A century-old tradition! Hyper-realistic food models found in almost every Japanese restaurant

By Rita

When traveling in Japan, you’ve probably noticed that even if you don’t speak Japanese, you can still order food at any restaurant. The secret? It’s all thanks to “food models” that perfectly replicate dishes with 100% accuracy.

▲ Food model (Image / Wikimedia Commons)

According toAmusing Planet,these models actually have a name: サンプル (sampuru), and their history dates back to 1917. Initially used as home decorations—similar to artificial plants—it wasn’t long before Tokyo restaurants began using them to attract customers, marking the official rise of the food model industry.

In the past, restaurant staff spent a lot of time explaining the taste and appearance of dishes to customers. But now, travelers no longer need to rely on their “imagination” to order. To achieve the precision required in size, color, and shape, these food models are all handmade. On average, a single restaurant spends up to 250,000 yen on these “fake meals”!

There are currently around a dozen food model factories across Japan, supplying both restaurants and collectors. One pioneer in the industry, Takazo Iwasaki, established his own factory in Osaka in 1932. After turning a profit, he moved back to his hometown in Gifu Prefecture and built“Japan’s largest food mold kingdom”—Iwasaki BE-I, which holds an 80% market share.

Creating food models is an art form, and manufacturers strictly guard the production process. Restaurants bring actual dishes to the factory for photography, sketching, and mold-making. First, the craftsmen pour liquid vinyl chloride into molds, which are then cooled and hardened before being removed for shaping. Next, each model is hand-painted to meet the specific needs of different restaurants, with meticulous attention to detail—from whether bacon or eggs are charred, to the doneness of steak—requiring true skill to master.

For travelers who’d like to buy one as a souvenir, here’s a great spot:Kappabashi, near Tokyo’s Ueno and Asakusa districts, known as the “Kitchen Town.” Aside from kitchenware, you can also find a wide variety of food models here.

Kappabashi
Address: 1–4 Matsugaya, Taito City, Tokyo (located between the major stations of Asakusa and Ueno)
Business hours: 09:00–18:00