September 28th 2025 O.A.
Looks Delicious!
A feast for the eyes, but every dish is an imitation.
At JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles in Hollywood, an exhibition titled “Looks Delicious!” showcases the art of Japanese food replicas.
Food replicas were first invented in Japan in the early 1900s.
They spread as restaurant displays of then-unfamiliar Chinese and Western dishes.
This exhibition, organized with the cooperation of Iwasaki, a leading manufacturer, brings together more than 140 pieces in one place.
Because ingredients and presentation differ from restaurant to restaurant, replicas are usually custom-made, and even today each one is still carefully crafted by hand.
Including their history and how they are made, creative presentations, specialty dishes from across Japan’s prefectures, and menus from izakaya pubs and traditional cafés, the gallery showcases food replicas from many perspectives.
All presenting the artisans’ skills and the diversity of Japanese food culture.
Visitors can also make their own bento boxes at a hands-on corner using food replicas.
“Looks Delicious!” runs through January 25 next year at the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles second-floor gallery.
Admission is free, and more details are available at JapanHouseLA.com.
SPOGOMI
On Saturday, August 30, the Nippon Foundation hosted Spogomi at Santa Monica Beach.
Spogomi is a sport that originated in Japan, turning trash collection into a competitive activity.
The sport began in 2008 to raise awareness of marine litter and is now held in 34 countries around the world.
About 100 participants from 30 teams took part in the Santa Monica event.
The time limit was one hour.
Each team collected as much trash as possible within a designated area, earning points based on the amount and type of waste.
The collected trash was brought back to the base and sorted by team into burnable, non-burnable, plastic, and cigarette butts.
Event staff then totaled the points to determine the rankings.
The winning team was IDT, which will compete in the World Cup in Japan this October.
The teams collected a total of about 360 lb. of trash in the event.