On December 12th, the take-out shop ``Shigohan'' (TEL 070-8457-0566) opened inside the housing company ``Elsie Home'' in Toyohara, Hirosaki City.

The store sells handmade bento boxes made mainly from seasonal ingredients, with the concept of ``home-made taste over presentation''. After the cafe that operated on the first floor, which also served as the company's showroom, closed, employee Naoko Norida came up with the idea of ​​using the empty space to open a take-out bento shop.

Norida has been an accountant at the company for nearly 20 years, and has been good at cooking since childhood. ``For a long time, if there was something I wanted to eat, I would make it myself.As I started to want to eat more delicious food, I started cooking with the fish I caught myself, and I started picking wild vegetables myself. ''Norida said.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Norida has been inviting friends over to his home and cooking for them, and he has started receiving more requests from friends who have developed a love for cooking to make bento boxes. Norida says, ``I started making it because I wanted people to be happy and say it was delicious.If I had to be particular about it, I would reduce the amount of salt.Homemade foods are naturally low in salt, and if the taste is bland, people eat it by adding more.''

We prepare 20 to 30 bento meals a day. The main dishes are meat dishes on Mondays and Wednesdays, fish dishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and daily specials and curry on Fridays. The price is 800 yen. Curry is 600 yen. Pre-orders are also accepted.

After working at Shiigohan, Mr. Norida works as an employee at Elsie Home. He smiles and says that now he has two jobs, and although his work has increased, he has also had more fun. "If you're tired of eating out or eating bento boxes from convenience stores, please stop by. If even one person can be happy, I'd like to continue this service."

Business hours are 11:30am to 2:30pm. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.