
Everyone says they’re just plastic, but they look so real!
If you’ve ever been looking for a place to eat in Japan and had trouble figuring out where to go, you know that the array of plastic food that adorns the outside of most restaurants is such a welcome relief. Even though it’s plastic, you get a pretty good idea of what sort of food the place serves and a preview of their menu. The surprising part is when you end up ordering something you saw outside, and it’s all arranged exactly the same!
Iwasaki Be-I is the leading plastic food samples company in Japan and every year they hold an amazing internal plastic food art competition. Dating back to 1968, this event has continued for more than 45 years and the company credits the contest with pioneering new technology, new styles of expression, and the development of new product lines. Workers who participate are allowed to use their own ideas and imagination to come up with unique plastic food masterpieces.
Here are some of the best entries from the 2015 contest that Iwasaki Be-I has shared with the world.
▼ The octopus that makes takoyaki
▼ Birdy pie
▼ Tuna the size of nigiri sushi
▼ Gold fish in a tub
▼ Faucet that lets out beer and melon soda
▼ Pasta racket
▼ Mandarin orange getting a touch-up
▼ Octopus in takowasa (cold octopus with wasabi)
▼ Yule log with a beetle cut in half
▼ 100 percent fresh juice
▼ A carrot family in beef stew
▼ Tomato-splosion
▼ The cucumber is in the kiwi and the kiwi is in the cucumber.
▼ Stormy seas ice cream
▼ Eggs gushing from the salmon’s stomach
▼ Kabedon!
You have to love some of the creativity being displayed here, especially when it looks so realistic! While we wouldn’t trust an octopus who was smart enough to serve us takoyaki, we suppose it would know exactly the best kinds of octopus to put in the tasty treats. It’s definitely got a weird sort of entrepreneurial vibe going for it!
And even though we know none of it is real, it still doesn’t keep us from getting really hungry. Here’s to this year’s competition being just as delicious looking!
Source: CuRAZY
Images: Iwasaki Be-I

















Japanese plastic food samples abound at this impressive exhibition in Tokyo
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
Manga artist raises question online about false perspective in Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
Japanese department store rooftop is a secret oasis where you can escape the crowds in Tokyo
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
Can you unlock your new iPhone 6 Plus with your nipple? We can! 【Video】
42 thoughts that crossed our mind when visiting the forest that inspired Princess Mononoke
Dragon Quest Burgers and Slime drinks are coming to McDonald’s Japan【Video】
Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s otoshidama tradition of giving kids money at New Year’s gets a social welfare upgrade
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Leave a Reply