Next in my Studio Ghibli recipe series is Satsuki’s Bento from Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro!).

In case you missed it, I am also uploading cooking/recipe videos for these recipes. Click the video above to check it out!

Totoro is one of the most iconic Ghibli films and is loved all across the world. It was one of my favorite movies growing up so it definitely holds a special and nostalgic place in my heart (especially cause I have an older sister and I was a little brat like Mei, haha). Probably the most iconic food in Totoro was the corn, but this bento comes in at a close second.

What is bento (弁当)?

Bento, most easily explained, is a Japanese boxed lunch. It is a single-portion meal (usually home-packed or take-out) with a variety of ingredients (like fish, meat, pickles, and/or vegetables) that is usually paired with rice. Typically, homemade bento are put into reusable bento boxes but you can even get mass-made bento from convenience stores and train stations in Japan.

Bento is a very big part of Japanese culture and has been around since the 1100s. Many parents provide their kids with bento to take to school and it’s almost a social expectation for mothers to make bento that is not only healthy and nutritionally balanced, but aesthetically pleasing too.

About the ingredients:

Satsuki’s bento from Totoro is a perfect example of a cute and healthy typical bento. A lot of these ingredients are common in Japan but I’m going to go through them in case you aren’t familiar with these (I also explain them in the video if you prefer listening to a quick explanation).

UMEBOSHI – The first ingredient is umeboshi: salted, pickled Japanese plum. They are super healthy, great for digestion, and also are said to combat fatigue. Umeboshi is most often served with rice. They can be found packaged at Japanese markets, online in my Pantry or below in the “Shop this post” section, or you can make your own at home!

SHISHAMO – Shishamo are small, silver fish that are native to Hokkaido, Japan. They are often served whole and are typically roasted or pan-fried. Similar small fish can be found at most markets.

EDAMAME – Edamame are soybeans that are picked before maturity. I’m sure many of you have eaten them from the pod, but for the bento, the beans are popped out to make eating easier. They are full of protein, fiber, and various vitamins. These can be found at Japanese or Asian markets as well as some Western markets.

SAKURA DENBU – Sakura denbu hasn’t really seen popularity outside of Japan so many people don’t know what this is and are confused as to what that pink stuff is when watching Totoro. It is made of codfish that is cooked, shredded, and then dried to make flakes which are seasoned to be slightly sweet. It’s colored pink to mimic cherry blossom petals (sakura – which is how sakura denbu got its name) and is most commonly used as a condiment on rice in bento or chirashi sushi. You can buy sakura denbu packaged at Japanese markets or you can also make it at home.

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