The “Asama Sanroku Bento” is an ekiben (station bento) produced by Takamitei Main Store, a soba restaurant located near the North Exit rotary at Karuizawa Station.
Karuizawa Station is served by both the JR East Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Shinano Railway, but this ekiben—sold exclusively at a single shop near the Shinano Railway ticket gates—is, I think, quite a rarity these days. Although the packaging prominently displays “Makunouchi from a Long-Established Soba Restaurant,” the official product name appears to be “Mount Asama Foothills Bento.”
When you open the package, you’ll find it divided into six compartments: the bottom three contain three types of rice—red bean rice, inari sushi, and rice with pickled plums—while the top three each hold a variety of side dishes.
The red bean rice is topped with large, sweet-simmered adzuki beans, while the large inari sushi features vinegar-seasoned rice mixed with shiitake mushrooms and carrots, topped with sesame seeds. The package for the ume rice shows a photo of rice sprinkled with umeboshi, but the actual contents were simply plain white rice. With red bean rice, vinegar-seasoned rice, and plain white rice, there’s plenty to enjoy even just with the rice alone.
The side dishes included seven varieties: fried chicken, rolled omelet, croquettes, shumai, kamaboko, simmered vegetables, and pickles. It was my first time trying a rolled omelet with such a chewy texture, and it was actually quite delicious. The grilled fish was on the small side. I was told it’s a hybrid of rainbow trout and brown trout, and it had a rich umami flavor—it was delicious too. That said, personally, I would have preferred it to be a little bigger.
On the other hand, the shumai are packed with filling and very satisfying to eat. The croquettes feature the classic flavor of potatoes and ground meat. The richly seasoned simmered dish, the refreshing pickles, and the mild kamaboko serve as three different palate cleansers to enjoy.
With its wide variety of rice dishes and ample selection of side dishes, the “Asama Sanroku Bento” is certainly a well-rounded ekiben. However, to be honest, it left me with a somewhat plain impression. While it may lack a bit of impact as a travel souvenir, in a sense, it could be described as the quintessential Japanese bento—one that never gets old.
This is a station bento available exclusively at the single kiosk near the ticket gates at Shinano Railway. It’s a little hard to spot, but if you’re passing through Karuizawa Station, why not see if you can find it?
© Source travel watch