Ame Yoshihara sculpts taffy candy into adorable “Amezaiku” animals, a traditional Japanese folk art that dates back to the 700s. This video from SweetsTales showcases his craftsmanship, as well as Ame-pyon, Yoshihara’s charming rabbit mascot that he invented. Watch it dance in a brief stop motion clip made from multiple candy figurines. From ana-cooljapan.com:
When you first open the door of Amezaiku Yoshihara workshop in Sendagi, Tokyo, you’ll smell the sweet scents of vanilla and mizu-ame (thick gomme syrup). Then you’ll see a tiny parade of fantastic shapes snipped with small scissors from the soft liquid candy — mouse, tiger, flower, doll, and many more charming creations…
Ame-zaiku combines live performances with candycraft sales. Mr. Yoshihara himself gives ame-zaiku-making shows regardless of where he is — at a festival or in a store — while treasuring his conversations with candycraft fans.
SweetsTales, by the way, is a treasure trove of Japanese dessert videos.
Related reading: Spoon and Tamago’s Realistic Animal Lollipops Created By Amezaiku Artist Shinri Tezuka. If you’re ever in Tokyo, both Tezuka and Yoshihara provide classes that older kids can attend.
Watch these next: How to make macarons with cute faces and How is Japanese Fake Food Made?
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