An interesting story in the Japan Times about starting the new year at school in Tōhoku, disrupted by the earthquake/tsunami/radiation, but plugging on with the everyday creative acts of life.
As kids enjoy their first few days of school in Japan, moms — and sometimes dads, too — beef up their culinary skills to give their kids a little bit of bento-boxed love

Children at Shin Yoshida Kindergarten give thanks before saying the Japanese phrase "itadakimasu!" and tucking into their bento, which are packed with foods (as pictured below) lovingly prepared by their parents. MAKIKO ITOH. Source: Japan Times
“Despite the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in the northeastern part of Honshu, in most of Japan, life has to go on as usual.
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A bento is a packed lunch, usually arranged in a special box and including various small dishes and rice. |
April marks the start of the new school year, which means that parents all over the country are cranking up their morning lunch-making routines. In Japan a packed lunch is always called a “bento” (literally meaning “box”) or “obento” to be more polite, whether it’s stored in the quintessential lunchbox or not.”
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