70% of Rail Fans Love 'Railway Gourmet': Key Purchase Drivers are 'Regional Exclusivity' and 'Local Production for Local Consumption'

■Survey on Interest in and Ways to Enjoy Railway Gourmet and Ekiben

Buying an ekiben (station lunch box) on the platform of a travel destination and boarding the train.
When you open the lid, it's packed with local ingredients and regional cuisine.
So, how much do people interested in railways actually enjoy railway gourmet?
Also, what do they value most when choosing an ekiben?

This time, we conducted a survey on 'Railway Gourmet and Ekiben' jointly with Tetsudo Hiroba, targeting 144 men and women nationwide who answered 'interested in railways' in a preliminary survey.

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Survey Overview: 'Questionnaire on Railway Gourmet and Ekiben'
Survey Method: Internet questionnaire
Survey Period: April 17, 2026 - April 24, 2026
Survey Target: Men and women nationwide interested in railways
Valid Responses: 144 samples

Question Items:
Q1: Have you ever enjoyed 'railway gourmet' such as ekiben, station soba, or station cafes during a railway trip?
Q2: What is the most memorable ekiben or railway gourmet you have ever eaten?
Q3: What did you like about the ekiben or railway gourmet? (Multiple answers allowed)
Q4: What is the most important factor when purchasing an ekiben?
Q5: Please tell us the reason for your answer.
Q6: Have you ever thought about purchasing food/gourmet products sold by railway companies online?
Q7: What kind of products would you like to see?

*Note: Figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so totals may not equal 100%.

■72.2% Answered 'Have Enjoyed' Railway Gourmet
First, we asked if they had ever enjoyed 'railway gourmet' such as ekiben, station soba, or station cafes during a railway trip.
As a result, 72.2% answered 'Yes', and 27.8% answered 'No'.
Some enjoy stopping by a station soba stand on the platform, while others spread out an ekiben inside the train to savor the travel mood. Gourmet seems to be a significant part of enjoying railway trips.

■Most Memorable Gourmet: 'Toge no Kamameshi'
Next, we asked those who have enjoyed railway gourmet what ekiben or railway gourmet they remember most.
What is the most memorable ekiben or railway gourmet you have ever eaten?
- Toge no Kamameshi. (Female, 30s)
- Piyorin. (Male, 40s)
- Masu no Sushi was delicious; it's been over 10 years, but it's still a memorable ekiben. (Female, 40s)
- Genki Kai and Highland Vegetable and Cutlet Bento from Kobuchizawa Station. (Male, 50s)
- Okayama Station, Momotaro's Festival Sushi. (Female, 50s)
- Learning that the kishimen (flat udon noodles) at Nagoya's JR conventional line platform is the same as the super-famous one on the Shinkansen platform. (Male, 60s)

'Toge no Kamameshi' seems to have the impact of its earthenware pot and a special feeling that can only be experienced in that region. Also, relatively new railway gourmet like 'Piyorin' and station soba on the platform were mentioned, showing a variety of ways to enjoy beyond just ekiben.

■'Taste was delicious' Tops at 66.3%
Next, we asked those who have enjoyed railway gourmet what they liked about the ekiben or railway gourmet.
The most common answer was 'The taste was delicious' at 66.3%.
This was followed by 'Felt a sense of locality' at 50.0%, and 'Enhanced the travel mood' at 38.5%.
While taste satisfaction topping the list is an understandable result, items related to 'experience' beyond taste, such as 'sense of locality', 'travel mood', and 'the experience of eating on the train', also ranked high.
It seems that railway gourmet is enjoyed not just for filling the stomach, but also for savoring the local area and the time of the journey.

■Top Purchase Priority: 'Whether it's regionally exclusive'
Next, we asked those who have enjoyed railway gourmet what they value most when purchasing an ekiben.
The most common answer was 'Whether it's regionally exclusive' at 27.9%.
This was followed by 'Whether local ingredients are used' at 25.0%, and 'Price' at 14.4%.
We also asked for the reasons behind their answers; here are some excerpts.

Those who answered 'Whether it's regionally exclusive':
- Because I want to eat the local products. (Female, 30s)
- Because I feel that gourmet food that can only be eaten in that region has the most value. (Male, 40s)
- Because I want to taste ekiben unique to the region. (Female, 50s)

Those who answered 'Whether local ingredients are used':
- Because I want to seek local flavors that cannot be enjoyed at home through mail order. (Male, 40s)
- Regional items that can only be eaten there create better memories and have a special feel. (Female, 50s)
- Being able to casually eat local ingredients becomes a form of sightseeing, so I'm satisfied. (Male, 50s)

Those who answered 'Price':
- Cheap and quick. (Male, 40s)
- Because it's hard to buy if it's expensive. (Female, 50s)
- Many ekiben are somewhat expensive for their volume, making me hesitate to buy them. (Male, 50s)

Combining 'Whether it's regionally exclusive' and 'Whether local ingredients are used' accounts for over half, showing how important 'local character' is in choosing an ekiben. The special feeling of 'you can only taste it here' seems to be a major deciding factor.
On the other hand, regarding 'Price', which came in third, some comments reflected awareness of recent price increases. It seems there are not a few people who hesitate when prices rise, even if they want to buy.

■22.2% Answered 'Have Thought About Using' Railway Company Online Sales
Next, we asked if they had ever thought about purchasing food/gourmet products sold by railway companies online.
As a result, 22.2% answered 'Yes', and 77.8% answered 'No'.
Even among those interested in railways, only a little over 20% are interested in online purchases.
It seems many people think that railway gourmet is best enjoyed 'on-site', but there is also a certain demand for enjoying the taste of travel at home.

We also asked those who answered 'Yes' about what kind of products they would like to see.
What kind of products would you like to see?
- Choshi Railway's curry. (Male, 40s)
- A subscription service where famous ekiben are delivered to your home every month. (Female, 40s)
- Famous ekiben that are hard to come by, like Toge no Kamameshi or Ika Meshi. (Male, 40s)
- Little-known local products made and sold by small local companies. (Female, 50s)
- Local cuisine featuring seafood would deepen the travel mood. (Male, 80s)