Anime and game characters smiling from inside a lunchbox—
That kind of “unreal scene” is just part of everyday life in Japan.

It’s called a “charaben” (character bento).
Not something you’d find at the supermarket or from a celebrity chef.
It’s a form of homemade art, crafted with love and effort by parents for their children.

Image source: Amazon – Sumikko Gurashi no Obento (Softcover Edition)

The History of Charaben Goes Way Back

The roots of charaben trace back to Japanese households in the 1990s.
At first, they were known as decoben (decorated bento), where the focus was simply on making lunches look cute.
But by the 2000s, the term charaben—bento featuring anime characters or animals—became widely used.

As TV shows and homemaker magazines began to spotlight these lunches, charaben quickly became a cultural trend in Japan, recognized as a way for parents—especially moms—to delight their children through extra effort.

With the rise of the internet and social media, a new culture of “posting your creations” emerged, giving birth to the diverse and highly detailed charaben art we see today.

Charaben Quality Has Leveled Up in Recent Years

From Pikachu to Crayon Shin-chan to Doraemon—
Somehow, these beloved characters are now made entirely out of rice.
Eyes and mouths are cut from seaweed, bright yellow from tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet), red from cherry tomatoes, and green from broccoli—
The result is an adorable, well-balanced, and truly magical lunch.

By 2025, charaben has reached a whole new level of artistry.
Let’s take a look at some amazing creations shared on Instagram and beyond.

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𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐚(@shimamura417)がシェアした投稿

Too... cute. Just way too cute to eat...

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key@(@key_xyz_)がシェアした投稿

I can’t take it—looks way too delicious!

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みー//旦那さん🙋‍♂️に作るお弁当記録🍳(@obento._.mii)がシェアした投稿

The quality is insane lol. It looks tasty—and the creativity is next-level too lol

Want to see more? Check out the hashtag　「#キャラ弁」on Instagram.

Charaben Tools Are Evolving Too! — Get Pro-Level Results with the Right Gear

To make your charaben extra cute, having the right tools makes all the difference.
These days, anyone can make a “pro-level” bento with just a few clever accessories.

Nori Punch – Easily cut seaweed into eyes, mouths, and other facial features
Shape Cutters – Turn veggies or cheese into stars, hearts, and more
Character Picks – Just stick them in and instantly boost the cuteness
Rice Molds – Make onigiri in fun shapes like bears or hearts—kids love them

You can grab most of these at 100-yen shops like DAISO and Seria,
or find them online on Amazon, AliExpress, or even some international DAISO sites.

Example search keywords:
bento accessories nori punch cute food picks rice mold

Even beginners can dive right into the world of charaben with these tools!

Source：Amazon

Plenty of Books Too!

There are tons of books packed with creative ideas and clever ways to use ingredients—
so browsing Kindle on Amazon might be a great place to start.

Just flipping through the pages might make you feel happy.

Sources：Sumikko Gurashi no Obento (Kindle Edition) 　/　Kanarazu Kawaiku Tsukureru – Charaben no Kyōkasho (Kurashi Nista BOOKS, Kindle Edition) 　/　Kantan! Kawaii! Kodomo ga Yorokobu Obento (Kindle Edition)

RAW JAPAN’s Takeaway

That surprise moment when you open a lunchbox and your favorite character appears—
it’s a gift filled with joy, even more than food itself.
Why not try making one at home?

As for me, I once woke up early on my son’s sports day, still half-asleep,
and gave it my all to make him a Spider-Man charaben—his absolute favorite.
But when he opened the lid, the first thing he said was:
“Dad… what is this?”

…Yeah. That hurt.

To be fair, I couldn’t get the red color right.
So I drew web lines with seaweed on plain rice, and made the eyes with sliced cheese.
In the end, it looked… more like a subway map.

Next time, I’m definitely using proper charaben tools. (😭)

Artikel oleh RAW TOKYO GUIDE