Love From Japan

This giveaway has closed. Thank you so much for the entry! (SEPTEMBER 16, 2011)


Hey everyone! At last... it looks like I get to do a giveaway whooooo yey yey! First of all, I want to apologize to everyone that it's been such a long while since I've mentioned my first giveaway for the first time. Actually, It was supposed to be done in honor of my 100th post, but oh Lord, the biggest earthquake and tsunami did attack Japan right before doing it. Since then, I'd been considering if I should not do a fun event like a giveaway, or should put up my giveaway items for auction to raise Japan earthquake relief funds. However, I eventually figured that the fastest and best way I could do something at that point for the affected people was not to call off the giveaway but to donate money directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society. I hope everyone understands my feeling.

Although I've done bento for quite a long time I'd actually never known that there'd been lots and lots of bento lovers worldwide until I started this blog. What made me even more surprised was that they all enjoyed their own bento style!　Not only that, I do feel so much love, caring and even a bit (or lot) of fun in every single one of their bentos. That has really inspired me so far and that's why I love looking at everyone's bento. But I feel bad about not having much time to leave a comment to all of them. And yet so many people have come by and made a sweet comment on my post since I started this blog. It has meant a lot to me. I also think I'd like to pull for people trying to make their daily bento -- in particular who are much younger than I am. And above all I appreciate that so many bento buddies have been supportive of Japan since the earthquake. All of these things made me want to do something that can show my appreciation and love. Now let me say, THANK YOU so much for always being awesome and thoughtful and inspiring! And of course, for bearing with my clumsy crazy articles lol! (But no worries, I do enjoy it myself hehe). OK, you may get fed up with reading too long story, right? Me too! I will move on to the main point now.

Ja jaaaaan!! Here are bento weapons you might get, which I selected with enjoyment. I sure hope the winner like and use them.
A two-tiered plastic bento box, a pair of chopsticks, four plastic dessert cups that fit in deep containers.


This is a bento Yuppi made the dishes and I packed them in the same bento box as the one above a while back. One of our collaborations. (Note: This bento isn't included in the giveaway since I ate it already lol!)


Two boxes of my favorite wax paper, flower-shaped silicon cups, a sheet of tiny bento stickers.

A regular bento sized furoshiki and a picnic bento sized one. Do you know about Furoshiki? It is a traditional beautiful Japanese cloth that is very versatile. Large ones are available as a scarf, picnic mat, shopping bag and so on. I really like the black one I selected this time.


I thought this giveaway was supposed to feature Sakura because I was going to do it during the Sakura season. And I think Sakura symbolizes Japanese culture. I'm soooo excited by thinking that one of you will use these lovely bento goods!
Maybe I won't announce this giveaway anywhere else because I'd like to send it to one of those who've enjoyed this blog so far. And I haven't set the entry period yet. It will be open until I get satisfied (wow how random!) Maybe for a couple weeks or so.

Here are the entry conditions I came up with. It's no problem even if you've never commented on the blog before.
1) You like to visit here and see my bentos.
2) You'd really like to use these items for your own bentoing.
3) You live where I can ship the package. (I suppose I can probably ship it to pretty much any countries, but in case I can't, I'm sorry!)

If you meet all the conditions above please write whatever you'd like to say in the comment box below. It's okay to even write just *Hi* or anything. You'll automatically be entered into the giveaway once you make a comment. Not that you need to show how much you like the blog, in case haha! This is to show my love for y'all. Just go and win!!

Note: Sometimes my DISQUS comment box doesn't come out on your comp/mobile screen. In that case, you can comment here.

たまにDISQUSのコメントボックスが画面に表れないことがあります。その場合はこちらにコメントを！

この記事をやっと書き上げて思い出したことは、もしかして日本にもこのブログを読んでくれている人が何人かいるかも知れない、と言うことでした。なので日本語でも書いてみたいと思います。日本には数え切れないほどのお弁当ブロガーさんたちがいますが、私はこのブログを始めるまで世界中にこんなにもたくさんのお弁当大好き仲間がいるなんて全く知りませんでした。日本の伝統的な食文化の良さを取り入れようとしている人、日本人とは全く違う発想をお弁当に盛り込んでいる人、食べるのがもったいないぐらいに手の込んだ愛らしいキャラ弁を作っている人、本当に様々です。でもどれもみんな食べる人に対する愛情がこもっているのは海外も日本も同じ。みんなのお弁当から沢山の刺激をもらい私自身のお弁当作りもだんだんと変わってきました。このブログを始めて以来、当初の予想に反して（！？）沢山の人たちが励みになるコメントを残してくれました。批判めいたものが一つもなかったことが本当に驚きです。そしてこのブログを通じて色んな人たちに出会えたことがほんと～にうれしいです。この前の地震の際には沢山の海外の仲間たちが日本のことを心配して、なんとか力になりたいと一生懸命行動を起こしている様子を見て、ありがたい気持ちでいっぱいになりました。それから私は結構長いことお弁当を作っているので、私よりもずっと若い人たちが日々、お弁当作りをがんばっているのを見るとものすごー感心します。かげながらそんな人たちを応援したいとも思っています。まあそんなこんなで私の感謝と愛をあらわせる事をなんかしたいとずっと思っていましたが、よ～うやくその時が来ました！！応募期間はまだ決めていませんが私の気が済むまで募集する予定です（かなりてきとうやん！）。多分２～３週間は開けておきます。応募方法は簡単。下のコメントボックスに書きたいことをなにか書いてね。例えば*こんにちは*だけでも何でもオッケー。特にこのブログに対するあなたの想いをあらわす必要があるというわけではないので、念のため。これは私のみんなへのラブをあらわすためのものです、はは！なのでみんなも下の条件に合うならどしどし応募してね！

お弁当グッズプレゼント、参加条件
1) このブログに遊びに来て私の弁当たちを見るのを楽しんでいる
2) 私が選んだお弁当グッズをあなたのお弁当作りにぜひ使いたいと思っている
3) 私がプレゼントを発送できる地域に住んでいる