A staple food in Japanese culture, bento boxes are a nifty lunches-to-go in Japan. They are widely sold at restaurant storefronts and konbini (convenience stores), although families also make homemade ones from scratch.

With rice and a number of additional sides for variety, bento boxes can be carefully laid out, a beautiful kind of art form, carefully handmade. Beautifully arranged in an order that’s a feast for the eyes, these bento box packed lunches are a convenient way of preparing meals to take to school or work.

You’ll often picture something cute whenever you hear the word bento, as your packed lunch might have cute anime or comic book characters proudly on the lid. This is the perfect cooking class to bring bento boxes together with cuteness in a style of packed lunch called a kyaraben.

Make your own cartoon character bento during this Kyaraben: Cartoon Character Bento Making Class in Tokyo.

In this cooking class in Tokyo, you’ll learn how to turn Japanese animation into boxed bento lunches using the fresh ingredients of the season at a kitchen studio in Yotsuya. You’ll learn about the history and culture around a Japanese home-style bento box, but with a playful twist.

Sip on a refreshing drink before rolling up your sleeves and prepare to create and eat your very own kyaraben character bento (sometimes also referred to as a “charaben”).

With the help of handy new gadgets and old style Japanese tools, get creative in this kyaraben bento making class.

You’ll make your very own kyaraben from fresh ingredients, and finish it off with a recipe that you can use to recreate it back home.