Not Your Amtrak "Flex Meal"!

[TinCan782]

"Called ekiben, a portmanteau combining eki (the Japanese word for “station”) and ben (short for bento, or boxed meal), these boxed meals are as numerous as the country’s train stations."

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articl...Exquisite Boxed,country’s regional delicacies.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Japanese boxed meals are usually good, and Japanese trains are usually great, but the weird thing is that boxed meals sold specifically for eating on Japanese trains are often not that good. Theyre mainly used as a last minute option if you run out of time for anything fresher and tastier. The general purpose meals (also found in and around train stations) are where delicious takeaway cuisine truly excels.

 

[caravanman]

As someone allergic to fish and other seafood, I am wondering if it is easy for a non Japanese speaking visitor to find food that does not contain fishy ingredients?
Quite happy with vegetarian, is that much practiced in Japan?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

As someone allergic to fish and other seafood, I am wondering if it is easy for a non Japanese speaking visitor to find food that does not contain fishy ingredients?

Japanese breakfast consists of pickled vegetables and dried fish. Seafood is as much a staple as rice.

Quite happy with vegetarian, is that much practiced in Japan?

Not in the Western sense of the term. Tofu is common but so is fish and meat. That being said after the Fukushima disaster I lost all interest in Japanese seafood and managed to avoid it so it is possible. It's a damn shame though since Japanese seafood was among the freshest and highest quality in the world. Although you can test for radioactivity in food you have to destroy it in the process so most is untested.

 

[caravanman]

I am quite used to avoiding seafood on my travels, but being aware of the Japanese consumption of it, was wondering if it would be a safe country to visit for someone with my allergies. Thinking more about my lack of ability to identify non fish containing meals?
Oops, probably straying off topic again...

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Write your needs on a piece of paper before you order. Make it simple and obvious. "No fish and no seafood" International chains will have vegetarian dishes. In any given restaurant maybe only one employee will fully understand but that is enough. If nobody understands you may need to find another place or stick to drinking. Japan is the shallow end of the pool compared to a place like India.

 

[caravanman]

To be honest, India has a big vegetarian population, and English is very widely spoken, so it "feels" safer from my allergy point of view. Food hygiene in general might be another matter though...

Sorry, so hard to stay on topic when having an interesting chat, please feel free to delete me, yet again...