Iwasaki Co. has produced humorous stationery items for general consumers based on its expertise as a model food maker. (Video by Ryuta Sometaya)

Photo/Illutration A smartphone stand that looks like a tipped-over bowl of miso soup (Provided by Iwasaki Co.)

OSAKA--At a glance, Iwasaki Co.’s stationery items look like a scene of a lunchtime disaster.

A bowl of miso soup has tipped over, spilling its contents onto the desk. An appetizing piece of steak dripping in sauce has a pen jabbed into it. Pens also stick out of half-eaten onigiri rice balls.

On closer inspection, the steak and onigiri balls are penholders, while the spilled miso soup is a smartphone stand.

Startled by their realistic appearance, Twitter users have posted rave reviews.

“Each grain of rice of the onigiri is different (in shape). I can’t help but stare at it,” one poster said. “I don’t know why, but I feel excited just looking at them!” another said.

Founded in 1932, Iwasaki is a pioneer of realistic food models displayed at restaurants. This is the first time that the company has introduced products for general consumers.

“I’m glad I can hear reactions directly from customers,” said Toshikazu Takagi, 43, a member of the development team. “It all comes down to how delicious you can make it look.”

Takagi, manager of the company’s Okayama factory, is an artisan who has been creating food samples for the past 18 years.

Iwasaki, based in Osaka’s Higashi-Sumiyoshi Ward, sells or lends food replicas to nearly 10,000 restaurants and other businesses around the country to give consumers an instant idea of what menu items will look like.

Iwasaki and its group companies have a 70 percent market share in the business.

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A penholder modeled after a set of half-eaten onigiri rice balls (Provided by Iwasaki Co.)

In 2019, the company discussed its future ahead of its 90th anniversary in 2022. It decided to develop products for individual customers at the suggestion of some of its employees.

The development team was formed by Hiroyuki Nakahata, 48, deputy head of the sales division, and nine other volunteers.

Typically, replicas are made by dipping real food into silicone to create a mold. Then a colored plastic resin is poured into the mold.

Artisans put the finishing touches on by hand to add details, such as stuffing onigiri with fillings and pouring sauce on the steak.

Many fake food models produced for restaurants are one of a kind, while consumer products must be durable enough for daily use.

Eager to differentiate their offerings, the development team was adamant about ensuring the stationery items look real and are humorous.

A small cupcake can be used as a plastic bottle cap, while a half-melted ice cream contains a magnet inside so it can hold paper clips.

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A penholder and paperweight shaped like a piece of steak dripping in sauce (Provided by Iwasaki Co.)

Some of the products are relatively pricey. The steak penholder costs 4,840 yen ($43.50), including tax, and a smartphone case modeled after an apple pie goes for 6,380 yen.

But the novelty items almost immediately generated an online buzz when they were released in January and some are already out of stock.

Iwasaki has released about 130 varieties so far.

“We want to expand the lineup to offer between 400 and 500 items,” said Shigeru Toriji, 53, who heads the company’s general affairs division. “We want to continue creating food samples to lift people’s spirits amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.”

To view Iwasaki’s stationery items, go to its online shop at (https://iwasaki-ts.stores.jp/).

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