Charaben: a bento created to look like a person or character. From the English word 'character' and the Japanese word 'bento'. Also spelt as kyaraben and other variations.
Chuka bento: a bento filled with Chinese cuisine.
Ekiben: a train station bento, first sold in 1885 at Utsunomiya Station. Nowadays, some train stations are famous for their tasty bento lunches, and ekibens are made with local specialities and boxed in elaborate containers.
Hinomaru bento: a bento with white rice that has a red umeboshi in the centre. This bento is named after the hinomaru - the Japanese flag which has a white background with a red circle in the middle. During periods of very warm weather, the umeboshi would act as an antibacterial to keep the food fresh, as traditionally bentos were not kept in the fridge.
Hokaben: a bento which has been bought from a shop. Named after the popular bento shop franchise Hokka Hokka Tei.
Konbiniben: a bento purchased at a Japanese convenience store, or 'konbini'.
Koshibento: 'waist bento' - one of the first types of bentos, a simple meal of onigiri wrapped in bamboo, first seen during the Edo period (1603-1867)
Makuno-uchi bento: one of the first types of bentos, this was designed to eat in between acts at noh plays and kabuki. The name literally means 'between acts bento'. First seen during the Edo period (1603-1867).
Noriben: one of the simplest types of prepared bento - a sheet of toasted nori seaweed is dipped in soy sauce and placed on white rice.
Shokado bento: a black laquered bento box with four compartments. Most commonly seen in Japanese restaurants and dinner parties. Not meant to be portable. Is the subject of 'Simple Menus for the Bento Box' by Ellen Greaves and Wayne Nish - but note, most of these recipes are unsuitable for the bento lunch box.