"Wait — the rice is cold but why is it so fluffy and sweet!?"
Packing lunch every day. Do you ever struggle with rice in plastic containers going soggy by lunchtime, or the opposite — drying out completely?
The traditional craft of "magewappa" bento boxes passed down in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, magically solves that problem.
In Odate, there are experience workshops where you can make these beautiful tools with your own hands — crafted by bending natural Akita cedar with boiling water.
Tapping in the base with a wooden mallet and sewing it firmly together with mountain cherry bark (kabatoji) — it's so much fun that not just children but moms and dads will lose track of time and get completely absorbed.
A lunch packed into the "wooden box" you worked hard to make yourself is made surprisingly delicious by the cedar's antibacterial action and moisture-regulating properties.
"Since it's not plastic, we have to wash it gently," the child learns how to care for their own tools — why not set out on this ultimate "tool education (food education)" journey?
Tips for Enjoying the Magewappa Experience as a Family (30 sec read)
- Check the age requirements!: Many facilities target elementary school upper grades (around age 10+) since the experience uses saws and planes
- Parents get absorbed too: Since it becomes your very own lifelong bento box, parents tend to forget to assist their children and get completely absorbed themselves (laughs)
- The workshop smells of cedar: The moment you step inside, you're enveloped in a deep Akita cedar scent like being in a forest — providing the ultimate relaxing effect
- Bread plates are also recommended: If the bento box feels too challenging, there's also a "bread plate making" option that takes slightly less time (approx. 2 hours) and is a bit easier
- Concentrated around Odate Station: Experience facilities and tourist spots where you can see Akita dogs are clustered near Odate Station — excellent access
1. [Before You Go] Dealing with Wood Shavings & Allowing Enough Time
Making magewappa is no simple craft. Let's prepare mentally and practically to become a "real woodworking craftsperson."
These Are Absolute Must-Dos — 3 Golden Rules
- ① Avoid black clothes or fleece fabric!
In the finishing stage, you use sandpaper to polish the wood to a smooth finish. This produces a lot of fine wood dust, so clothes made of smooth, easy-to-brush-off fabric are best. - ② Allow plenty of time (approx. 2–2.5 hours)
Making a bento box involves many steps and takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours to complete. Don't pack your schedule too tight afterward — allow enough time so children can work at their own pace. - ③ Always make advance reservations
Advance reservations are essential at all workshops, to prepare Akita cedar materials and coordinate craftspeople's schedules. (It's a popular experience, so once your travel dates are set, early booking is recommended.)
2. [Fun Facts] Why Does the Food Taste Better? The Magic of "Shirakinomi" (Unfinished Wood) Breathing
The flavor of rice placed in a plastic bento box versus a magewappa is so different it's like a completely different food — it will surprise you. Let's explain the secret to your children.
The Wood "Breathes" and Controls Moisture
The greatest feature of uncoated magewappa (shirakinomi — unfinished wood) is that the wood "breathes" as if it were alive.
When you pack freshly cooked warm rice into a plastic bento box, condensation forms on the lid and the rice goes soggy, right?
But in a shirakinomi magewappa, the Akita cedar quietly absorbs the "excess moisture" from the rice. Then, by lunchtime when the rice cools and starts to dry out, it returns the absorbed moisture back to the rice, keeping it moist.
That's why rice in a magewappa stays in peak condition even when cold — every grain standing separately, fluffy and sweet! Furthermore, cedar's natural antibacterial action slows spoilage, and the moment you open the lid, a wonderful forest-like scent fills the air.
3. Bento Box or Bread Plate? How to Choose Your Experience
Some workshops let you choose what to make. Choose according to difficulty level and how you'll use it daily.
| Menu | Features & Best Suited For |
|---|---|
| Round Bento Box (Small / Medium / Large) |
[The Classic — Overwhelmingly Recommended] The full traditional techniques are experienced: fitting the base, and sewing with mountain cherry bark (kabatoji). The sense of accomplishment on completion is immense, and it connects directly to the motivation to "absolutely make lunch every day from tomorrow!" |
| Bread Plate / Shichisun-bon (Tray) |
[Lower Difficulty — Great for Breakfast Fans] Slightly fewer steps than the bento box (approx. 2 hours) and a bit easier — reassuring for first-timers. The bread plate in particular is a magic plate that absorbs steam from freshly toasted bread, keeping the underside crispy without going soggy. |
4. [Akita/Odate] 2 Recommended Magewappa Experience Workshops for Families
※ The pins on the map are spots featured in this article. Please check the official website for the latest information on prices and opening days.
① Odate Kogei-sha Handcraft Studio | Experience in a Beautiful, Comfortable Workshop
A beautiful and comfortable experience studio operated by "Odate Kogei-sha," the top maker leading Odate City's traditional crafts.
