From Routine to Joy
Standing in the kitchen with sleepy eyes, making tamagoyaki. Carefully packing small portions of last night's dinner and scooping in the rice.
Making my bento every single morning was once just another monotonous chore for me to quietly check off my list.
This past week, however, has felt a little different.
The reason is a new addition to my kitchen: a magewappa (bentwood) bento box.
It is a tool I had long admired, thinking to myself, "I'd love to use one someday."
Even the most familiar, everyday dishes suddenly look dressed up when arranged against the pale, natural cedar. It is so delightful to watch a vibrant lunch take shape with every ingredient I place inside that, before I know it, my morning drowsiness completely vanishes.
Whenever I saw these boxes on social media or in magazines, I always wondered about the secret behind why the food looked so incredibly delicious—and it seems the answer lies right here in this bento box.
I find myself eagerly awaiting the moment I can open this lid on my lunch break, and even my steps toward work feel a little lighter.
Initially, I Intended to Choose "Unvarnished"
I have always loved wooden tools and naturally find myself choosing pieces that let the raw texture of the wood shine through.
The way the sheen deepens with use, and how even small scratches become part of a home’s unique story—I am deeply drawn to that kind of beautiful aging process. So, when it came to choosing a magewappa, I assumed without hesitation that I would go for an unvarnished one.
The maker I reached out to this time was Ryobian, a workshop that continues to craft magewappa in Odate City, Akita Prefecture.
While holding traditional techniques close to their heart, they craft pieces that fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles, and I was naturally drawn to their philosophy.
Because it is a tool used every day, they carefully consider not just its beauty, but its absolute practicality. Deeply resonating with this approach, I felt an innate desire: "I want to use a magewappa made by these hands."
With that sentiment in mind, I mentioned to Mr. Ishikura at Ryobian that I wished to purchase an unvarnished box. His response, however, was a bit unexpected.
"If it is for a bento box, I highly recommend the coated version."
I had blindly assumed that anyone crafting wooden tools would prioritize the raw texture above all else. Intrigued by his recommendation, I asked for the reason, and before I knew it, we had been talking about bento boxes for nearly thirty minutes.
Mr. Ishikura explained that while unvarnished magewappa allows you to enjoy the changing patina, it is also prone to staining, darkening, and retaining food odors. Because of this, it can feel difficult to care for, and quite a few people eventually stop using them altogether.
"It is truly heartbreaking when a bento box that someone took the time to choose ends up sitting unused."
Those words left a deep impression on me.
Of course, he wasn't dismissing the unvarnished finish; he understood its charms completely. Even so, because a bento box is a tool meant for near-daily use, he believes what matters most is that you can wash it without worry, making you naturally reach for it again the next morning.
That is why, he told me, they recommend the coated version.
As I listened to his story, I felt my rigid assumption that "unvarnished is inherently better" gently unravel.
While savoring raw materials is wonderful, I realized there is a profound sincerity in craft that places the user's ability to "keep using it comfortably for a long time" above everything else.
A Week of Bento
Following my conversation with Mr. Ishikura, I welcomed the coated magewappa bento box into my life.
I immediately began packing my lunch in it every single day for a week.
Monday: Arranging Colors Like a Puzzle
To start the week, the centerpiece was green bean pork rolls.
The vibrant green of the tightly packed beans, the cheerful yellow of the boiled egg and corn, and the pop of red from the cherry tomato.
The gentle cedar background elevates each color beautifully, making my usual side dishes look even more appetizing.
And when lunchtime arrived, the first bite brought a wonderful surprise: the incredible deliciousness of the white rice.
In plastic containers, rice often gets a bit soggy from condensation, but rice packed in a wappa remains perfectly plump and chewy, grain by grain, even when cold. The moment it entered my mouth, I could truly feel how the wood had absorbed just the right amount of excess moisture to regulate it.
When plain white rice tastes this good, it alone makes the lunch hour feel a little special.
Tuesday: Saucy Dishes, Free of Worry
In the past, I would always worry, "Won't the soy sauce or oil seep into the wood?" But with a coated box, I can pack saucy dishes like teriyaki or ginger pork without hesitation.
Even after eating, a quick wash is all it takes to get it perfectly clean. For an everyday tool, this effortless maintenance felt far more reassuring than I had anticipated.
Wednesday: A Generous Slice of Grilled Salmon as the Main
Mid-week, on a day when I wanted to give myself a little extra energy, I placed a large piece of grilled salmon right on top of the rice.
It is precisely this kind of simple, no-fuss lunch that suits a magewappa so well.
The straight grain of the cedar elevates a casual "rice-bowl bento" into a magnificent feast.
Thursday: On a Leisurely Morning, Gently Rolling Onigiri
On Thursday morning, my mind felt just a little more relaxed than usual.
I finely chopped my favorite shibazuke (pickled eggplant), mixed it into the rice, and gently shaped round onigiri (rice balls). In the remaining spaces, I packed yesterday's chikuzenni (simmered chicken and vegetables), some blanched greens, chikuwa fish cake, and a few leftover pieces of okra.
Friday: Treasuring the Leftovers
The final day of the week was all about clearing out the refrigerator.
Simmered eggplant, hijiki seaweed, kinpira burdock root. On days when the dishes tend to look a bit brown, packing them into the magewappa lends them the charming appearance of a curated assortment from a traditional Kyoto-style bistro.
Even without special ingredients, it makes the meal look thoroughly thought-out.
When you are making lunch every single day, having a tool this dependable is a true comfort.
Because it is an Everyday Tool
After a full week of use, Mr. Ishikura’s words completely made sense to me.
A bento box's journey doesn't end once you finish packing it in the morning.
You eat from it at noon, wash it after returning home, and use it again the following morning.
Precisely because this cycle repeats day after day, being able to stand in the kitchen after a tiring day and watch the oil stains slide right off with a gentle sweep of a sponge is invaluable. This "carefree usability" was far more important than I had ever realized.
While there is certainly a unique charm to an unvarnished finish that lets you experience the raw material, the coated finish—chosen with "long-term use" as the highest priority—overflows with a gentle consideration for the user's daily life.
Knowing the sincere intentions behind Ryobian’s craft has made this magewappa feel even more appealing; it is no longer just beautiful, but a dependable tool that softly supports my everyday life.
Making my bento in the morning has become something I genuinely look forward to.
Now, what should I pack tomorrow?
Even today, I find myself peering into the refrigerator, happily letting my mind wander to tomorrow's lunch.
