There is a little known Ekiben (boxed meal sold at train stations) company called Hanazen (web site in Japanese only) which was established on Meiji 32 (1899) at a city of Oodate in northern Akita. Ekiben called Tori-Meshi (chicken over rice) sold by Hanazen since Showa 22 (1947) is little known, when there are Ekiben festivals in Japan this Tori-Meshi by Hanazen ranks at the top quite often.

This little Ekiben company in northern Akita has opened 1899 ToriM�shi (web site in French or Japanese only) at Paris, yes Paris as in France in continental Europe! Out of all the places why Paris? I have no idea. Hanazen said initially they had to adopt Tori-Meshi to liking of French people's palate. Rice is flavored in soy sauce based, Paris version of Tori-Meshi the flavor of rice was changed little and amount of chicken was increased. Hanazen says now they are doing steady business at their Paris store.

Now Hanazen has announced they have applied to French national railway SNCF to open a store at Paris Gare de Lyon. The true Ekiben at Paris!?

that is very exciting, but there are a lot of Japanese people in Paris so I'm not very surprised.
I hope they can expand in Europe, food options in London train stations is not good at all.

I was surprised in seeing a lot of French stuff in Japan (signs, maps, etc)

Wish them luck in the train station - the French have a high standard in quality (so do the Japanese)

Food options in all of England are not good at all. ;-)

And for this new branch, Paris makes perfect sense. It�s a common Japanese dream to move there...

And it�s a common Japanese nightmare to be there: www.sbs.com.au/news/paris-syndrome-culture-shock-sickness-sends-japanese-tourists-packing