were also cold, but slightly better than the rice. Thank you for the meal!

It's finally time to head back. I moved to the Hokuriku Line platform at Osaka Station to enjoy the last part of my trip, buying a station bento. There is a shop called "Tabiben" on this platform, which offers a wide variety of bento boxes. I was hoping to get a popular bento, and when I asked the staff, they said, "We have the last one left." I was so lucky! I happily purchased the "Takoyaki Rice" bento. This bento has a history of about 20 years and comes in a ceramic container shaped like a takoyaki ball. It contains seasoned rice with various vegetables and deliciously simmered octopus legs on top. The sweet and savory simmered octopus and the rice soaked in its broth are both delicious. Surprisingly, it's quite filling and even has a playful touch with a takoyaki-shaped ingredient at the bottom. If you ever travel to the Kansai region, I highly recommend trying this popular station bento. So, the fun 1-night, 2-day gourmet tour that I joined in on has come to a close. Traveling to tourist spots all the time can be tiring, but even though I don't quite understand the reason, I had a great time on this trip.

I conducted a quick survey of the Thunderbird platform at Osaka Station and decided to have a late-night snack at the bento booth. I'm not a fan of regular bento, so I opted for sushi. They had mackerel and shrimp sasazushi (the shrimp was quite sweet) and seared salmon. Personally, I prefer the balance of rice and ingredients in the sasazushi, but it's a matter of preference. The rice was slightly soft. The service was sales only, but the staff was friendly and lovely. It cost 680 yen, and I think it's more atmospheric than convenience store onigiri. Overall, considering the experience, this is how I would rate the cost performance. It's located on the west side of platform 11. Just being on this platform boosts my mood. I hope I can go on another quick trip somewhere soon.

This is a bento shop located inside Osaka Station. They sell various bento boxes for travelers, and I couldn't help but notice the adorable octopus mascot. I'm a bit full right now, so I can't eat it yet, but I'm looking forward to having the Takosan bento, a specialty from Akashi, as a late-night snack. (≧∇≦)

Here is a bento shop located on the Hokuriku Line platform at JR Osaka Station. Heading towards Nagano, I made my way to the Thunderbird boarding area. Osaka Station has changed a lot, but following the signs, I arrived at a very beautiful platform. It's a bit dark at the end of the platform with glass walls on one side. Personally, I preferred the old platform which was more open and made me feel like I was on a journey. Anyway, the first thing to do is to look for a bento box. On the platform, there is "Tabebento" and also "Heartin". I took a photo to show my travel companion the options available. The shop staff kindly allowed me to take the photo. There were bentos with rice and side dishes, makunouchi-style bentos, sushi and red rice bentos, and reasonably priced colorful bentos. I chose the "Summer Flavor" bento with octopus on top for 880 yen, while my companion chose the "Chestnut Rice Ball Bento" for 810 yen. A wet towel was also included. I always think that I haven't come across many Osaka-style station bentos before. It would be nice to have a variety of pressed sushi bentos. So, I boarded the Thunderbird and enjoyed the bento. It was delicately seasoned and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

On my way back from Osaka, I wanted to grab a meal somewhere, but I was short on time, so I decided to buy a bento box from this shop on the platform for the first time. There were many different bento boxes to choose from, and I was quite indecisive. The first bento box I ordered was sold out, so I ended up getting the Tajima beef bento box for 1150 yen. It was a bit pricey, but it was really delicious. The rice was soaked in plenty of dashi broth, and the Tajima beef was tender. It was definitely a bento box worth more than its price. I sometimes think train station bento boxes are nice.

In May 2023, I finally made a trip to Kanazawa with a friend after waiting for two years since making the plan. I traveled alone to Kanazawa as my friend lives in Tokyo. I was a bit nervous at Osaka Station, being from the countryside, but I managed to find the platform for the Thunderbird train. Upon arriving in Kanazawa, I planned to eat sushi at the revolving sushi restaurant in the station, but ended up getting a bento box to go from a shop on the platform. I got the half-size eel sushi for 1,080 yen. I couldn't buy beer at the shop, so I got it from a convenience store on the same platform. The Thunderbird train was almost empty, while my friend's Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanazawa was apparently very crowded. Train travel is so convenient and enjoyable. I usually travel by car, so it was nice to be able to relax and have a beer on the train. The eel sushi was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

During a business trip to Hokuriku, I purchased a bento box at "Tabebento Osaka" located on the JR Osaka Station Hokuriku Line platform (platform 11). There is no onboard sales on the Thunderbird Limited Express train, so it's necessary to buy bento boxes before boarding if you want to eat on the train. I was drawn to the "Tabenigawaimizen" bento, which is ranked 2nd in popularity. It is a variety of bento boxes as shown in the photo. While none of them are exceptional, they are all delicious. The portion size is not particularly large, but it is satisfying enough for a train ride meal. There is also a convenience store on the same platform where you can buy food, but I personally found more satisfaction in the bento box compared to convenience store options.

It's been decades since I last took a train trip! I usually travel by car, so I can't drink alcohol, but on a train, I can drink without hesitation. It's great! When riding a train, you have to have station bento, right? I already checked that there are two shops in Osaka Station. But I couldn't find the Midosuji mouth, or rather, I couldn't find it... With the departure time approaching, I managed to get anago sushi and dashimaki sandwich. That was close! I actually wanted something that I could pick at as a side dish... Anago sushi was delicious. The dashimaki sandwich was neither good nor bad, just okay.

In April 2022, I traveled to Toyama on the Thunderbird and Hokuriku Shinkansen. As it was a long journey, I bought some bread at Le Petit Mec in Hankyu Department Store. However, I also found an interesting bento at Tabekento, a bento shop on the Thunderbird platform, so I decided to buy that as well. It was the Okayama 50th Anniversary 500 Series Shinkansen Bento for 1500 yen. Despite being about to board the Thunderbird, I couldn't resist buying a Shinkansen bento. This bento is from Awajiya, known for their "takoyaki octopus ball rice." I initially thought it would be a children's lunch, but the ceramic container and the adult-friendly side dishes made me think it might actually be for adults. It included sukiyaki from Shin-Kobe, octopus from Nishi-Akashi, conger eel from Himeji, oysters from Aioi, and saury from Okayama, all served on a bed of rice, with a bonus Okayama Anniversary logo sticker included. While the portion size was a bit small, the sukiyaki, octopus, and oysters were delicious. Thank you for the meal!

Travel Bento Box of the Journey's End

Traveling Bento Box Autumn Meal at the inn.