The last time I visited Ryokogu Kokugikan, the lunch selections were named according to the various sumo ranks – “Yokozuna Box,” “Ozeki Box,” etc. But today, I went to the hallowed stadium for day 2 of the Hatsu-basho, and found that the bento selections had been named after some of our nearest and dearest superstars.
So, for a bit of fun, let’s run through each of the selections, and then you can vote for the rikishi with the best bento at the bottom (EDITED: all of the poll embeds were breaking so just leave your selection in the comments). All of these bento boxes are the same price, so your choice strictly comes down to the contents, and the descriptions are more or less verbatim as they are presented in English on the menu. If you want to be cheeky, feel free to create a menu for another rikishi’s bento in the comments.
Takayasu
- “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
- Mackerel in miso sauce
- Chicken nanban
- Lotus root seafood scissors
- “Cut the cooked kelp”
- Pickles marinated with soy sauce
- Boiled mixed beans
- Cherry tomato
Goeido
- “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
- Grilled beef
- Beef croquette
- “The spitted cutlet of pork”
- Potato salad
- Cherry tomato
- Japanese style omelette
- Kinpira burdock root
Kisenosato
- “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
- Salty mix of chicken and Japanese leek
- Mushroom marinade (Marinated mushroom?)
- Boiled egg
- “Food boiled and seasoned: Radish, Carrot, Konjac, Shiitake mushroom, Japanese butterbur, Taro”
- Honey pickled plum
- Meat ball
Kakuryu
- “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
- Sirloin pork cutlet
- Beefsteak
- Boiled egg
- Boiled vegetables: Carrot, Potato, Pumpkin, Broccoli
- Pork sausage
- Cherry tomato
- Boiled mixed beans
- Pickled vegetables
Hakuho
- “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
- Deep-fried chicken with Japanese leek sauce
- Deep-friend Chinese style dumpling
- Boiled egg
- Boiled vegetables: Carrot, Potato, Pumpkin, Broccoli
- Cherry tomato
- Boiled mixed beans
- “Stir-fry shrimp in chilli sauce”
Kisenosato hatin’ on cherry tomatoes!
Tochinoshin
• “Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice” (Umeboshi)
• Yakitori chicken thighs
• Cha-shu pork thighs
• Beef thighs
• Do fish have thighs? If so there’d be some of those too
• …add another chicken thigh for good measure
• Cherry tomato
Just seems wrong to have a Georgian any-meal-ever without some excellent wine, but laughing anyway…
Ichinojo
• Pork
• Rice
• Fried Pork
• Fried Rice
• Extra Pork
• Extra Rice
• Pork in Sweet Sauce
• Rice Pudding
• One Small Umeboshi
…and a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream.
Wrong animal. Ichinojo is basically a shepherd. I think it would be lamb, mutton, and basically anything that goes baaaa before it became Ichinojo fodder.
Maybe some basashi from the poor horses that collapsed after he rode them? 😳
Also I think they should include some fried meat dumplings for all the Mongolian style bentos.
Ura Box – Shrimp with a very light sprinkle of salt
And currently unavailable
I’ll pick Goeido, but I’ll hang onto my food tightly to make sure it won’t try to backpedal away from me while I was eating.
Yeah, I was surprised to see there is no crab in his bento.
In our family: 1 Takayasu, 1 Goeido, 2 Hakuho.
I almost went with Kakuryu, but went with Goeido because I love kinpira gobo.
Takayasu box — wouldn’t try unless I was assured the mackerel was cooked. The others I would try,
despite not being familiar with all the foods.
Given all acceptable boxes are available, I’d be pressed to pick between Goeido and Hakuho. I’d pick the Hakuho box except the egg in the Kisenosato photo looks salmonella-hazard undercooked. So Goeido lunch for me!
I’ll have the Takayasu box. I love me some seafood.
I like the sound of the Hakuho box too, but I worry what might happen if I started it too early.
I’ll try one of each, then I’ll try one of each again, and I’ll let you know!
I’ll have one Goeido, please.
I like the foods in Goeido’s bento! Cute idea. Thanks!
And how much is those ?
¥1150
The simplicity of the Geido box
Thankyou so much for this Josh!
It really helps with planning.
On senshuraku I am attending the sumo with two of my friends from Australia, who happen to be Muslim, and I was a bit concerned about finding food they could eat in the stadium. But this looks like they could eat most of the Takayasu box which is awesome!!
Did you happen to see many vegetarian food options??
I wasn’t looking out for it, so am probably not best placed to answer that. It might be tough as outside food is meant to be forbidden (I noticed a sign anyway), and it seemed like most full meals were fish and meat heavy. There will at least be plenty of snacks that will be compliant with their diet however
NHK World’s J-Trip Plan did a ramen episode featuring a halal ramen shop that might be helpful for your travel partners though: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/jtripplan/2059017/
We brought in some outside food before, because it was pouring down rain and we didn’t feel like dropping stuff back off at the hotel before entering the stadium. I think as long as you aren’t super blatant about it, they don’t mind. It’s not super high security like most US events.
Thankyou!!!
A few of us who speak some Japanese have been teaching her how to say ‘I do not eat pork’ and ‘I am halal’.
I just saw a post on Instagram from one of the ‘Kinboshi’ comedians who recommends the Kakuryu box!
Goeido. Seems to have the most beef.
I will take the Kisenosato box. However, I have heard another box is on offer:
Kagayaki box
Dried pickled sour Japanese plum on the rice (Umeboshi)
Chicken katsu—breast meat, not thighs (2) w/tonkatsu sauce
Koshihikari rice
Kano crab w/sainbaizu
Wagashi
Cherry tomato
Note! The Kagayaki box is a special marketing promotion of Japan Rail. As such, it is only available as an Eki Bento, available at Tokyo Station, Kanazawa Station, or aboard the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.