Oliver Gill Blogpost 1: Surreal suppers – the Japanese art of artificial food by Thomas Marks

I was immediately intrigued when I came across the Apollo article Surreal suppers – the Japanese art of artificial food by Thomas Marks. The article investigates the history and implementation of plastic food replicas that are commonly displayed by restaurants all across Japan. Having grown up visiting Japan during the summer I have become all too familiar with these displays and had not considered their scarcity in places outside of Japan. What seemed normal to me was now the center of an article imbued with intrigue and curiosity at the seemingly foreign concept. 

The article begins by showcasing a sushi joint in London that implements the aforementioned replica display and describes each piece of the arrangement in ornate detail. Marks notes that “It is unusual to see replica food in restaurants in London. In Japan such displays are common, particularly in affordable venues, and are by no means limited to sushi” (Marks). He goes on to describe the history of “Shokuhin sampuru (food models)” (Marks), dating back to 1932 when Takizo Iwasaki “set up a factory in Osaka to fabricate artificial food after he had hoodwinked his wife, it is said, with a flawless wax omelette” (Marks). What was once used to demonstrate a sample dish soon turned into a “promotional function” to “[lure] diners into restaurants” (Marks). The author also touches on a possible precursor to sampuru being the popularization of “iki ningyo (living dolls)” during the “Meiji period (1868-1912)” (Marks). 

From there the article shifts towards recounting the views of “British artist Edward Allington (1951–2017), reflecting on a residency in the country in 1984” (Marks). Through visiting the “Iwasaki Co. factory” and observing the “artisans pouring wax and plastic into moulds and hand-painting details on to individual models”, Allington’s views of sampuru shifted from viewing them as “infinitely reproducible” to instead “‘part of the world of craft, not of mass production’” (Marks). The article concludes by briefly touching upon the two sculptures Allington made in celebration of this newly discovered craft: “Between the Horns of a Snail (1984)” and “Suitcase Spill, Japanese Journey (2004)” (Marks). 

Suitcase Spill, Japanese Journey (2004), Edward Allington. Photo: Justin Webb; © the estate of Edward Allington


As someone accustomed to shokuhin sampuru, I felt unexpectedly inspired by the thorough appraisal of the craft and the artistic process behind it. I had never really considered what went into any given display and took the at times hyper realistic sushi or ramen displays for granted, simply viewing them as an extension of the menu. When you grow used to these displays they end up feeling no different than a picture depicting the same meal on the menu. The article makes me wonder what would happen if these displays started popping up in the US. Would people flock to the strange new phenomena or would they reject it, viewing it as unnecessary when we’ve gone so long without these replicas? It also makes me wonder if foreigners visiting Japan are ever caught off guard by the popularity of these food displays. What might they make of it? Would they ever consider the heart and history behind these replicas or would they brush it off until reminded of it again? I myself never considered the history of these displays and I would also be curious to know if the greater populous of Japan knew of the crafts origins. 


Works Cited 

Marks, Thomas. “Surreal Suppers – the Japanese Art of Artificial Food.” Apollo Magazine, 24 Oct. 2022, www.apollo-magazine.com/shokuhin-sampuru-japanese-food-replicas/.

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