The Japanese bento is usually a home-packed, carefully prepared lunch box consist of rice, meat or fish, fresh or cooked vegetables, but also you can buy this in shops or train stations, etc. Popular bentos are decoreted to look like people, animals, flower and plants or cartoon characters. Containers could be throw-away disposable type, or more expensive, keep-it types.
The decorated bentos keep interest children in their food and can change their eating habits on a wider range.
Main sources: http://www.mybentolicious.com/, http://susanyuen.wordpress.com/, http://blog.modes4u.com/products/cute-kawaii-bento-boxes.html, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuteobento/3175920612/
