Sampuru

Fake food samples appear prevalently in the windows and display cases of food-serving establishments throughout Japan.

The craftsmanship has been raised to an art form. 

Once made from wax, today they are usually made out of plastic.^[1]

During the molding process, the fake ingredients are often chopped up and combined in a manner similar to actual cooking.

Japanese plastic food by the Maizuru Company was exhibited at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 1980.^[3]

The food displays are called sampuru (サンプル^?), derived from the English word "sample".
Regular competitions are held in making fake food dishes out of plastic and other materials.
In recent years, Japanese plastic food manufacturers have been targeting markets overseas, such as China.^[5]

While some large companies exist, others are small shops with a single proprietor. Fake food items can be found and purchased in Kappabashi-dori, the food supply street in Tokyo and also at Doguyasuji located in Namba, Osaka. Factories can be found in Gujō, Gifu.

• Iwasaki Be-I, the biggest plastic food manufacturer in Japan, founded by Takizo Iwasaki in 1932
• Maiduru (Maizuru), another old and large manufacturer