Bento Bako on the Road: A Journey to Kauaʻi's Public Libraries

By Scott Kitano, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi Education Program Manager

Thanks to a generous donation from Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative’s Sharing of Aloha program, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi launched a new education program across Kauaʻi called Bento Bako (Discovery Box). 

Inspired by the traditional Japanese practice of packing meals with care, balance and intention, the program honors the local plantation-era experience. Bento bako (Japanese for “lunch box”) were carried by immigrant workers as a daily source of nourishment, connection and cultural continuity, and were often shared among Hawaiʻi plantation workers during lunch. Sharing food became a way of sharing culture. 

Each Bento Bako educational kit contains carefully curated resources, standards-based lesson plans, and activity guides that encourage learners to touch, observe, ask questions and make personal connections. Rather than learning from a distance, participants engage directly with materials that spark curiosity and conversation. The goal is simple but meaningful: to make cultural education approachable, interactive and accessible for all learners.

Partnering with the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System allows this program to reach beyond traditional classroom settings and into trusted community spaces, including homeschool programs. Libraries serve as gathering places for all ages, from students completing homework and kūpuna seeking connection to educators building curriculum and families discovering new interests together.

By placing Bento Bako in libraries across Kauaʻi, geographic distance and financial constraints no longer limit access to cultural learning. Each branch becomes a space for exploration, creativity and generations learning together.

Excitement and curiosity from library staff has reinforced the importance of outreach-based education. Librarians welcomed the program with enthusiasm and thoughtful questions about how the kits could support programming, classroom partnerships and community engagement. When educational tools are placed directly into community spaces, they become living resources actively used, shared and adapted to meet local needs.

"It is exciting to see it come into use across our island schools,” says Kristen Hillman, librarian at Līhuʻe Public Library. “At Līhuʻe, our children's librarian and (young adult) librarian have been promoting the kits by giving flyers to teachers in the area who frequent our library, namely an English teacher and art teacher from Kauaʻi High School and our friends across the street at Wilcox Elementary School.” A special mahalo to KIUC for making this program possible. Its support helped bring Bento Bako to every library on Kauaʻi, giving learners of all ages hands-on ways to explore culture, spark curiosity and connect with their community.

About Bento Bako and Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi

Bento Bako supports educators with free, ready-to-use kits that make Japanese American and local history engaging and accessible.

TheJapanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi's mission is to be a vibrant resource, strengthening our diverse community by educating present and future generations in the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai‘i.

jcchawaii.org/resources/bento-bako
 

KIUC’s Sharing of Aloha program

In keeping with the cooperative principle Commitment to Community and in the Spirit of Aloha, the Sharing of Aloha program exists to assist various local nonprofit organizations that contribute to Kauaʻi’s quality of living.

Applications must be received by the first week of the month to be considered for that month. Once the application has been reviewed, the applicant will be notified of the results. Good luck on your work in the community!

kiuc.coop/sharing-aloha