earticle

영어

Ekiben lunchboxes generally derive their names from regional specialties, place names, or other rural elements from the region in which the lunch boxes are sold. This naming convention has the benefit of highlighting a particular region’s specialty items, while sometimes even taking advantage of a particular region’s popularity. For these reasons, almost all special lunchboxes are named after a regional item or place. Other names might include a regional dialect, a historically significant character, a folktale, a legend, a movie, a scenic spot, and others. All of these names (of various Ekiben) are connected in some form with the locale, where they are sold. This article is concerned with the history behind names of Ekiben, focusing on their commercial success exemplified through “One-hundred year Ekiben” in addition to the main characters in the　historical “Taiga”drama which produced by NHK. The historical figures that are featured and intertwined with a particular region often give birth to new Ekiben names. “One-hundred year Ekiben” are steady sellers because of the “borrowing” of their names from a particular region’s specialty item(s) and authentic flavors, which are increasingly being sought after by savvy Japanese consumers. Additionally, Ekiben names from the main characters of historical dramas lend insight into how Japanese society perceives these characters. Original flavors of local cuisine and famous name places are combined in the form of a “marketing collaboration” to better sell these items: regional colors are accentuated through specialty goods and the stories of historical figures. Even on the wrapping paper of Ekiben, the food ingredients and other extraneous information are overshadowed by a region’s history, geography, nature, specialty items, and food culture, functioning as a kind of storytelling. Lastly, samurai, as one of the main characters, are often featured in these dramas as heroes and tied to a region, which form the basis of some Ekiben names. It is possible to ascertain the reason behind the popularity of samurai-inspired Ekiben; it is due to the attractiveness of the main character and his hometown.