The process of bending a board of Akita cedar into a circle, fitting in the base, and polishing it smooth with endless sandpaper is gently and carefully supported by instructors. The huge adjacent showroom displays countless beautiful bento boxes and ohitsu (rice keepers), and just looking at them makes you completely enchanted by "Japanese kitchen tools."
👨👩👧👦 Family Checklist
- Age requirement: For ages 10 (upper elementary school) and up. With adult support, it can be completed enjoyably.
- Urethane coating also available: Basic is "shirakinomi" (take home same day), but if desired, a "urethane coating (extra charge, shipped later)" resistant to oil stains can also be arranged (※ If rice taste is the priority, shirakinomi is recommended!).
Basic Info (Approximate)
- Experience: Round bento box (small/medium/large), bread plate, shichisun-bon tray, etc.
- Duration: Approx. 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes
- Price range: Bread plate from ¥5,500 / Round bento (small) from ¥7,150
- Reservation: Advance reservation required via official website, etc.
② Wappa Building (Shibata Yoshinobu Shoten) | A 3-Min Walk from the Station & Thrilling Real Craftsman Tools!
The stylish complex "Wappa Building" boasts excellent access — just a 3-minute walk from JR Odate Station. It is operated by the renowned store Shibata Yoshinobu Shoten, which has a strong commitment to uncoated "shirakinomi."
What makes this experience special is that you get to use "real craftsman tools" — a wooden mallet (kizuchi), saw, and plane, in full!
You also perform with your own hands the traditional technique of "kabatoji (cherry bark stitching)" — sewing mountain cherry bark through the sides — making this an experience where not just children but DIY-loving dads will reach absolute peak excitement.
👨👩👧👦 Family & Gourmet Checklist
- Age requirement: Open from lower elementary school age, but as cutting tools are used, adults should provide solid support.
- Excellent café on-site: The stylish café "S.witch cafe." is built into the facility, where you can enjoy delicious sweets and lunch before or after the experience.
Basic Info (Approximate)
- Experience: Shirakinomi round bento box making, bending experience, etc.
- Duration: Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Price range: Round bento box ¥7,700–¥8,800 (tax included)
- Reservation: Sessions are limited (once or twice a month, etc.) — early confirmation and booking is essential
🍱 Restaurant-Quality Food at Home! Order a Lifelong Magewappa
For those who think "Odate is too far..." or "I want to get magewappa for the whole family!" — authentic "Odate Magewappa" with its wonderful Akita cedar scent is available by mail order. These magic tools that elevate the look and taste of your everyday tamagoyaki and karaage to restaurant level — why not bring them into your daily life?
5. [Model Itinerary] Magewappa & Akita Dogs! Odate Day-Trip Schedule
The area around Odate Station is a wonderful district packed with handcraft experiences and Akita specialties. Here's the classic plan that covers everything efficiently!
- 10:00 | Arrive at Odate Station. First, walk to "Wappa Building" for the magewappa experience!
(With the sound of the wooden mallet echoing, complete your lifelong bento box) - 12:30 | Lunch at a famous restaurant near the station — authentic "Kiritanpo Nabe" or "Hinai Chicken Oyako-don"
- 14:00 | Head to "Akita Inu no Sato" right in front of the station. Seeing real fluffy Akita dogs — pure bliss
- 15:30 | Buy cute Akita dog souvenirs and delicious "iburi-gakko" (smoked pickled radish) and head home
6. Where to Play After the Experience! Powerful Odate Sightseeing & Dining Spots
① Akita Inu no Sato (Home of the Akita Dog) | Meet Fluffy Angels!
Odate City — the birthplace of loyal dog Hachiko. This facility, right in front of Odate Station, is actually built to resemble the exterior of "Shibuya Station in the Taisho era (the station where Hachiko waited for his owner)"!
In the "Akita Dog Exhibition Room" inside, you can observe real Akita dogs napping and playing around through glass panels. Their fluffy, large, and gentle appearance is guaranteed to make both children and adults completely melt — the ultimate stress-relief spot.
👨👩👧👦 Family & Shopping Checklist
- Free admission!: Amazingly, this facility is free to enter. You can pop in even during a train wait.
- Souvenir paradise: The facility sells mountains of cute Akita dog plushies and cookies — children will absolutely beg "I want this!"
② Feast on Authentic "Kiritanpo" and "Hinai Chicken"! Top 3 Restaurants
Odate City is the home of "kiritanpo" and the producing region of "Hinai chicken" — one of Japan's Three Great Tasting Chickens.
A hot pot (nabe) of "kiritanpo" (rice ground and wrapped around cedar skewers, grilled over charcoal) simmered in rich golden broth made from Hinai chicken is the ultimate local dish you simply must eat on location at least once in your life. Here are the restaurants that absolutely cannot be missed, conveniently located near the experience workshops around Odate Station!
