I attended a meeting in Kitakyushu and had a bento box from Marufuji. They are a popular bento shop that I also use for events. This time, I had the Kokura beef rice ball. When I opened it, it was wonderful. The box was divided into six sections, each containing a large rice ball. Some were shaped like battleships, while others had big toppings. It was fun to eat in different ways. Oh, and the bamboo shoots on the side were really delicious. It was a luxurious meal.

During a business trip, I was provided with a bento box by the other party. Surprisingly, the cover featured Galaxy Express 999, a work from over 30 years ago. I looked it up online and found out that it costs 999 yen excluding tax. The price matching the theme was quite surprising. When I opened the lid, I found that the inside was divided into nine compartments. The contents were as follows: 1) simmered sardines in miso 2) spicy cod roe rice 3) grilled chicken skewers 4) yakisoba 5) croquette 6) rice with shredded omelette 7) simmered dish 8) mixed grain rice 9) simmered vegetables. There were no particularly expensive ingredients used, but the taste and portion were satisfying. I especially enjoyed the simmered sardines in miso. I had the same dish the day before, but this one had a stronger miso flavor and a different taste to enjoy. Lastly, when I lifted the plastic case with nine compartments, I found an "Fukuoka ⇔ Eternal" unlimited passport inside! It was a clever touch.

JR Kyushu Hakata Station has a bento corner where they sell the special Galaxy Bento, which is in limited supply and sells out quickly, so it's a good idea to reserve in advance. You can easily purchase it by reserving at Marufuji Factory in Kokura the day before. This bento, enjoyed after a meeting with company employees, is a favorite among young female staff members. It is inspired by the manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, who has connections to Kitakyushu, and features ingredients based on the Kyushu Shinkansen stations and Matsumoto's favorite foods. Starting with Hakata-style grilled mentaiko and Kurume yakitori in the center, we enjoyed various ingredients while imagining the Shinkansen stations. It must be quite challenging to gather ingredients with such creative ideas. It felt like taking a journey through Kyushu on the Kyushu Shinkansen Sakura. With a well-balanced and enjoyable taste, we were completely satisfied with the bento priced at 999 yen.

Ganryujima Bento from Sekimon Marufuji in Kitakyushu, Kyushu (1050 yen) purchased on the Shinkansen train. It's part of the "Taiga Drama Historical Bento" series. The bento is filled with the deliciousness of Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki, inspired by the romanticism of the Ganryujima duel site. The bento includes various items like yakisoba noodles, pickled mackerel, rice balls, whale tempura, simmered fuki (butterbur) stalks, and local specialties like blowfish rice balls and small pieces of Kitakyushu beef. It was a luxurious and tasty meal.

I think people over the age of 45 will all know this. In the past, there weren't as many sources of information as there are now, with TV and manga being everything. We devoured Weekly Shonen Jump and CoroCoro Comic, and watched the few TV anime shows that almost all Japanese people shared. I saw a Galaxy Express 999 bento box in Kokura and wondered why. But then I found out that the creator, Leiji Matsumoto, was born in Kurume and raised in Kitakyushu, so it made sense. It was a local bento box that incorporated specialties of Kitakyushu into its packaging. There was yakisoba and nukadaki arranged beautifully in the bento box. I had it for dinner at the hotel. Thank you for the meal.

Last week, I was extremely busy and spent all day yesterday Saturday just lazing around. Today, I'm still not feeling well, so I'm just relaxing again. I wanted to eat some delicious curry, but I can't eat too much. However, I received a package of baked curry based on the movie "Galaxy Express 999" that was popular about 30 years ago. I looked up the store and found out that a company in Kitakyushu asked the artist Leiji Matsumoto, who has ties to Kitakyushu, to design the packaging for a bento box based on "Galaxy Express 999" when the Kyushu Shinkansen opened. The bento box, filled with Matsumoto's favorite dishes, became very popular and sold out immediately. I visited Kitakyushu and Fukuoka two years ago, but I didn't come across this bento box. The restaurant that sells this bento box also offers a "baked curry" in retort pouch form, which I received and cooked at home. It was mentioned that a cafe in Moji Port was the origin of the baked curry. The baked curry contains enough for 1.5 servings, which seems like an odd amount. At home, I put rice, cheese, and a raw egg in a gratin dish and cooked the curry. The cheese added richness to the curry, which became more flavorful with the raw egg. This amount was enough for two bowls of rice. I now feel like visiting Kitakyushu again (laughs).

Marufuji is a company that sells bento boxes. They have been coming up with various ideas for a long time and seem to be particular about the packaging of their bento boxes. I previously bought retort curry from them at a different location, but this time I visited them after slurping udon at platforms 7 and 8 of Kokura Station. The "Maetel Bento" was sold at the Kokura Station's Himawari Plaza, where IZUTUYA is a tenant. It is a popular bento box among older people and costs 719 yen. I enjoyed it, thinking, "So this is the taste of Maetel." I hope Marufuji will create bento boxes like "Kurashige Sisters Bento" and "Saebaru Bento" with permission from the authors. I personally like manga artists who have connections to Kitakyushu, such as Tsukasa Hojo, Seizo Watase, and Reiji Matsumoto.