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The Best Episodes of BENTO EXPO

Every episode of BENTO EXPO ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of BENTO EXPO!

Bento, or lunchbox, is a fun slice of Japanese food culture that more people around the world are sharing. Healthy and delicious foods are beautifully and creatively presented. This NHK series features demonstrations and advice

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    BENTO EXPO Season 1 Episode 1 - Omugiri & Kara-age
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Omugiri & Kara-age

    S1:E1

    Healthy, appetizing and economical, it's no wonder that bento are now so popular worldwide. This show will present bento ideas and anecdotes from overseas viewers. Starting with omurice made from the remnants of Christmas dinner, Marc Matsumoto demonstrates how to give your leftovers a bento makeover. Bento guru Maki Ogawa, meanwhile, shows how to use shared ingredients to meet the whole family's bento needs, beginning with a much-loved lunchbox staple: kara-age fried chicken.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. BENTO EXPO Season 1 Episode 2 - Meatloaf Sandwich & Tamagoyaki
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    #2 - Meatloaf Sandwich & Tamagoyaki

    S1:E2

    BENTO EXPO covers the healthy, appetizing and economical world of bento! On this episode we take a look at bento ideas from our viewers. In the studio, chef Marc Matsumoto makes a delicious and nutritious sandwich bento using leftover meatloaf. Maki shares her favorite tamagoyaki recipes. With the same ingredients and a little ingenuity, she makes 2 dishes: a healthy snack for her children and a hearty meal for her husband. Tune in to find out the secret to making delicious bento!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. BENTO EXPO Season 1 Episode 3 - Salmon Nanbanzuke & Maki-maki
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    #3 - Salmon Nanbanzuke & Maki-maki

    S1:E3

    Marc Matsumoto makes a bento with marinated fried-salmon, Maki shares a recipe for rolls made from boiled vegetables wrapped in meat. And we introduce the most popular bento sold in Taipei Station.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. BENTO EXPO Season 1 Episode 4 - 2016-2017 Highlights
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    #4 - 2016-2017 Highlights

    S1:E4

    Bento Expo covers the healthy, appetizing and economical world of bento! A special thanks to the bento lovers from nearly 30 countries who sent in photos of their bento ideas. On this episode we'll introduce recipes for the most liked photos as chosen by our viewers. Then, bento creator Maki Ogawa shows off an easy-to-make bento that's perfect for a picnic during cherry blossom season. We'll also review some of the most popular bento recipes from previews episodes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. BENTO EXPO Season 2 Episode 1 - Teriyaki Maitake & "Oyako" Teriyaki
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    #5 - Teriyaki Maitake & "Oyako" Teriyaki

    S2:E1

    On this episode, Marc and Maki introduce variations of the always-popular teriyaki bento! Marc demonstrates how to make a healthy bento featuring a delicious teriyaki maitake mushroom served with scrambled eggs and rice. Maki shows how to make a nutritious bento that pairs everyone's favorite teriyaki chicken with vegetables and a teriyaki-style fried egg. She also teaches us how to make an adorable cherry tomato chick to add to a child's bento.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. BENTO EXPO Season 2 Episode 2 - Vegetable Garden with Niku Miso & Mixed Rice with Mackerel
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    #6 - Vegetable Garden with Niku Miso & Mixed Rice with Mackerel

    S2:E2

    Mark introduces a nutritious miso-flavored ground pork bento that goes along wonderfully with vegetables. Maki uses oily and delicious mackerel to make a grilled fish and rice bento. This time on Bento Trip, we travel to Indonesia to take a look at local bentos.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of BENTO EXPO

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  7. BENTO EXPO Season 2 Episode 3 - Shirataki Yakisoba & Shogayaki
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    #7 - Shirataki Yakisoba & Shogayaki

    S2:E3

    Maki shows us how to make a bento using the ever-popular ginger pork. Marc demonstrates how to make a simple and healthy yakisoba bento. We head to Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture during Bento Trip.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. BENTO EXPO Season 2 Episode 4 - Hanami Bento & Fun Rolls
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Hanami Bento & Fun Rolls

    S2:E4

    Marc shows us how to make a colorful bento to eat during hanami, cherry blossom viewing. Maki uses a variety of delicious ingredients to make an easy spring roll bento. This time on Bento Trip, we introduce some bento from Bangkok, Thailand and meet local bento bloggers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 1 - Miso Salmon & Minced Meat Cutlet
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    #9 - Miso Salmon & Minced Meat Cutlet

