If you're an adult who wants to have a taste of Japanese school lunches again, but doesn't want to go back to 3rd grade, Kyushoku Toban, located in Okachimachi, Tokyo is the place to go.
What’s so special about Japanese school lunches?
Japanese school lunches are actually emblems of national pride. Schools in Japan provide children with food that they would usually just get at home: something healthy and made from scratch. They are usually comprised of fish or meat, vegetables, soup, rice, fruit and milk. These balanced meals haven't changed much in four decades and is said to be one of the reasons why Japan has extremely low childhood obesity rates.
The atmosphere during lunch at school.
The school prepares the meals from scratch and delivers them to each class. From there, Japanese school children serve the meals to their classmates. Some schools even let the children in charge to wear white coats and caps. Those in charge are called Kyushoku Touban (school lunch duty). They all eat in the classroom together with their teacher, wherein they all say ”Itadakumasu” before having the first bite.
Every student gets the same meal and whether they like the food or not, they have to stay until they are finished eating, and then return the trays they have used.
A Kyushoku Touban for Adults
Now don't fret if you just felt like you've missed half of your childhood. There is a place located in the Okachimachi area in Tokyo called the Kyushoku Toban, which serves nostalgic Japanese school lunch meals on trays.
Experience being a child again at Okamachi, Tokyo.
You will be given the option to eat in a room that has been designed almost exactly like a Japanese elementary classroom: from the wall clocks to the small desks and backpacks to the classroom duty wheel. The only difference is that you get to choose what you eat. You may opt for the unique Japanese school lunch menu items such as the agepan, softmen, and whale or you may have a taste of the elementary kids' favorites such as curry rice, miso soup and many more.
Prices range from 500 to 1500 yen. Opening hours are from 11 AM to 2 PM and from 6 PM to 11 PM from Mondays to Saturdays.
Itadakimasu!
The agepan (sweet bread) is a Japanese school lunch regular, wherein the baked bun is fried, then, covered in sugar and kinako (roasted soybean powder). The sweet bread was developed after World War II to increase the daily caloric intake of the students.
A Japanese lunch at the Jinego Elementary School.
Whale meat was served in schools before, since it was a much cheaper alternative to beef, chicken or pork. The dish is no longer served in schools today but fortunately, Kyushoku Toban offers the dish to give you a complete nostalgia of your school lunch days.
Softmen, on the other hand, is a cooked noodle in a pack, and is served together with meat sauce or stew. This special noodle is only served in schools and in this restaurant.
Milk in schools would come in cartons but in Kyushoku Toban, it's served in glass bottles. Flavored powder may also be ordered which comes in different variants of strawberry, caramel, coffee and chocolate. It may then be mixed with the milk to add a tinge of flavor and color.
Now head on over to Kyushoku Toban and experience eating like a Japanese grade school student!
Banner photo by Douglas P. Perkins. Photo from Wikimedia commons.