> almost nobody home-cooking and then bringing in a boxed lunch What? As an exchange student (high school) my (japanese/host) mum totally spoiled me with lavis

> almost nobody home-cooking and then bringing in a boxed lunch What? As an exchange student (high school) my (japanese/host) mum totally spoiled me with lavish bento box lunches every day - as I assume she used to do for my older host siblings. I seem to recall she used to prepare a lunch for my host dad too. (that said, thankfully, Japan's been progressing to a more equal society, so hopefully the man work/woman work at home divide is disappearing - which likely means ain't no-one got spare time to prepare box lunches - hence more of a market opening up). A bento box is very much a "make at home, bring to work thing" that just happens to be available to buy. Like a burger fried in the back yard vs various inferior commercial offerings ranging from burger king to passable restaurant grade burgers..