    S3:E1

    Maki demonstrates how to make menchi-katsu, a deep-fried ground meat patty that's loved by people of all ages. Her version for bento has cheese inside, making it extra delicious. Recently, fish and miso dishes have been trending in America, so Marc introduces the most popular amongst them: miso salmon bento. On Bento Trip, we head to the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture to get a taste of octopus pot bento, a well-loved local ekiben that uses octopus caught right off the coast of the city.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 2 - Hamba-gu & Sukiyaki Onigirazu
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    #10 - Hamba-gu & Sukiyaki Onigirazu

    S3:E2

    Maki shows us how to make a sukiyaki-style onigirazu (rice sandwich) bento. Her onigirazu are filled with fried eggs and beef seasoned with honey, soy sauce and sake. Marc creates a "one-bite hambagu" bento featuring bite-size hamburger steak. It comes together quickly, so it's perfect for a busy morning. Bento Trip introduces us to Korean kimbap, seaweed and rice rolls flavored with sesame oil. We visit a family in Korea that makes healthy kimbap bento using Western ingredients.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 3 - Kushiage & Wasabi Chicken
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Kushiage & Wasabi Chicken

    S3:E3

    Marc introduces a kushiage bento featuring skewered and deep-fried ingredients such as chicken, onion, lotus root and kabocha pumpkin. This type of bento is popular because it's easy-to-eat and filling. Maki demonstrates how to make a bento containing chicken that's been cooked with wasabi and soy sauce. When cooked, wasabi loses its bite and imparts a refreshing aroma. On Bento Trip, we head to Kobuchisawa in Yamanashi Prefecture to try a kamameshi bento that showcases local wild vegetables.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 4 - Shumai & Tendon
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    #12 - Shumai & Tendon

    S3:E4

    Marc teaches how to make a pork and shrimp shumai bento. Vegetables such as cabbage, carrots and soramame fava beans are steamed alongside the shumai, making for a healthy meal that's easy to prepare. Maki demonstrates how to make a classic tendon bento featuring imitation crab, cod, asparagus and kabocha pumpkin. She reveals the secrets behind making flavorful, crispy tempura using batter made with only flour and water. On Bento Trip, travel to Indonesia!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 5 - Taco Rice & Mosaic Soboro
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    #13 - Taco Rice & Mosaic Soboro

    S3:E5

    Maki uses ground chicken, scrambled eggs and canned salmon to make a mosaic-like soboro bento. She adds vegetables to make it a well-balanced meal. Marc introduces a taco rice bento. Taco rice is a fusion dish with Okinawan origins made with soy sauce flavored ground beef. Marc also demonstrates mixing chopped shirataki noodles into rice before cooking to cut calories. On Bento Trip, we head to Singapore to meet Shirley, a popular bento blogger who shows off her eye-catching sushi roll bento.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 6 - Summer Roll & Yakitori
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    #14 - Summer Roll & Yakitori

    S3:E6

    Marc introduces a simple and delicious salmon roll bento. He stuffs rice paper wrappers with braised pork belly, rice and shiso. Maki demonstrates how to make a yakitori bento, a crowd-pleaser around the world. To make the chicken easy to eat, no skewers are used. The chicken is cooked in a frying pan until the skin is perfectly crispy. Bento Trip showcases Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, a city famous for clam digging. The local ekiben there is an asari clam bento.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 7 - Honey Lemon Chicken & Stuffed Pepper
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    #15 - Honey Lemon Chicken & Stuffed Pepper

    S3:E7

    Marc creates a lemon chicken bento reminiscent of a dish his mother cooked when he was young. Made with ketchup, it's sure to be popular with children. Maki introduces a colorful bento featuring green bell peppers stuffed with ground meat. She also shares tips on how to prepare it for children with an aversion to green bell peppers. Bento Trip showcases adobo, the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. Marinated in vinegar, adobo keeps well in warm weather and is perfect for bento.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 8 - Ebichiri & Temari-zushi
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    #16 - Ebichiri & Temari-zushi

    S3:E8

    Marc makes a bento with stir-fried shrimp in chili sauce, a classic Japanese-style Chinese dish. He adds red chili peppers to ketchup to create a sweet and salty flavor combination that children will love. Maki demonstrates how to make delicious temarizushi with marinated vegetables. Temarizushi keep their shapes well, so they're perfect for bento. Plus, they're fun for children to help make. Bento Trip showcases the inrou bento from Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, which features local ume plums.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 9 - Chicken Nanban & Takikomi-gohan
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    #17 - Chicken Nanban & Takikomi-gohan

