noun
children's lunch box with rice and Western side dish (popular late Meiji and Taisho)
A historical bento style combining Japanese rice with a Western-style side dish, popular in the late Meiji and Taisho periods. Now mainly a cultural reference.
合の子弁当は、ご飯と洋風のおかずを組み合わせた明治・大正期の子ども向け弁当です。
Ainoko bento is a children's lunch box from the Meiji and Taisho periods that combines rice with a Western-style side dish.
合の子 (あいのこ) means 'hybrid' or 'mixed child', referring to the blend of Japanese and Western elements. The exact origin of the term is uncertain, but it reflects the cultural mixing of the era.