Just Bento

This is not your everyday bento for sure. Offered by a bento maker in the town of Nikko, the Nikko maizoukin (Nikko treasure) bento costs 150,000 yen, about US $1340 at today’s exchange rates. It can only be ordered in Japan of course, and must be pre-ordered.

It contains all kinds of delicacies, from various kinds of regional sushi (it features masu zushi, sushi made from trout), beluga caviar, karasumi (salted dried mullet roe, considered to be a great delicacy or chinmi), locally grown organic rice, and a lot more. And yes, you get to keep the boxes and the chopsticks. The main box is handcarved by a master craftsman in elaborate nikko bori style, and decorated with gold dust. Both the large and small box are hand lacquered. Nikko is famous for its flamboyant “Japanese Baroque” style Toshogu shrine, and Nikko bori is a continuation of this tradition.

If 150,000 yen is a bit too much, they offer other variations, ranging from 10,000 yen on up.

Yes, this is a rather extreme bento!

• Size: does it matter?
• Materials: handcarved wood, lacquer, gold dust
• Price, including contents: 150,000 yen
• Link (also the complete maizoukin bento range)