    S3:E9

    Marc introduces a dish from his mother's hometown in Miyazaki Prefecture: chicken nanban bento. The chicken is topped with a Japanese-style tartar sauce made with egg, resulting in an extra-filling bento. Maki makes an umami-packed bento featuring rice mixed with vegetables and other delicious ingredients. The final product is extra colorful, and Maki uses common ingredients, so anyone can recreate this bento at home. Bento Trip showcases a steamed pork patty bento from Hong Kong.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 10 - Keema Curry & Ham-katsu
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    #18 - Keema Curry & Ham-katsu

    S3:E10

    Maki shows us how to make a ham cutlet bento. Ham cutlet is a popular everyday side dish. Maki makes them with two kinds of fillings: cabbage with cheese, and fried egg. Marc introduces a Japanese style keema curry bento that's flavored with tomatoes, grated apple, and soy sauce as the secret ingredient. Bento Trip takes us to Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, where a kinmedai sushi bento is showcased. Maki also makes an original kinmedai tatsutaage bento with hand-made kamoboko.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 11 - Okonomiyaki & Mayo-yaki Chicken
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Okonomiyaki & Mayo-yaki Chicken

    S3:E11

    Marc demonstrates how to prepare a bento featuring okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake made with cabbage, shrimp, and bacon. Maki introduces a simple and delicious mayo-yaki chicken bento. She uses mayonnaise instead of butter when cooking the chicken. Bento Trip travels to Indonesia, where kyaraben (character bento) have become all the rage. A local mother who loves to make bento shares her recipe for a beef balado kyaraben made with cassava leaves.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 12 - Katsu Sandwich & Hot Dog Onigiri
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Katsu Sandwich & Hot Dog Onigiri

    S3:E12

    Marc demonstrates how to make a delicious and filling pork cutlet sandwich bento, which is widely popular all around the world. Maki introduces a unique hot dog-inspired onigiri bento. Rice is shaped into short, thick cylinders and then wrapped in seaweed. A slit is cut along the length of each onigiri and fillings such as sausages and tuna are placed inside. Bento Trip showcases a shumai bento from Yokohama Chinatown and investigates the secret behind keeping it delicious at room temperature.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 13 - Triple Kara-age
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    #21 - Triple Kara-age

    S3:E13

    Maki makes a tri-colored karaage bento. She uses three marinades—soy sauce and ginger, curry and yogurt, and a simple brine. This keeps the chicken tender and flavorful even at room temperature. Marc demonstrates a trick for preparing juicy shrimp: whipping them with egg whites before cooking. It can be used to make a shrimp shumai or ebi chili bento. Bento Trip features a popular bento delivery service in Brazil whose colorful, traditional Japanese-style bento are packed in wooden boxes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. BENTO EXPO Season 3 Episode 14 - Age-teri
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    #22 - Age-teri

    S3:E14

    Marc makes a colorful, nutritious bento featuring fried cod and a variety of vegetables. Everything is flavored with "3S sauce" (an equal mix of soy sauce, sugar, and sake) that's been boiled with dashi and ginger. Maki shows off various bento she's made using the versatile 3S sauce, including chicken teriyaki meatballs and sukiyaki-flavored onigirazu. Bento Trip heads to a theater in Ueno and features an inarizushi bento with a 160-year history. Maki also makes her own cute inarizushi.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. BENTO EXPO Season 4 Episode 1 - Sukiyaki & Japanese Style Sandwich
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Sukiyaki & Japanese Style Sandwich

    S4:E1

    Marc makes a bento with sukiyaki, which is popular worldwide. Maki makes a Japanese-style sandwich bento, with butter-soy sauce pork and vegetables. Bento Trip features a bento shop in Paris, France.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. BENTO EXPO Season 4 Episode 2 - Kakuni & Curry-flavored Grilled Onigiri
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Kakuni & Curry-flavored Grilled Onigiri

    S4:E2

    Marc demonstrates how to make kakuni, tender braised pork belly. Maki makes pan-fried rice balls seasoned with curry powder and packed with cheese. Bento Trip features a shirasu bento from Hamamatsu.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. BENTO EXPO Season 4 Episode 3 - Miso Butter Chicken & Plump Fried Shrimp
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    #25 - Miso Butter Chicken & Plump Fried Shrimp

    S4:E3

    Introducing bento from around the world filled with delicious ideas! This time, we'll show you how to make a miso butter chicken bento and a plump fried shrimp bento.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Omugiri & Kara-age" is the best rated episode of "BENTO EXPO". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 12/7/2016. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Meatloaf Sandwich & Tamagoyaki".