September 08

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Potatosaurus Rex

Posted by on September 8, 2016 in Awesome Stuff To Do, Made In Japan, WTF Japan? | 3 Comments

FoodArt5

A few days ago I was climbing the escalators in the hated Skytree* in search of the Sumidagawa Aquarium, and was stopped in my tracks by this.

An exhibition of fake food art! Best. Idea. Ever.

RARRRR I knew you'd want a closer look. This extinct denizen of the Junk Food Era was made by

bwahahahaha EAT ALL THE CHIPS (This extinct denizen of the Junk Food Era was made by artist Katsutoshi Mutō)

I want me some of this ketchup...

I admit, this makes me want me some of this ketchup…

...although this idea of knobby and warty wasabi roots lurking inside my sushi condiment bottle, not so much

…although the idea of warty wasabi roots lurking a little too realistically inside my sushi condiment bottle, um, not so much. (Ketchup and wasabi both crafted by Hiroaki Miyasawa)

Naturally, there had to be an exploding burger...

Naturally, there had to be an exploding burger…

...and a pizza hat. Wait, a PIZZA HAT? (It was XX who dreamed up this one.)

…and a pizza hat. Let me just say that again. PIZZA HAT (And I don’t want to know what Makoto Karasawa had for dinner before he dreamed that one up)

All the art in this exhibit was made by the veteran food model experts at the Iwasaki Bei company. Apparently, they have a contest each year, rewarding the most creative entries dreamed up by the guys whose day job is to crank out all those ramen bowls and sushi platters you see in Japanese restaurant windows. (Mr. Iwasaki was apparently the inventor of food models–wouldn’t that be the most awesome thing ever to have on your resume? More on him here!)

* Skytree is the towering attraction whose only good point is that you can get a sweeping view of Tokyo without Skytree in it. I turned against it after paying twenty bucks for an elevator ride to the observation deck, just to see this.)

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Jonelle Patrick writes mysteries set in Tokyo. Her fourth book – Painted Doll – is just out in paperback 

“A genuinely gripping crime thriller which wrong-foots and perplexes the reader throughout, drawing us in emotionally . . . Highly recommended.” –Raven Crime Reads

When Tokyo Detective Kenji Nakamura’s phone rings with the news that his mother’s death ten years ago wasn’t an accident, his world begins to unravel. New evidence links her to...read more

When Tokyo Detective Kenji Nakamura’s phone rings with the news that his mother’s death ten years ago wasn’t an accident, his world begins to unravel. New evidence links her to…read more