Japanese "Plastic Food" In Restaurants

Above, an Asakusa restaurant with its window display of sampuru. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most interesting things about modern Japan is seeing beautiful, mouth-watering displays of food in restaurant windows.

Only those food items aren't edible. They're made of plastic.

Odd Stuff Magazine.com has an article on Japanese plastic food, or sampuru.

They begin it with:

One of the hallmarks of the restaurant business in Japan – a vibrant showcase, which demonstrates a variety of dishes.Sushi, noodles, burgers, soup and ice cream – it all looks very appetizing, but actually … inedible. Instead savvy restaurateurs products flaunt plastic dummies, the so-called sampuru.

When I was in Japan last February, I went to Tokyo's Kitchen Town (Kappabashi) to pick up a chef's knife for my roomie and while there, I saw several shops selling sampuru for restaurants. Tourists can even buy some for souvenirs or gifts.

Above, the Kitchen Town (Kappabashi) section of Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more (with photographs), go here.