Although the custom is not as popular as it once was, some restaurants in Japan still show off plastic food models in their display windows to entice passersby. Maizuru is where they buy them.

You can purchase realistic-looking plastic replicas of sushi, tempura, ramen noodles, Chinese dumplings, spaghetti, pizza, ice cream and many other popular foods. Mugs of beer seem to be especially popular, along with melon-colored sodas and cups of coffee attached to mysteriously levitating creamers.

Whole fish are often very finely detailed, and aren't cheap - it's easy to spend Y7000 on a simple mackerel. If you just want an inexpensive souvenir you can choose from an excellent selection of keychains and sushi refrigerator magnets in various sizes.

[There are two branches of Maizuru in the same building - one faces Kappabashi's main shopping street and the other is inside the building's right-hand entrance area.]

See also the photo album on Facebook.