Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
As a young boy, Iwasaki Takizō was fascinated by the properties of wax. He observed that when melted wax fell onto a tatami mat (traditional Japanese interior floor covering), it would mold itself to the mat’s uneven surface, and when dropped into cold water, it resembled a flower in bloom. When he first encountered "shokuhin sampuru" (food replicas) as an adult, he immediately recognized that they were made of wax. Inspired, he decided to turn food replica making into a business and developed a method for producing intricate models using wax and agar jelly. For Mr. Iwasaki, the small wax flowers symbolized the beginning of his journey with food replicas, connecting his childhood memories to his lifelong business ventures.
Watch how Iwasaki continues on with his journey and establishes his own food replica manufacturing company here: youtube.com/watch?v=ML1-glhJEpU
*Video created and produced for the Looks Delicious! exhibition by JAPAN HOUSE London
LOOKS DELICIOUS! | EXPLORING JAPAN'S FOOD REPLICA CULTURE
● Dates: Thu. September 18, 2025 – Sun. January 25, 2026
● Hours: Mon. – Fri. | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat. – Sun. | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
● Venue: JAPAN HOUSE @ 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Level 2, LA, CA 90028
● Fee: Free
Learn more at.....
japanhousela.com/exhibitions/looks-delicious-exploring-sampuru-japanese-fake-food-replica-culture-iwasaki-mokei
Exhibition-related programs can be found at.....
japanhousela.com/happenings/events
#JapanHouseLA #JHLALooksDelicious #FoodReplica
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
● CONNECT WITH JAPAN HOUSE LOS ANGELES
JapanHouseLA.com | @JapanHouseLA
● SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
japanhousela.com/happenings/newsletter
As a young boy, Iwasaki Takizō was fascinated by the properties of wax. He observed that when melted wax fell onto a tatami mat (traditional Japanese interior floor covering), it would mold itself to the mat’s uneven surface, and when dropped into cold water, it resembled a flower in bloom. When he first encountered "shokuhin sampuru" (food replicas) as an adult, he immediately recognized that they were made of wax. Inspired, he decided to turn food replica making into a business and developed a method for producing intricate models using wax and agar jelly. For Mr. Iwasaki, the small wax flowers symbolized the beginning of his journey with food replicas, connecting his childhood memories to his lifelong business ventures.
Watch how Iwasaki continues on with his journey and establishes his own food replica manufacturing company here: youtube.com/watch?v=ML1-glhJEpU
*Video created and produced for the Looks Delicious! exhibition by JAPAN HOUSE London
LOOKS DELICIOUS! | EXPLORING JAPAN'S FOOD REPLICA CULTURE
● Dates: Thu. September 18, 2025 – Sun. January 25, 2026
● Hours: Mon. – Fri. | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat. – Sun. | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
● Venue: JAPAN HOUSE @ 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Level 2, LA, CA 90028
● Fee: Free
Learn more at.....
japanhousela.com/exhibitions/looks-delicious-exploring-sampuru-japanese-fake-food-replica-culture-iwasaki-mokei
Exhibition-related programs can be found at.....
japanhousela.com/happenings/events
#JapanHouseLA #JHLALooksDelicious #FoodReplica
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
● CONNECT WITH JAPAN HOUSE LOS ANGELES
JapanHouseLA.com | @JapanHouseLA
● SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
japanhousela.com/happenings/newsletter
