Open the lid and a smiling elephant greets you! Seasonal spring vegetables, wild greens, and wild mountain vegetables appear one after another. Adorably curled kogomi (the fiddleheads of ferns harvested in early spring, a traditional Japanese mountain vegetable) are served as ohitashi (a dish of vegetables lightly seasoned in broth) and arranged into a large heart, while simmered fuki leaves form a smaller heart. The tempura that Mami-okusama described as “something special for today” consisted of seasonal bamboo shoots prepared as isobe-age (fried in a light tempura batter flavored with aonori seaweed). We were told that she makes tempura only on truly special occasions—just a handful of times a year. When we previously shared Mami-okusama’s Vegan Takoyaki, Masaaki-sama said, “Wood ear mushrooms are an absolute must for anyone eating a vegan diet.” Mami-okusama also mentioned that she would like for us to make greater use of wood ear mushrooms in our everyday meals, and for this elephant bento, she prepared them as a namul-style dish. (Namul is a Korean side dish of seasoned vegetables—typically blanched or stir-fried greens dressed with sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and other seasonings.) Mami-okusama said: “The children have been heading off to school and preschool every day and doing their very best since the start of the new term. Hearing how much they look forward to lunchtime brings me such joy. I hope to continue putting my heart into making bentos that make them eager for the lunch hour to arrive. There is nothing that makes me happier than being able to prepare bentos for the children.” Mami-okusama’s words, so full of love, truly touch the heart. Let us look closely and learn from what Masaaki-sama's family does and does not eat in their daily meals. Even if our own attempts look nothing like theirs, there is no greater joy than being able to enjoy the same dishes as Masaaki-sama’s family. With this immense joy in our hearts, let us go forth together and spread Masaaki-sama’s Christian Veganism! 【Bento contents received from Mami-okusama】＊30 percent polished rice cooked in a clay pot (250g)The elephant was made by grinding freshly toasted black sesame seeds and mixing them into the rice. Shaping it as you would a rice ball, using just a small amount of salt on your hands, helps bring out the natural sweetness of the ingredients. The eyes and ears are made with nori. The remaining rice is spread generously across the bottom of the bento. ＊Miso soupIn addition to seasonal vegetables and wild greens, I always include seaweed as well. ＊Kogomi ohitashiKogomi is a springtime delicacy—a wild mountain vegetable with a subtle flavor. The kogomi were blanched to remove any natural bitterness before being prepared as ohitashi and shaped into hearts.※ Kogomi must be blanched before use. As with yomogi, boil it in salted water, then soak it in fresh water to remove any bitterness. ＊Simmered fuki leaves (tsukudani)These were also shaped into hearts. The delicate bitterness that is unique to spring is something well worth savoring.※ Fuki must also be blanched before use. As with yomogi, boil it in salted water, then soak it in fresh water to remove any bitterness. ＊Bamboo shoot isobe-ageSeasonal bamboo shoots are coated in a batter made with aonori, rice flour, salt, and water, then fried as isobe-age. The whole family was delighted from the moment they smelled it that morning, saying, “It smells so good!”※ Bamboo shoots must also be blanched before use. For instructions on how to remove their bitterness, please refer to the post from May 2025: Japan’s Vegan Kimono Beauty – Mami-okusama – No. 12, Wakatakeni (simmered bamboo shoots and wakame seaweed)(https://www.facebook.com/WorldChurchofMessiah/posts/ 1146720384162938) ＊Wood ear mushroom namulStir-fried wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage with sesame seeds, seasoned with a refreshing touch of ponzu. Finished with freshly toasted sesame seeds for a flavorful accent. ＊Other detailsFlower-shaped boiled carrots are served on the side. A heart-filled showcase of spring’s seasonal bounty! Mami-okusama’s super cute vegan bento, no. 47Likes, saves, and shares are most welcome ✨ ***About Mami-okusama (Mami Okada)Mami-okusama was born in Aichi Prefecture and was raised in a farming household. Also known as Japan’s Vegan Beauty, she is the wife of and Aide to Masaaki-sama (Masaaki Okada), World Church of Messiah’s Representative of Kyoshu. She is a vegan recipe developer focusing on the Japanese vegan diet. She is the first to establish the “vegan deco ben” (vegan decorative bento) and “vegan kyara ben” (vegan character bento) genres. Not only are they beautiful to the eye, these bento are created entirely from plant-based ingredients, in line with what Masaaki-sama teaches on the truth of food, that seasonal and local eating rooted in the climate and terrain of Japan is the most beneficial for health and well-being, that is, to eat what grows in one’s local region. Through these and also through the creation of her many original recipes, she seeks to spread the Christian vegan diet—the true healthy diet. She graduated from University of Tsukuba. During her studies there, she became actively involved in volunteer activities such as refugee support. She was also repeatedly asked to participate in the Miss Tsukuba Contest and was approached by many modeling agencies, but she declined all of these offers as she wanted to focus on refugee support activities. In recognition of her efforts in refugee support, she received the University of Tsukuba President’s Award in 2012. She holds a license to teach English to intermediate and high school students. After graduating from university, she began working for World Church of Messiah in 2013. In 2014, she married Masaaki-sama, the great-grandson of the founder of World Church of Messiah, Meishu-sama (Mokichi Okada 1882–1955), and the representative and successor of Kyoshu-sama. On May 24, 2026, on the day of Pentecost, she assumed the position of Aide to the Representative of Kyoshu. Currently, while raising three children, she is working tirelessly unlike anyone else in the practice and spread of the Christian vegan diet as taught in Masaaki-sama’s revolutionary message: “Jesus Christ was the last and ultimate sacrifice—so it is no longer necessary to eat a diet that comes with the suffering of animals.”