Japanese Bento Box Illustration – Food, Editorial & Cookbook Illustration by Yoko Baum
Playful, Detailed Japanese Food Illustration for Editorial, Cookbooks, Branding & Advertising
These Japanese bento box illustrations are inspired by the colorful, everyday meals I grew up with in Japan (my mother made them weekly—thanks, Mom!), and I still cook Japanese food daily here in the United States. That familiarity shapes how I illustrate bento—playful, balanced, and full of warmth.
I’m a Japanese food lover and freelance illustrator specializing in food and drink illustration. My work includes finished bento art as well as step-by-step recipe illustrations, like this onigiri (rice ball) guide—perfect for cookbooks, editorial spreads, and branding projects.
Example of Recipe & Instruction Illustration
This onigiri (rice ball) illustration shows step-by-step cooking directions in a clear, playful, and visually engaging way. It demonstrates how I can create instructional or infographic-style illustrations for cookbooks, editorial spreads, or branding projects while keeping the artwork approachable and full of personality. (If you’d like, you can see the full onigiri recipe illustrated in my blog here.)
These illustrations were created using Adobe Photoshop and/or Procreate by Yoko Baum, utilizing raster brushes. No AI was involved in the creation of these artworks. Happy Human-Powered Creativity!