I’ve sworn not to buy new bento boxes anymore, since I have a lot which I barely use. But when it’s a gift, I guess I have an excuse to own new ones since I DIDN’T BUY IT. This was exactly what happened when my friend N arrived home for a short vacation after working so long overseas.

Along with a little metal charm from the Tokyo Tower (someday, I shall visit you too!), she handed me a small non-descript box which when I opened yielded a lovely Hakoya bento box. Hakoya is a Japanese company that specializes in bento boxes. A bit more expensive than the ones you can buy from Daiso and other hyaku-en shops, the quality you get more than makes up for it. Featuring traditional designs, these hand-crafted, hand-painted boxes can easily hold a place of honor in anybody’s collection.
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Remember my vow to cut down on bento box purchases? Which I stuck to for months until the Winnie the Pooh Onigiri Box came along? Well, they stocked a really nifty new box at Japan Home and I gave in and bought it. Fail, yes I know, but can you blame me when it’s this cute? *points to photo below*

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My self-imposed ban on buying new bento boxes was lifted recently for a very special reason. Daiso / Japan Home stocked some adorable Onigiri boxes! These bento boxes have two levels. A flat rectangular one on the bottom and a triangular top that lets you keep your onigiri upright. I’ve been wanting this box design forever so I quickly snagged one up, even if I wasn’t a fan of Winnie the Pooh.

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I promised myself to cut back on buying bento supplies because honestly, I have enough usable boxes to last me a whole month (well, weekends not included) without having to repeat any. I’m that bad with purchasing boxes. But when I found a few affordably priced boxes locally, I had to give in.

So Manila-based bento people, read on as I share a few of my latest bento finds.

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