You won’t find food in Japan much cheaper than this.
“Freshly fried! Croquettes for 20 yen.”
That was the sign that made us do a double-take when we were strolling the streets of Sagamihara City in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture the other day. In this era of ever-rising prices, a croquette for 20 yen (US$0.13) sounded like the thing of dreams – an unbelievable price that, when you think about it, is even cheaper than cheap candy.
Needless to say, we immediately stopped for a closer look, joining the queue that had formed outside “Kogane Bento“, the store where the sign was displayed.
▼ The shop is located about a 15-minute walk from Sagami-Ono Station on the Odakyu Line.
Taking a look at the menu reveals that croquettes really are on the menu for 20 yen, and that’s with tax included too. Upon closer inspection, we found there were other cheap eats on offer as well, and everything was very reasonably priced.
As it was lunchtime, we were hungry and in the mood for a bento boxed lunch, but the only problem was…
▼ …there were so many to choose from!
The options covered Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine and there was such a wide variety that we began to feel overwhelmed by it all.
▼ The store sells 135 different kinds of bento, and that’s not even including all the limited-time specials.
▼ Finally, we spotted a bento that stood out from all the others.
▼ The “Maji Honki de Umai Bento“, which incorporates slang and roughly translates as “A No-joke Seriously Delicious Bento“.
Reduced in price from 650 yen to 500 yen until 31 March, this bento won us over with its charismatic nature so we ordered it. We also couldn’t resist trying some sides, as well as the super-cheap croquette, and after paying for it all we headed over to a nearby park to enjoy everything we’d purchased.
First up, the Seriously Delicious Bento, which, according to the store, was created in collaboration with a nearby elementary school, so it’s said to be a dream-like meal devised by the children.
▼ So what do the children love?
▼ Japanese curry!
Curry is always a guaranteed win, beloved by people of all ages, and this one looked seriously delicious. The extra surprises here, though, were takoyaki (fried octopus balls), fried chicken, and a small sausage, rather unusual partners for curry but all great in their own right, with a floret of broccoli adding colour and vitamins to the indulgent meal.
Upon tasting the curry, we found it to be delicious, with a sophisticated and deep flavour, kind of like a curry served in a first-class hotel restaurant.
▼ This meal may have been devised by children, but there’s nothing child-like about the taste.
▼ When eaten with fried chicken, the curry became even more seriously delicious.
After devouring the bento, we were filled with food…and a serious admiration for the children behind its creation.
▼ Now it was time to try the insanely cheap 20-yen croquette.
Splitting it in two to view its contents, we found that this was a simple croquette with no fancy fillings other than a creamy potato mash. Biting into it revealed a delicious flavour that you’d expect from a more expensive croquette, and the fact that it was freshly fried made it even more impressive.
▼ An excellent side dish for a super delicious bento box.
Personally, we felt it was way too good for the 20-yen price point, and if we lived close to the store, we’d be devouring these fried morsels every day.
▼ Those with more expensive tastes can opt for the cream croquettes, which are still a steal at 80 yen.
▼ The kushikatsu (170 yen) is also superb.
▼ Inside is a delicious filling of pork and tender onions.
Kogane Bento is an amazing store that defies time with its super-low prices. It’s not just the prices but the flavour and value-for-money that keeps people coming back for more, and although it’s incredibly popular, especially around lunchtimes, the food here is worth lining up for.
Store information
Kogane Bento / コガネ弁当
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Sagamihara-shi, Minami-ku, Sagami-Ono 5-13-1
神奈川県相模原市南区相模大野5-13-1
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. / 4:00 p.m.-8:00p.m. every day
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[ Read in Japanese ]