View source for Makunouchi

{{short description|Type of bento box for Japanese meal}}
{{Italic title}}
{{for multi|the protagonist of [[Fighting Spirit (anime)|Fighting Spirit]] (Hajime no Ippo)|Ippo Makunouchi|the top division in sumo|Makuuchi}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2018}}

{{Infobox food
| name = Makunouchi
| image = Makunouchi bento of Origin Bento.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = A ''makunouchi'' [[bento]]
| course = Main
| main_ingredient = [[Rice]], [[umeboshi]], [[fish]], [[meat]], [[tsukemono]]
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Makunouchi'''|幕の内弁当}} is a popular type of [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]] [[bento]] which consists of mostly rice along with fish, meat, pickles, eggs, vegetables, and an [[umeboshi]] (a salt pickled plum). There are also other kinds of food such as a chestnut-rice, sweetfish sushi, and meat-and-rice-casserole forms.

== Etymology==
The word ''makuno-uchi bentō'' ("between-act bento"), dates back to the [[Edo period]] (1603 to 1867), when they were sold to theatre-goers during the intermissions ({{lang|ja|幕間}}) of [[Noh]] and [[Kabuki]] theater performances.

From the [[Meiji period]] onward, makunouchi has become a common convention for bento boxes called ''[[ekiben]]'' sold at train stations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2003/01/05/general/japans-own-meals-on-wheels/|title=Japan's own meals on wheels|author= Yoko Hani |work=The Japan Times |date=January 5, 2003 }}</ref> [[Convenience store]]s also sell a bento under the makunouchi name. Though the selection and number of items in a makunouchi bento vary from store to store, it often contains more items and costs more than other bento.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150px" heights="150px" mode="packed">
File:Makunouchi bento of FamilyMart.jpg|With [[tempura]]
File:Makunouchi bento with mackerel of FamilyMart.jpg|With grilled [[Mackerel|saba]]
File:Shiso wakame gohan makunouchi bento of 7-Eleven in Japan.jpg|With [[salmon]] and [[karaage]]
File:Bento 001.jpg|With [[umeboshi]] (center)
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Commons category|Makunouchi bento}}
*[[Bento]]
*[[Ekiben]]
*[[Kyaraben]]
*[[TV dinner]], American equivalent

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Japanese food and drink|state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:Japanese cuisine]]
[[Category:Bento]]

{{Japan-cuisine-stub}}