Every time I go to Japan, I can't help marveling at the hyper-realistic food replicas displayed in restaurant windows. Next month those edible illusions get their own spotlight at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles in "Looks Delicious! | Exploring Japan's Food Replica Culture."

Called shokuhin sampuru (sample foods), those astonishingly lifelike food models that have captivated restaurant-goers like me for over a century. On my many trips to Japan, I've found myself lingering at storefront displays, studying glistening bowls of ramen and perfectly crafted sushi rolls that look good enough to eat — even though they're made entirely of resin and wax. Alan Watts once warned, "The menu is not the meal," but sampuru might be the glorious exception: a feast for the eyes that never spoils and never empties

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