Japanology Plus - Season 1 - Eps 15: Bento
Bento are portable boxes of food, typically composed of rice, protein-rich main dishes, and vegetables on the side. They've evolved from a purely practical means of sustenance into a fun way to eat - these days, there's even a fad for bento with cute characters drawn using the food. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is bento. Our guest is Ayao Okumura, one of the leading experts on Japan's culinary culture.
About Japanology Plus

Title: Japanology Plus
First Air Date: 2014-04-03
Last Air Date: 2025-02-27
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.4/10 (from 5 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 13
Total Episodes: 330
Network: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Genres: Documentary, Talk
Production Companies: NHK, NHK Educational
Synopsis
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.
Cast

Peter Barakan
Self - Host