Let’s all learn to sing and dance the Bento Box Song with this cute little cat!
Two things are guaranteed to help when you’re in a bad mood: cute music and a cute cat. And we have great news about this video picking up steam on Japanese Twitter: it blends them both!
The video stars Mantaro, a gorgeous and extremely patient Munchkin cat. It wasn’t Mantaro’s owner who brought him into the limelight though, it was their friend, Twitter user @parapilia.
▼ “My friend sent this to me. I’ve been healed…. I could watch this forever….”
https://twitter.com/parapilia/status/1194981003376226305In the video a cheery children’s song plays, one parents in Japan might recognize as the Bento Box Song. The song uses gestures to indicate a small or big bento box, then uses an increasing number of fingers to represent various food stuffs that might fill it up.
Mantaro, having fluffy round cat paws and no fingers, has to settle for simply having his paws bounced up and down by his owner. This doesn’t stop him from beautifully outlining an imaginary bento box, though, and at the end of the video he even waves the viewer goodbye.
Want to sing along to the Bento Box Song as you look into Mantaro’s beautiful, soothing eyes? Here’s the lyrics, both in Japanese romanized text and English:
Kore kurai no obento naka ni
Onigiri, onigiri choitto tsumete
Kizami shōga ni gomashio futte
Ninjin-san
Sakuranbo-san
Shiitake-san
Gobō-san
Ana no aita renkon-san
Suji no tōtta
Fuki
Inside a bento box, about this big
Rice balls, rice balls, a couple placed inside
Sprinkle salt and sesame on the chopped ginger
Now the carrots,
Cherries,
Mushrooms,
Burdock root
Then the lotus root, full of holes
And butterbur stalks with strings.
Mantaro isn’t the best teacher for the gestures, due to his aforementioned lack of fingers, so here’s a slightly more articulated guide.
Those who were able to tear their eyes away from Mantaro’s adorable kitty dance left screams of “cuuuuuute” and “poor baby looks so grumpy” in the replies.
Several recognized Mantaro from @parapilia’s friend’s Instagram, and raised concern about her possibly posting it without permission — thankfully @parapilia assuaged concerns that her friend knew about the Tweet, and she also linked to their Instagram in a reply.
▼ Even more adorableness await you here!
As cute as Mantaro’s dancing is, it’s plain to see that his owner is very hands-on and handles most of the choreography. Mantaro seems like a chill and languid cat, so perhaps it’s too much to expect him to do any wild bellydances or tissue box shuffles of his own volition. But hopefully he’ll inspire you to do a little Bento Box dance of your own today, and that’s what counts!
Source, featured image: Twitter/@parapilia
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Limited edition lucky cat lunch boxes are back, promise to make your food too cute to eat
Video of Japanese cats relaxing with chill snail friend will make you feel purr-fect happiness
Monday Pick-Me-Up: Cute, Headphone-Wearing Girls Dancing Around Japan!
Japanese restaurant’s mouth-watering bento lunch models entice adorably hungry kitty 【Photos】
Handmade Hayao Miyazaki bento is too cute to eat, great conversation starter during meals
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Survey finds more than 70 percent of Japanese children have an online friend
Nagoya’s dark-red miso has continued to capture tastebuds for generations
Is Mario’s Birdo a boy or a girl? Years after her first appearance, the debate rages on
A Gintama fan’s emotional 19-year journey to buy a proper Lake Toya bokuto wooden katana【Pics】
The 13-year-old video game contest winner who became one of Japan’s greatest manga artists
The Sailor Moon theme song is based on another song about drinking a lot of tequila【Video】
Man in India viewed as a god for his really long butt hair
Are all Starbucks coffee sizes the same? Testing the viral video claim in Japan
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settings
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
Japan’s otoshidama tradition of giving kids money at New Year’s gets a social welfare upgrade
Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026
Can a dirty butthole make you filthy rich in Japan? We’re starting a New Year’s lottery experiment
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
We think he’s purr-fect! Meet Monty, the cat born without a nose bone【Photos】
Adorable Japanese cat shows off its purr-fect hiding spot to attack owner’s feet 【Video】
Super cute Japanese kitty takes a little sip and a shower all at once 【Video】
Japanese mom wows us with her ‘eggstraordinary’ food art
Snaps of Japan’s cute yet ugly kitties set to take over Yamanote train line
This whacky Japanese cat looks hilariously buff, adorably fluff【Video】
Badass cats blow up the internet, leave adoring humans in their wake
Japanese pet owner photographs cats in hats made from the cats’ own hair 【Pics】
New “Love Dance” takes Japan by storm, thanks to a Japanese drama and a handsome J-Pop star
How do Japanese cats stay warm and accessorize during winter? With tail scarves, of course!
Cute cat stays cool in Japanese heat by snuggling up inside Dyson fan
Japanese cat sleeps so hard it flattens its head, scores a cuteness critical hit
Japanese cat cafe delights people around the world with adorable kitty cosplay
Japanese fisherman becomes TikTok heartthrob, shares cute dance videos while working at sea
Leave a Reply