Japan Awaits

Experience Overview

This private experience combines one of Japan’s most unique crafts with a guided walk through two of Tokyo’s most fascinating neighborhoods. Learn about the history and technique of Japanese sampuru, the realistic food samples displayed in restaurant windows across Japan, before making your own tempura food sample to take home as a souvenir.

After the workshop, continue with your private English-speaking guide to Kappabashi Kitchen Town and Asakusa’s famous Sensoji Temple. Along the way, discover the stories behind Tokyo’s culinary culture, historic shopping streets, temple customs, and the old-town atmosphere that makes Asakusa one of the city’s most beloved areas.

Tour Highlights

• Private guided experience with an English-speaking guide.
• Hands-on Japanese sampuru food sample making workshop.
• Make your own tempura food sample and take it home as a souvenir.
• Learn about the history and techniques behind Japan’s realistic restaurant display food.
• Explore Kappabashi Kitchen Town, one of Tokyo’s best areas for kitchenware and culinary tools.
• Visit Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest and most famous temple.
• Learn about Japanese temple customs, incense offerings, omikuji fortunes, and omamori charms.

Basic Information

About Japanese Sampuru Food Samples

Videos of Japan’s “fake food” techniques have fascinated people around the world for years. These realistic food samples, known as sampuru, are carefully crafted by hand and displayed in front of restaurants to show customers what each dish looks like before they order.

Almost every restaurant in Japan displays these beautifully plated models, from bowls of ramen and plates of curry to tempura, sushi, desserts, and drinks. Many are so realistic that it can be difficult to tell the difference between the real food and the sample.

Traditionally made from wax and now often made with plastic or resin, each piece can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to complete. Larger displays may take up to a week, and artisans say it can take many years to truly master the craft. Some high-quality pieces can cost many times more than the actual dish they represent.

The story of sampuru is often traced back to the 1930s and Takizo Iwasaki, an artisan from Gujo Hachiman who reportedly made a wax omelet so realistic that his wife could not tell it apart from the real thing. By the 1950s, food samples had become a familiar sight across Japan and remain an iconic part of Japanese restaurant culture today.

Typical Itinerary

Meet Your Guide at Asakusa Station

Meet your private English-speaking guide at Asakusa Station. Final meeting directions, including the designated exit and map, will be provided after booking.

Sampuru Food Sample Workshop

Begin with an introduction to Japanese sampuru food samples and learn how this unique craft became a defining feature of restaurant culture in Japan. Your guide will help explain the history, techniques, and cultural background before you take part in a hands-on workshop.

During the workshop, you will make your own tempura sampuru food sample. The piece you create can be taken home as a one-of-a-kind souvenir from your time in Tokyo.

Kappabashi Kitchen Town

After the workshop, continue to Kappabashi Street, also known as Kappabashi Dougu Gai. This nearly one-kilometer shopping street is lined with more than 170 shops specializing in kitchenware, cookware, knives, tableware, restaurant supplies, and sampuru displays.

With over 100 years of history, Kappabashi is considered one of the best kitchenware districts in the world and is a must-visit area for anyone interested in Japanese food culture, cooking, or unique local shopping.

Sensoji Temple and Historic Asakusa

Next, visit Sensoji Temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. As Tokyo’s oldest and most famous temple, Sensoji is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

On the way to the temple, pass through the famous Kaminarimon Thunder Gate, known for its large red lantern, before walking along Nakamise Dori, a historic shopping street lined with souvenir shops and traditional snacks.

At the temple, your guide will explain the history of Sensoji, the difference between temples and shrines in Japan, and how to take part in customs such as offering incense, drawing omikuji fortunes, or purchasing omamori charms.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Additional Information

How to Prepare

This tour operates in most weather conditions, except in cases such as typhoons or other extreme situations. Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes, as the tour includes walking through Kappabashi and Asakusa.

During the sampuru workshop, guests may place their hands into wax as part of the food sample making process. We recommend avoiding nail art or nail polish on the day of the tour, as the wax may affect some nail designs or polish.

Non-Smoking

Most places visited during the tour are non-smoking. However, some areas along the route may allow smoking in designated spaces. Please take note of this if you are sensitive to smoke.

Age Requirement

Guests must be 7 years old or above to participate. Children from age 7 to 14 must be accompanied by a guardian who is 20 years old or older at all times.

Payment and Booking Confirmation

All bookings are payable via Stripe Booking Checkout or Flywire. Your booking confirmation will be sent after payment is completed. Final meeting details will be provided before the tour date.

Cancellation Policy

Standard cancellation policy:

Frequently Asked Questions