Year 12 Japanese Continuers Dive into Bento Culture

This week, our Year 12 Japanese Continuers course students learned one of the Japanese cultures, “Bento.” While the term “bento” is often recognised in Australia as simply meaning “a lunch box,” the students soon discovered that it represents so much more in Japan. 

By watching YouTube videos, the students learned about the intricate art and deep cultural significance behind Japanese bento culture. They explored how a bento is not just about packing a meal but also reflects care, balance, and aesthetics. A key element that makes a bento both delicious and visually appealing is the inclusion of five essential colours: white, red, yellow, green, and black. These colours not only enhance the meal’s appearance but also ensure it is nutritious.

Taking their learning a step further, the students searched for recipes and gained hands-on experience preparing their own bento. This practical exercise allowed them to appreciate the balance of flavours, textures, and effort required to create these beautifully crafted meals in one lunch box.

Throughout this special culture lesson, the Year 12 students learned about Japanese culinary traditions and gained valuable insights into Japanese culture.

Student’s Report:

On Thursday the 12th of September, Year 12 Japanese Continuers students engaged in a cultural lesson where they learnt about Obento – The Japanese practice of packed lunch. Bentos are packed lunches eaten and enjoyed by much of the Japanese population, with many devoted individuals spending hours honing their craft to produce not only nutritious but aesthetically appealing packed lunches. The students each contributed a component to the class’ bentos, producing bento’s which have the nutritional balance essential to the cultural phenomenon. The students spent the lesson learning about bentos and tinkering away with their own to make them cute, even going so far as to make faces on rice balls, mirroring the bentos packed by Japanese students and even office employees! Look at all these great bentos!!  

- Jeremy Delfino, Year 12 Japanese Continuers