Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2014

Since kyaraben (character bento) are getting a lot of international media attention, many parents are now tempted to join in the fun. However, creating all those cute and edible characters requires great skill, not to mention time. Shikoku Kakoki has come to the rescue of parents who want to make dishes that are easy to do, visually appealing to their kids and healthy. They’ve come up with Rilakkuma Goyururi Kinutofu: small, portion-sized tofu blocks with the popular bear’s face imprinted on the bottom. Pop them on a salad for instant cuteness or pour on some soy sauce to make the features more prominent. Comes in a set of four 80g blocks (¥168) with different face designs on each. That adds up to five smiling faces—if you count your kid’s.