Models of food were first made in Japan in 1917. Six years later, a restaurant in a famous Tokyo department store displayed some imitation food in a glass case, and then enjoyed a big jump in revenue. In those days, the imitation food was made the same way as wax plants and anatomical models. In 1932, Iwasaki Ryuzo set up a business to make and sell food models. The company, Iwasaki Co., Ltd., did very well, and is now the top manufacturer of plastic food. The staff there was happy to show us how this "food" is made.

Standing in the vast manufacturing area, you might think you are in a huge restaurant kitchen, not a plastic food factory. Almost 50 people are either working on ingredients for Japanese, Western or Chinese restaurants, or making different types of beverages. Rice is placed on a dish, then topped with a thick curry sauce and placed in an oven. Workers cut sushi rolls with a knife.

At least, that is how it looks at first. But there are no nice smells coming from the ovens. How is the "food" being made?

A company representative, Kurokawa Yuta explains, "In the old days, imitation food was made from wax. The wax was melted, then poured into molds made from kanten, which is a kind of seaweed jelly. Today, the molds are made of silicon. We take the molds and pour liquid plastic into them, then heat the plastic until it hardens. The new materials and techniques make the models more convincing than before."