— By Andru Shively — 

Shizuoka is, in its own words, a model city – and at any scale. Over the last century, the Japanese metropolis has become a mecca for the model industry and today is known for its plastic scale model kits, with the headquarters of several domestic model manufacturers located there.

In recent years, Shizuoka’s passionate tradition has been moulded into one of monumental proportions.

As part of a plastic modelling initiative launched in 2020, Shizuoka began installing stainless-steel replicas of model kits in a nod to the city’s time-honoured craft. These include a gold-coloured set of samurai armour, a red postbox, even a gray smokers’ area, and a blue vending machine with a bench, among others, many of which are functional. The latest “Plastic Model Monument” – number 14 of a reported 30 planned – was installed in February: an orange tuna complete with a butcher’s cuts chart and knives.

But this model behaviour goes beyond mere photo ops. A bigger draw is the Shizuoka Hobby Show that brings together industry professionals, students, modelers, and enthusiasts from across the world in mid-May each year. The 63rd show is currently underway, with two trade days held earlier on 14-15 May, a students’ day taking place on 16 May, and a weekend of free-entry public days to follow on 17-18 May.