Young Japanese Man Makes Lollipops To Keep A 1,200-Year-Old Tradition Alive
Amezaiku is Japanese candy artistry, and it has been around since the eighth century. In order to do the craft, the artist works with multi-colored taffy and, by hand, using tools such as tweezers and scissors, creates a sculpture that resembles an animal. These artists then hand paint their candy with edible dyes, giving the work more character. Since all this work is done by hand, there is no mass, inexpensive way to produce these amazingly realistic candies.
The interesting art form is being made famous again by 26-year-old Shinri Tezuka, who opened his shop, Ameshin, in 2013. He sells the candy pops for 1,000-2,000 yen or approximately $8-$17. He also offers a course for those who are interested in learning the craft. He creates his masterpieces from sugary syrup, starch and organic coloring.