👨👩👧👦 Top "Kiritanpo & Hinai Chicken" Restaurants Odate Is Proud Of! Check the Bowl Icons on the MAP♪
- Ganso Murasaki: The ultra-famous long-established restaurant synonymous with "Odate's kiritanpo!" Handmade, fragrantly grilled kiritanpo and broth packed with the punch of Hinai chicken dashi is at an emotional level. Tatami-room seating available — great for families with children!
- Akita Hinai-ya Odate Main Store: For children who find hot pots difficult — the specialty "Hinai Chicken Oyako-don" here is the ultimate bowl of charcoal-seared fragrant chicken topped with silky soft egg. Adults can have the nabe while children have the oyako-don — the perfect combination.
- Mukashi no Kiritanpo-ya: There's an "irori" (traditional open hearth) right in the middle of the restaurant — full old Japanese atmosphere! Extremely fastidious, so they close during summer. (Highly recommended for autumn/winter trips)
7. Savor the Lingering Scent of Cedar! Recommended Accommodation Near Odate
After hammering the magewappa together and playing with cute Akita dogs, both adults and children can take a well-earned breather.
Stay conveniently in Odate City itself, or drive a little to enjoy Akita's famous hot springs and a local cuisine buffet. Choose based on your family's travel style!
🐕 Odate City Area (Panoramic Large Bath! A Hotel Where You Can Meet Akita Dogs)
Royal Hotel Odate
Right in front of Odate Station! Excellent access from the magewappa experience workshops, making it a very convenient base for sightseeing.
While the exterior looks like a business hotel, the top floor has a natural hot spring panoramic bath overlooking the entire Odate cityscape! And most importantly, the hotel's mascot Akita dogs "Eito" and "Hina" may greet you at the entrance (※ subject to their condition and the time of day) — guaranteed to have children's excitement going non-stop.
♨️ Kazuno / Yuzawa Onsen Area (Kiritanpo Buffet & Spectacular Gorge Open-Air Bath!)
Shikiirodori Akita-zukushi Yuze Hotel
About 40 minutes by car from Odate City. A large hot spring resort representing Yuze Onsen — also said to be one of "Japan's Three Great Beauty Hot Springs" — and hugely popular with families.
The sweeping open-air bath overlooking the gorge scenery up close is breathtaking! And dinner is a luxurious local cuisine buffet gathering all of Akita's best — kiritanpo nabe, Hinai chicken, Inaniwa udon, and more. The perfect ryokan to luxuriously cap off a night in Akita.
8. [After Returning Home] No Dish Soap!? How to Properly Care for a Shirakinomi Wappa
Back from the trip — it's time to debut your precious, hard-made "shirakinomi magewappa" as a lunch box! Here's how to teach children "the proper way to wash tools."
3 Essential Care Rules for Making It Last a Lifetime
- ① Do NOT use dish soap (important!) (Since shirakinomi breathes, it will absorb the soap's ingredients. When washing, simply use hot water and a "tawashi (scrub brush — palm-fiber tawashi, etc.)" and gently scrub off dirt along the wood grain — that's all you need)
- ② Dry thoroughly facing up (After washing, wipe off moisture with a cloth and dry in a well-ventilated place "facing up (with the bottom elevated)" for at least 1 full day. Leaving it wet causes blackening)
- ③ Rinse quickly with water before use (Just before packing in rice, quickly wet the inside of the bento box and lightly wipe — this prevents rice grains from sticking to the wood)
🫧 Care for Your Shirakinomi Beautifully! Natural "Tawashi" and "Fukin" (Cloth)
To wash your handmade shirakinomi magewappa, traditional "Japanese kitchen tools" are essential! A soft "棕櫚 (shuro palm-fiber) tawashi" that scrubs out dirt without scratching the wood, and a "linen fukin" that gently absorbs water droplets after washing — why not gather these and make daily tool care a pleasant ritual? A cute furoshiki wrapping cloth for your bento also lifts your mood!
Summary: Every Lunchtime Becomes Richer, Accompanied by the Scent of Cedar
"Dad, the rice in today's bento was so fluffy and chewy!"
The shirakinomi bento box you tapped together with a mallet and sanded down so carefully at an Odate workshop.
The moment your family takes a bite of rice packed into it, everyone will surely be moved: "Can the flavor really change this much?"
Unlike plastic, you can't just toss it in the dishwasher. It takes a "little extra effort" — scrubbing with a tawashi and drying thoroughly. But that extra effort is precisely what teaches children "a heart that cherishes things."
The gentle scent of Akita cedar that drifts out every time you open the lid.
This coming weekend, why not set out to Odate City, Akita Prefecture to make the "magic box" that will dramatically enrich every lunchtime?