Recommended Site:
Japanese American National Museum
JANM Kids Bento Box
Age Range: 5-17 (There’s something here for everyone!)
A Bento Box is a lunch box, and at this website you’ll find a virtual Bento Box that contains a variety of activities and information designed to help site visitors gain a better understanding and appreciation for Japanese culture and the Japanese-American experience.
When you get to the site you will see an illustration of a Bento Box. Click on the drums at the left to learn about Taiko drumming. Kids can try their hand at virtual Taiko drumming by playing, “Strike a Beat!” :)
Click on the green mound in the Bento Box to see just how spicy wasabi might be. (Ok, wasabi doesn’t really burst into flames, although for some people it might feel like it does, but the graphic is neat anyway. :)
Click “What’s For Lunch?” for a veritable feast of information about the various kinds of foods that are packed in a typical Bento box. If you enjoy Japanese food, this section will make your mouth water. At the bottom of this section is a link to information about how to make Mochi, and information about the Japanese New Year. (Note: Each of these pages concludes with featured items which are available for purchase from the online museum store.)
The frame in the bottom right corner of the Bento box leads to a Kamishibai theater. Learn a little about this traditional dramatic art form and enjoy a bitter-sweet story of an enduring interracial friendship between two young boys at the time of the Japanese internment. Younger children may need parental guidance.
Click on the letters in the Bento box to access “Miss Breed’s Homework Help.” It is a fantastic resource for further learning for upper elementary grade and older students. Here you can also find out who Miss Breed was and how far-reaching the consequences of the humanitarian endeavors of one individual can be. This section contains recommendations for books, videos, websites, and other resources as well.
For dessert, click on the little silver toy near the top of the lunch box. Up he pops and anounces that Kokeshi World is coming soon! Bookmark this site and check back later to find out what that will be. :)
