Think Inside The Box

A bento selection ($7.99)

Bento boxes have existed for hundreds of years.

They are, however, a bit of an enigma, in that no one is quite sure just how, when and where they actually originated from.

There have even been claims that bento is possibly of Taiwanese origin, from a colloquial term meaning “convenience,” while others believe that a Japanese military commander distributing meals and feeding people in his castle invented them.

Whatever the case is, these popular, on-the-go packed lunches have taken the world by storm.

A great place to snag a bento is Genki Sushi. With 13 locations in the state of Hawaii, including eight on Oahu, and even more in faraway places like California, Kuwait and Singapore, Genki Sushi is well versed and exceptionally qualified in the art of bento.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR MEAL

At Genki Sushi, bentos are tailored to guests’ desires. A customer can choose between Chicken Karaage, Garlic Chicken, Chicken Katsu and Karaage Squid for the bento entree. Then, one can pick from an array of sushi to complete the take out masterpieces — choices include Inari, California Roll, Kappa Maki, Ume Maki, Oshinko Maki and Kanpyo Maki. All bentos are priced at $7.99, but customers can also add Ahi Poke or Spicy Tuna for an additional $1.50.