"Yusan bako"
What a familier word!

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If you were born in Tokushima, Yusan bako should be familiar and serves as a bento box for a spring feast.

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"Hina matsuri" is a festival for girls, held every 3rd of April(a month later from Hina matsuri) in Tokushima, both boys and girls  brings their Yusan bako filled with food and have a picnic in Yusan Yama(Yusan Mountain) .
Children are always happy to play outside and run around the Spring field.
When they see other kids across the valley playing as well, they call to each others and play togeth until the sun sets.

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We call it "YUSANSURU (go and play on the hill)" in Tokushima.
Yusan bako is better known as bento box for Yusan.

Yusan bako is a small size bento box made for children.

After you finish all food in the bento box you can reuse it again.
The dished are usually for special occasions that are not eaten regularly such as sushi rolls and sweet jelly.
Children run back and forth from their home and to the mountain.

 

People say that "Yusan signifies the start of rice cultivation", and its deep relations with rice.

According to legend, when children come home from Yusan Mountain, a spirit from the rice fields comes down and signals them that it is time to cultivate the rice.

Therefore, children living by the beach likes to play on the beach.
Children living in by the river, they play on the embankment.
In the castle town, the Yusan bako is opened in front of friend's Hina Dolls or some children are going to Bizan.

People who have played with Yusan bako during their childhood explain their wonderful past experiences with glowing eyes.
It's as if it was yesterday, you can remember the scent and color of the feast in a Yusan bako.

 

Parents were in the kitchen preparing special dishes for me.
They were not usually at home much due to farming but they stayed home that day.
This special moment is still in my mind after many decades.

 

Times have changed, but I feel that there is still something in common between busy parents and their children today.

 

The other day, these parents and their three daugthers visited our shop from far away and ordered Yusan bako .
Their daughters enjoyed choosing their own designs.

It is not only about buying Yusan bako itself, but is more worth the fact that their parents traveled all the way to Tokushima to order Yusanbako for their daughters.
I just wanted them to remember how much their parents love them.
I didn't want them to forget about the day when they got the Yusan bako from our store.

 

Yusanbako is a special gift that you give to someone who you feel is important.
I wish everyone can make happy memories when you recieve Yusan bako.