Osaka Festival of Lights Shines Bright! Midosuji Light Boulevard and Tainan's Ximen Romantic Illumination Light Up Winter Nights

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This food looks too good to be real — and it is

Food replicas, known as “shokuhin sampuru”, have been a staple of Japanese restaurant displays for decades. These hyper-realistic models are crafted to attract customers, providing a visual promise of the dishes served. Now, they take center stage at Japan House London in the exhibition “Looks Delicious!”, showcasing their artistry and historical significance.The Iwasaki Group, Japan's leading producer of food replicas, created models for this exhibition, including a replica of founder Takizo Iwasaki's first creation — an omelette inspired by his wife's cooking. Modern replicas use advanced techniques, with PVC replacing the original wax and agar jelly molds, allowing for stunningly realistic liquids and dynamic presentations.A highlight of the exhibition is a map of Japan made entirely from food replicas, each representing a dish unique to the country's 47 prefectures. The replicas not only display culinary diversity but also pay homage to Japan’s indigenous Ainu culture with dishes like “ohaw” soup.A food replica of 'Napolitan' or Japanese ketchup spaghetti, considered a popular Western dish in the country. MaizuruBeyond marketing, these replicas serve practical purposes, tracing back to Tokyo’s Shirokiya department store in 1923. Post-earthquake, food replicas streamlined ordering systems for displaced residents, revolutionizing customer experience. Today, they extend beyond restaurants, assisting in agricultural quality control and nutritional education.Visitors to the exhibition can even craft their own bento boxes from replica food, merging fun with cultural appreciation. “Looks Delicious!” is a feast for the eyes and an exploration of Japan’s innovative approach to food presentation.

'Fly into the Azure: Tainan's Bird Ecology Film' Receives International Award Recognition

**Special Screening of "Flying to the Blue Ocean: Taijiang Bird Ecology Film" Held**The special screening of "Flying to the Blue Ocean: Taijiang Bird Ecology Film" was held at Spot Huashan Theater in Taipei. The film has won two major international awards: the Gold Medal in the "Nature & Wildlife" category at the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in the United States, and a Special Mention in the "Nature & Wildlife" category at the 2024 Global Film Competition. These awards recognize the exceptional achievements of Taiwan's national parks and the film crew in bird ecology conservation in Taijiang, enhancing Taiwan's international reputation.**Taijiang Bird Ecology Film Documents Over 400 Bird Species**Vice Minister of the Interior Ma Shi-yuan, who attended the special screening, noted that Taijiang is an important habitat for birds. The film's director, Liao Dongkun, spent over two years filming and documenting more than 400 species of wild birds, showcasing the bird ecological diversity in Taiwan. The diverse topography of Taiwan's national parks not only represents a key feature of Taiwan but also plays a crucial role in future ecological conservation and promotion. Guests of Honor and Attendees at the Special Screening of the Film "Flying to the Blue: Taijiang Bird Ecology Film" (Image: Ministry of the Interior website).Vice Minister Ma emphasized that the Ministry of the Interior will leverage natural resources such as national parks, wetlands, and coastlines to promote Taiwan as a natural carbon sink and blue carbon source by 2050. This initiative aims to expand corporate participation in ecological conservation and encourage public understanding and engagement in environmental protection.The special screening was attended by Director Liao Dongkun, Vice President of National Taiwan University Stone, S-T Ding, International Director Yuan Hsiao-wei, Chairperson of the Subtropical Ecology Society Jin Heng-biao, Chairman of the Republic of China River Environmental Association Cao Xian-shao, Secretary-General of the Wild Bird Federation of the Republic of China Lu Yi-wei, Executive Director of the Jane Goodall Institute Kuo Hsueh-chen, and former Director-General of the Planning and Development Agency Hsu Wen-long. Together, they watched this remarkable bird-themed film and expressed hope that Taiwan’s national parks will play a more active and significant role in biodiversity conservation, cross-regional cooperation, environmental education, and net-zero transformation, collaborating with the private sector to protect Taiwan's natural resources