Yamanashi Prefecture is the birthplace of wine in Japan, and accounts for 30% of the country’s wine production. The “wine no meshi” (rice with wine) is a typical ekiben of this region, which has more than 80 wineries in the prefecture. The name is a combination of the meaning “rice with wine” and the Koshu dialect phrase “wine wo imameshi (drink it!),” and has won the Ekiben Daishogun (grand prize) at the “Ekiben Aji no Jin 2021,” a top battle of ekiben held by East Japan Railway Company. This time, I purchased this bento at Kobuchizawa Station in Hokuto City, the hometown of Marumasa, the ekiben company that produces this bento.
When you open the wrapper with cute illustrations drawn by Natsuko Koide, a picture book artist living in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, the contents look a bit different from ordinary bento boxes, with side dishes lined up like hors d’oeuvres for enjoying wine.
The raisin butter bread and the Koshu Fujizakura pork katsu sandwich were slightly staple items, but generally a parade of wine snacks.
Other dishes on the menu include ahi jio with wine mushrooms and shrimp, Koshu chicken stew, marinated Koshu salmon, char-grilled beef with white wine, Koshu teriyaki chicken, and Koshu hoto gratin, all of which are Koshu specialties with the word “Koshu” or “wine” in them. By the way, “wine mushrooms” are mushrooms cultivated on a bed of ground wine made from the pomace of Yamanashi Prefecture’s wine.
The bitter taste of the shishito peppers served with the chicken, the acidity of the marinated onions and bell peppers, and the sweet and spicy flavor of the sesame-topped char-grilled beef all add to the rich variety of flavors, and each dish, although small in quantity, is full of authenticity. All of the dishes are small in quantity, but each one has a genuine flavor. It would be better to have a glass of wine if you like, but it is also delicious on its own and is like a “gourmet ekiben” with a few carbohydrates. The dessert also comes with a small bag of dried fruits, chocolate moon pebbles, and cheesecake.
While the quantity of food is sufficient for a meal, the “wine no meshi” has the feel of an hors d’oeuvre, with the staple food being somewhat understated. It can be enjoyed on the train on the way to your destination, just like an ekiben. as in the Koshu dialect, “Drink wine!
© Source travel watch