Having Reasonable and Healthy Lunch at Public Office | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

Having Reasonable and Healthy Lunch at Public Office

By Guidable Writers Dec 5, 2016

Do You Know the Cafeteria Opens to the Public?

Maybe you occasionally go to public office to submit documents or to do some procedure. After you finish your task, and if you want to have lunch, where will you go? If you can’t decide easily, why don’t you have lunch at cafeteria in the office? Its cafeteria is basically for people who work there. However, it also opens to the public and you may stop by there though you are not an employee. Because the cafeteria’s meal has some features, and having lunch break there would be nice.

 

How to Purchase

Basically, you need to purchase meal tickets from ticket vending machine at cafeteria like below. Then you bring them to order counter at kitchen, and wait until your order will be ready. When you finish eating and leave there, you have to return your plates and utensils by yourself. Because you can order without any waitress, each meal costs quite cheaper.

lunch2

(Photo by Yuko)

 

Features (1) Healthy Menu

Basically, cafeteria serves meals which can cook faster; noodles, curry, tempura/deep fry, etc. However, at public office, some of them are paid attention to nutrition balance. The best way could be choosing “teishoku” (lunch special of the day), set meal includes rice, miso soup, entrée, side dish, and occasionally dessert. Because it could be the most popular and concentrates order, it would be ready in large number and you can order surely. On the other hand, some teishoku meal might has limited number because of special ingredients. Moreover, some cafeterias have several varietions of salad, or nutrition information is showed for each meal on menu and showcase. You had better refer it when you order there.

lunch3

(Photo by Yuko)

 

Features (2) Locally-Grown and Locally-Consumed Meal

Because there is public office, some meals are made by ingredients which is locally grown. For example, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office’s cafeteria has its signature “Tocho (government office) Bento”. Its feature might be black rice grown in the city of Fuchu, located in the west part of the prefecture. The bento contains 18 ingredients and it is good for your health. Moreover, it costs only 600 yen and kind of good value. The cafeteria and observation deck are located on the 32nd floor of the building and known for its great view. If the weather is good, you would see Tokyo Skytree or Mt. Fuji from there. You can see the detail and menu at www.tokyo-jinzai.or.jp/rest_cafe/restaurant/staffs_dining_hall.html#seiyo (Japanese only). Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but it is crowded from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. because of lunch break for employees.

lunch4

(Photo by Yuko)

 Yuko

Japan