00:02
Culinary treasure troves packed with local ingredients.
00:08
A uniquely Japanese food culture that’s a delight for the eyes as well as the palate…
00:18
Ekiben are typically purchased at train stations and enjoyed during train journeys.
00:24
Let’s explore Japan with…
00:32
Today, we’re exploring a brand-new ekiben in the south of Japan.
00:40
We arrive in Naha, the capital of Okinawa in the south of Japan,
00:45
home to more than three hundred thousand people.
00:49
The climate is warm year-round,
00:52
with temperatures hovering around 23 degrees Celsius.
00:56
As one of Japan’s leading resort destinations,
00:58
Okinawa attracts visitors from Japan and abroad.
01:05
To find our ekiben, we board Okinawa’s only railway…
01:14
It opened in 2003, and it’s become an essential part of daily life for local residents.
01:26
The ekiben is sold right outside the ticket gate of Oroku Station.
01:36
Here, we purchase our bento.
01:43
Let’s enjoy it in a spot looking out at Okinawa’s sea.
01:51
Inside the bento, there’s an assortment of side dishes,
01:55
from braised pork to pickled daikon radish.
02:01
A delicious collection of the region’s healthy meat and vegetable cuisine.
02:09
The most well-known is the “goya chanpuru,”
02:13
made by stir-frying bitter gourd and tofu.
02:25
What first stands out is the gentle bitterness of the gourd,
02:29
which is then softened by the egg and tofu.
02:35
The more you chew, the more the flavor unfolds.
02:43
It’s bitter and yet keeps you coming back for more.
02:48
How is this distinctive flavor created?
02:55
The ekiben is made at a bento shop near the station.
03:01
Inside the kitchen, workers are busy preparing the bento boxes.
03:08
The owner, Kido Shinichiro, started the bento shop 18 years ago.
03:17
He and his wife Rika have been bringing vibrant flavors to Okinawa’s locals.
03:25
But it was only two years ago that the couple started selling ekiben at the station.
03:32
There’s no ekiben culture in Okinawa, so I thought it’d be interesting to give it a try.
03:43
Selling a bento inside a monorail station was something new in Okinawa.
03:50
By selling it at a place where many people pass through,
03:53
they hoped to share the appeal of Okinawa more widely.
04:00
What’s more, this ekiben is packed with thoughtful considerations.
04:06
We want to provide a healthy ekiben that we would feel confident giving to our children.
04:15
Also, we’re committed to using Okinawa-produced ingredients and supporting community consumption.
04:23
The ekiben is made with local ingredients and designed with health in mind.
04:31
The first thing they prepare is the bitter gourd, known as “goya.”
04:39
The inner pulp is removed from the bitter gourd which is then sliced into thin pieces.
04:46
It’s quite bitter, so we add salt to the slices, then massage and rinse them.
04:53
The gourd’s bitterness is softened by rubbing salt in and mellowing the harshness.
05:03
The ekiben is for all kinds of people, including those from the mainland.
05:07
Bitter gourd is bitter no matter what you do to it.
05:11
People may enjoy the bitterness, but we make sure it’s not too much.
05:21
The processed bitter gourd is then stir-fried with ham and tofu.
05:28
Finally, egg is added, and Okinawa’s most iconic dish, “goya chanpuru,” is complete.
05:41
We went to visit a farmer who grows bitter gourd, beloved by Okinawans.
05:47
This is Tamashiro Riki.
05:50
He’s been growing bitter gourd for five years.
05:54
My father is a farmer and I had access to farmland.
06:00
After working for a company for about 10 years, I thought I’d try farming myself.
06:09
He inherited the farmland from his father, who also grows bitter gourd.
06:16
It’s said that Okinawa has long been ideal for bitter gourd cultivation.
06:23
Bitter gourd likes warm weather. 25 to 35 degrees is ideal.
06:29
Okinawa’s summers are around that range.
06:34
Bitter gourd thrives in hot climates.
06:39
And, it actually contains a nutrient essential for staying healthy in warm regions.
06:48
It’s rich in vitamin C, so it should help prevent summer fatigue.
07:05
A vegetable that helps Okinawans through the summer.
07:11
Bitter gourd is believed to have been introduced to Okinawa from China in the 15th century.
