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Food

How a $5,610 Bento Box Is Helping Japan's Earthquake Victims

Despite its staggering price, the bento box contained very standard bento fare.

Would you spend $5,610 on a bento box? Probably not. But what if it was for a good cause? Still, probably not. OK, but what if it could help mend decades of tension between two countries?

In the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that ravaged the city of Kumamoto and killed 49 people on April 16, one extraordinarily generous person stepped up to the plate and dropped 600,000 yen ($5,610) on a very ordinary lunchbox, according to RocketNews24.

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オークション会場がどよめきました。

>キャラ弁1個60万円!「くまモンとパンダ」最強コンビが生んだ絆 - ウィズニュース https://t.co/NR5tFhZ9FH #withnews pic.twitter.com/3dA9SjwR1y — withnews (@withnewsjp) June 6, 2016

Despite its staggering price, the bento box contained very standard bento fare but was adorned with a panda representing China and Kumamoto's mascot Kumamon, a bear pairing that has become iconic in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

Bidding started at a mere 500 yen ($4.67) but quickly climbed to more than $5,000 when the gavel fell. The highest bidder turned out to be a Chinese charity organization that works in Japan, and their winning bid reportedly drew loud applause from the audience.

The auction took place as part of a larger "We are with Kumamoto"-themed concert that raised almost 2,000,000 yen ($18,710) and featured traditional Chinese musicians and was even attended by state officials from China. Even though the earthquake was devastating, it is largely seen as having helped ameliorate relations between Japan and neighbouring China, despite historical tension between the two states.

Needless to say, a bento box with Kumamon and a rice panda is the perfect representation of this renewed Sino-Japanese love, and that's something that has no price tag.

panda-kumamon-auction copy