5 Recommended Ekiben Available at JR Okayama Station

Where to buy ekiben at JR Okayama Station

Here are some places where you can buy ekiben at JR Okayama Station. First, there is an ekiben corner in the "Omiyage Kaido" near the Chuo ticket gate inside the ticket gates for conventional trains on the second floor. It has a wide selection and is highly recommended.

Once you enter the Shinkansen ticket gates on the second floor, there is an ekiben shop with a sign saying "Okayama Ekiben," which also has a wide selection. We recommend purchasing your bento before going up to the Shinkansen platform.

There are shops on both the up and down platforms of the Shinkansen where you can purchase ekiben and souvenirs. However, because the shops are compact, the selection is not as extensive as "Omiyage Kaido" or "Okayama Ekiben" on the second floor.

①Momotaro Festival Sushi

This time, I'd like to introduce five of my recommended ekiben that can be purchased at Okayama Ekiben, located just inside the Shinkansen ticket gates.
First up is "Momotaro Festival Sushi." When you think of Okayama, you think of Momotaro! This ekiben has a very striking picture of Momotaro.

There was a sign in the store saying "No. 1 in popularity."

Inside the paper box was a huge peach!!
It's a cute case that you'll want to take home.

The filling is Okayama bara sushi (chirashi sushi). The product name "matsuri sushi" (festival sushi) was apparently given to it because bara sushi was eaten during festivals. It is filled with seafood that is synonymous with Okayama, such as horse mackerel, octopus, Spanish mackerel, and conger eel.
It looks gorgeous. The vinegared rice is not too strong, and there are many different ingredients, so it's delicious and you can eat it without getting bored.

②Chiya beef sukiyaki rice bowl

Niimi is the oldest cattle breed in Japan. "Chiya Beef" is the origin of Wagyu beef and is a type of black-haired Wagyu beef that is said to be the "Wagyu of Wagyu beef." You can actually taste this Chiya Beef in an ekiben. The package also has a detailed explanation of Chiya Beef.

Inside is a generous amount of tender Chiya beef. The sweet seasoning of the sukiyaki is packed with the delicious flavor of the meat, so it's delicious even without heating it up. The soft onions go well with the Chiya beef and rice. The omelette is sweet. The portion isn't too large, so you can eat it compactly even on the train. It's very delicious, so I recommend it.

③Travel Box

This ekiben allows you to enjoy the flavors of Azuma Sushi, a long-established sushi restaurant in Okayama that was founded in 1912. It has a cute appearance and is two-tiered.

The top tier contains Okayama bara sushi. The bottom tier contains yellow chive sushi, mamakari sushi, and Kibi Dango, making this an ekiben that lets you enjoy the best of Okayama. The yellow chive sushi has a crunchy texture and goes perfectly with the plum pulp and vinegared rice on top.

If you look closely, the pink cloth wrapping the lunch box has a cute Momotaro pattern on it.

④ Seto Inland Sea specialty, conger eel rice

When it comes to luxurious rice bowls from the Seto Inland Sea, the first thing that comes to mind is "Anagomeshi."

It's topped with a ton of grilled conger eel!
Moreover, it has a fluffy texture and a fragrant flavor, and goes very well with rice that has a slight soy sauce flavor.

"Setouchi specialty Seto Inland Sea rice" appears to be the third most popular item.

⑤ Okayama specialties collection

The "Okayama Specialties Collection," which was developed with the involvement of students from Okayama Prefectural Okayama Minami High School, offers nine different dishes that are typically Okayama, including matsuri sushi, demi-katsu (fried pork cutlet with pork cutlet), shrimp rice, rice balls with red rice from Okayama Prefecture, grilled Spanish mackerel with Kibi Dango, and kibi dango (kibi dango).

In addition, sushi, a staple of ekiben, comes in a lineup full of local flavor, including horse mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and yellow chives.

There is also a special winter edition called "Specially Selected Oyster Rice." Come and try it out with your friends.