box lunch (containing rice and 10-15 small portions of fish, meat, and vegetables)（Makunouchibentou)
Originally, it was a bento consisting of a rice ball shaped like a bale and sprinkled with sesame seeds, accompanied by a side dish with little liquid. Today, it is usually made of white rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and topped with pickled plums, and stuffed with fried food, grilled fish, omelet, or other items. There are various theories as to the origin of the name. Some say that it was a lunch box eaten between acts by theater-goers or by actors behind the stage (makunouchi), while others say that it originated as a lunch box eaten inside the curtain of a battlefield. By the late Edo period (1603-1867), when theatrical culture was spreading, a form similar to today’s makunouchi bento was in place.
