Japanese Culture Notes - Info for the Next Gackt Army Challenge!

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Bentō is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento is readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops, train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend considerable time and energy producing an appealing boxed lunch.

Bento can be very elaborately arranged. Contests are often held where homemakers can compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. The food is often decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants.

Our Newest Challenge will have two categories - chances for two members to  win the same prize offering - announced in January!

Note on challenges - each challenge runs for the span of three months. Winners are either chosen at random among all entries, or are voted on by the community.

If you win a Gackt Army challenge or contest, you will not be able to win a prize for the remainder of that year, though you may enter challenges and contests for the fun of it.

Note - because we do offer prizes, entries for Creative Challenges Must Be New, created specifically for our community. When posting elsewhere, please note that your offering was created for a Gackt Army Challenge.

*To date, all prizes have been donated by the General, in future, when prizes are donated by other Officers or our Community Shop, it will be duly noted.  If you as a member, have a prize or an idea for a contest or challenge, please contact the General.

Gackt Army will sponsor 4 Creative Challenges throughout the year 2009 and 4 Contests.