A platter of three glimmering grilled oysters are garnished with spring onions and thin slices of lemon; slices of wagyu sit plump and perfectly formed; bowls of ramen are topped with chopsticks poised perfectly in the air. Feeling hungry? Wait till you see it in person. But these dishes aren’t there to eat: every single one is made entirely from plastic. Welcome to ‘Looks Delicious!’, a tasty exploration of one of Japan’s centuries-old traditions, Shokuhin Sampuru - Japanese food replicas.
If you’ve been lucky enough to spend time in Japan, you will have seen food replicas locked in glass cabinets outside restaurants, or displayed proudly at the entrance. They might show classic Japanese cuisine - razor-sharp sushi, perfect little bento boxes, yakitori with caramelised edges - or they might show Western food - spaghetti alfredo, beef burgers with pillowy buns, and melty cheese on toast, stretching into a satisfying cheese pull.
You’re definitely going to leave hungry
Against the backdrop of these brightly-coloured meals, visitors are treated to some tasty little morsels of Japanese culinary history. A long table in the middle represents Japan’s islands, taking you from north to south via dishes from each of its 47 prefectures, forks floating above each of them (thanks to some nifty hidden wires) and little placards detailing what’s on each plate; oysters from Hiroshima Bay, Bara-sushi from Okayama, Naporitan spaghetti in Yokohama.
You’ll leave primed with new facts about the art of food replicas. Like, did you know the practice started with Western dishes in the 1920s, to show Japanese restaurant-goers what a spaghetti bolognese was? And did you know the creators keep pre-mixed bottles of the perfect colour for each element, like pale yellow for chicken skin, and rich green for pumpkin peel? The replicas are made to evoke emotion and memory; some colours are exaggerated because that’s how we tend to remember the taste of the food.
There’s a hands-on section in the exhibition’s far corner, where you can create your own bento boxes from hyper-realistic ingredients. Here you can come up with bizarre flavour combinations and see how the food looks, squeezing the tempura to see how it feels in your hands (don’t get too comfy - the rest of the replicas are still no-touch). Another highlight is the video series showing the craftsmanship involved, where you can watch artists pour glue over a real-life steak to make the hyper-realistic mould. It’s strangely peaceful, like watching ASMR.
If you like Japan – and who isn’t a huge nipponophile these days – you’ll love this exhibition, and if you like food you’ll love it even more. See where I’m going with this? Everyone I know would love this exhibition. And the best part; it’s completely free! Although I’d suggest you head straight to Marugame Udon down the road for a slap-up lunch afterwards – you’re definitely going to leave hungry.