07:21
It’s even said in an old dietary medicine text that bitter gourd
07:26
helps remove heat and fatigue from the body.
07:30
“It removes heat and fatigue from the body. It can be eaten every day during summer.”
07:33
One important task in growing bitter gourd is pollination.
07:39
The orange in the middle of the yellow flower is the pollen.
07:46
You touch it to the tip of the female flower.
07:58
Pollination is done entirely by hand.
08:03
By pollinating only the healthiest flowers,
08:06
he ensures that large, straight bitter gourds are produced.
08:12
There are many flowers, so it’s time-consuming work.
08:19
These carefully grown bitter gourds are one of Okinawa’s prized blessings.
08:32
Next, adding a vibrant touch of color to the bento
08:35
is the eye-catching purple mashed “beni-imo.”
08:43
“Beni-imo,” a type of sweet potato,
08:45
is another iconic Okinawan crop alongside bitter gourd.
08:54
When you peel its skin, the deep purple is revealed.
09:02
“Beni-imo” is rich in fiber compared to other types of potatoes.
09:07
They’re sliced thinly to create a smooth texture.
09:13
The purple is from a polyphenol called anthocyanin, which is in blueberries and grapes too.
09:23
The anthocyanin in “beni-imo” is believed to support liver health.
09:31
Kido’s commitment to healthy ingredients comes from his own personal experience.
09:39
When I worked in transportation, I ate a lot of bento stuffed with fried foods.
09:50
Because of that, I started having health problems and gained weight.
09:57
That experience taught him how precious good health can be.
10:04
Okinawa’s vegetables have become the way he expresses this lesson.
10:12
Kido has an advisor when it comes to Okinawan produce.
10:20
Tsuda Yusuke, a vegetable wholesaler.
10:25
He started this work with a desire to spread awareness of the value of Okinawa’s crops.
10:33
On this day, he’s at the market procuring vegetables.
10:39
It looks like there are more bitter gourds now. Supply was low for a while.
10:43
It was raining a lot because of the typhoon. The weather can change so quickly.
10:52
Okinawa has a subtropical climate.
10:56
While the warm temperature allows a wide variety of vegetables to be grown,
11:00
each year, the islands must endure multiple typhoons and heavy rain.
11:08
The extreme weather makes maintaining a stable supply of Okinawa’s vegetables difficult.
11:17
The farmers and others in the primary industry put in so much effort.
11:28
We want to help communicate their dedication.
11:37
Tsuda is the person who recommends seasonal vegetables to the bento shop.
11:45
He supplies a variety of Okinawan produce and suggests how they can be used.
11:54
Tsuda suggests different vegetables which we then incorporate into bentos.
12:03
When there’s more ways to eat them, consumption goes up,
12:08
and producers can grow more because they know they can sell more.
12:14
It’s a win-win-win-win.
12:19
What emerges from this cooperation is a cycle that connects consumers and producers.
12:29
There’s somebody helping to expand that cycle even further.
12:37
His name is Kishimoto Keiichi,
12:40
and he’s a 66-year-old employee at the bento shop.
12:47
His job is mobile sales by motorcycle.
12:57
Each day, he visits about 20 locations carrying bento boxes and going door to door.
13:07
It’s fun chatting with him. He’s like sunshine!
13:19
His personality helps him build strong relationships with regular customers.
13:27
But he doesn’t sell only to familiar faces.
13:31
Anybody interested in a bento?
13:35
Wanting more people to enjoy a healthy bento,
13:39
he sometimes approaches new customers directly.
13:42
As you can see, it’s packed full with the best of Okinawan cuisine.
13:46
Just try it first. You’ll love it.
13:48
Wonderful! I was hungry, too.
13:50
Trust me, you won’t regret it!
13:54
If I tell customers about the bento, most people want to try it,
14:00
so I think it gets across.
14:02
They understand that it’s handmade and carefully prepared with time and effort.
14:07
I put a lot of love and care into selling this bento.
14:17
Kishimoto’s passion for the ekiben.
14:21
That passion continues to create more and more fans.
14:29
An Okinawan ekiben, carefully made and delivered one by one…
14:36
carrying the hopes and efforts of many.
14:40
A new ekiben culture is now taking root in Okinawa.
AloJapan.com