High quality fake food samples that look like amazingly the real thing can be said to be part of the Japanese culture, and needless to say, have caught the eye of many an awestruck foreign tourist. The "Food Sample Making Experience" is a program that allows you to personally make your own lifelike replica food samples to bring home as a memento of the activity.

The program we're featuring this time is known as the "Tempura & Lettuce" replica food sample making experience, a regular activity organized by Ganso Shokuhin Sample House, which is run by Iwasaki, the leading company in the replica food sample industry. The shop itself is filled with an endless stream of fun and unique food sample products made with the company's technological expertise in the field.

Wax is the main material used to make the food samples. Let's see how we can turn it into lifelike replicas using well-established techniques! First of all, liquid wax has to be shaped into solid blocks using finely-controlled temperature regulation. The goal of this activity is to create two tempura and one lettuce food samples.

Participants are surprised by how quick this process is and make audible exclamations to that effect. Shop staff are always standing by to help participants out, so first-timers to the activity can rest assured that they'll be well-taught by experienced food replica makers!

The replica food sample making program is mainly conducted in Japanese, but you can also book slots when English-speaking staff will be on duty. Because the activity involves handling hot water and melted wax, be sure to read all cautions and warnings before diving in. If you're concerned you may not be able to understand the warning notes as they're written in Japanese, feel free to bring along someone who can interpret them to you so as to make you feel more at ease.

Mokuhankan is where you can experience proper woodblock printing. The shop was founded by Mr. David, a woodblock artisan who was born in Canada but became so captivated by Japanese woodblock printing craftwork that he learned the ropes this traditional craft and is now raring to share his skills and techniques with as many other interested ones as possible.

The "Print Party" plan is what we're featuring this time. This program allows you to experience traditional woodblock printing in a party-like atmosphere. It takes about an hour to complete the workshop and the fee for each participant is 2,200 yen, including tax.

Five print processes are needed for a woodblock print to be considered completed. Woodblock printing is a technique that even most local Japanese don't know much about. You're likely to find yourself becoming engrossed in the subtle depth behind the art once you start crafting your own print.

The color gradient, thickness, and design reproduction varies according to the person doing the printing. This means your woodblock print will be the only copy of a unique work that belongs to you alone!

Here's the finished product after making prints by overlapping woodblock print after woodblock print! You're allowed to bring your print home, and there will be a commemorative shot taken as a form of graduation photograph as well!

Guraku offers a taiyaki (traditional red bean pastry) baking workshop that allows you to operate an industrial grade taiyaki machine for the ultimate snack baking experience.

The program takes about an hour to complete and costs 3,500 yen for adults and 2,500 yen for minors 15 and below, all prices excluding tax.

You'll be provided with ingredients, a bag for bringing your taiyaki home with you, and whatever else you'll need to finish baking your own set of delicious taiyaki pastries. The program includes an introduction to the history of taiyaki and how to bake them. Then you'll get to make your own taiyaki and taste-test them on the spot - the highlight of the program for many!

No knives or open fires are involved in the baking of this tasty treat, so it's an activity that's appropriate for all ages. For stuffing, you'll get to choose between the traditional red bean paste, cream, or curry.

Even better: This workshop allows you to bring your own favorite ingredients to use as stuffing as well! This means the taiyaki you make will be one-of-a-kind and completely unique. Enjoying the special taiyaki you made together with a group of friends will add to the experience and enhance the tastiness of the snack!

The three activities we've featured in this article have strong connections to Japan's traditions and craftwork, so you'll only be able to experience them here! Although all the experiences prefer reservations, if there are slots available on the day itself, you'll still be allowed to join, so feel free to inquire about walk-in, since you don't have to bring anything special for the programs. In fact, any one of them would be a great filler activity to do during breaks in between sightseeing and souvenir shopping.

We highly recommend that everyone - local residents or international visitors - try out one of these uniquely Japanese experiences if at all possible to enhance their knowledge of Japanese culture and make some memorable memories that will last for many years to come.

Written by: Miyuki Yajima. English translation by: Huimin Pan