Bullet Train Bento Features Herring, Salmon, Squid to Celebrate Hokkaido Shinkansen’s 10th Anniversary

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:39 JST, December 20, 2025

SAPPORO — To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hokkaido Shinkansen bullet train services in March next year, a commemorative bento boxed meal using local delicacies from Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture went on sale on Dec. 1. Priced at ¥1,980 including tax, the bento is available at three stations — JR Shin-Hakodate Hokuto, Hakodate and Tokyo stations — for a limited period until shortly after the end of the Golden Week holidays in May next year.

Planned by JR Hokkaido Fresh Kiosk Co., the bento box contains Hokkaido specialty foods, such as sweet simmered migaki-nishin herring, which is also available as a souvenir at JR Hakodate Station, and traditional southern Hokkaido dishes such as ikameshi rice-stuffed squid and Matsumae-zuke pickled shredded kelp, dried squid pieces and kazunoko salted herring roe.

Representing Aomori Prefecture, kaiyaki-miso (miso stew served in a scallop shell), smoked salmon, ika menchi squid meatballs and apple jelly also have spots in the bento box.

The package is designed to evoke a Hokkaido Shinkansen bullet train, using the three colors of the train body: green, purple and white.

Hokkaido Shinkansen services between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto stations were launched on March 26, 2016. Thus Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture were connected by bullet train 28 years after the opening of the Seikan Tunnel between Honshu and Hokkaido in 1988.