What to know
Food replicas are wax or plastic models of dishes that many Japanese restaurants display to attract and inform customers. Gujo Hachiman has been a hub for food replica production for decades, hosting several workshops that create everything from sushi and ramen to hamburgers and ice cream.
The first replica workshop, Iwasaki Mokei (Sample Village Iwasaki), opened in 1932. Today, it supplies over half of Japan's food replica market. Its main store is on the town's outskirts, with a second location in the center. Both offer hands-on experiences like making a lettuce leaf or tempura pieces.
Another sample maker, Sample Kobo, has its main store in the town center and also offers hands-on classes where visitors can create tempura pieces or a cup of ice cream.
How to get to and around Gujo Hachiman
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 10:00 to 16:00 (classes until 15:00)
- Closed
- Tuesdays, first Thursday in October, first Saturday in February, December 29 to January 5
- Admission
- Free (admission), 1200-2000 yen (~$12.8) (classes)
- English name
- Sample Village Iwasaki
- Original name
- Food Replicas
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.