Expertly Crafted Japanese Candies Look Like Exquisite Glass Sculptures of Animals

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Candy maker extraordinaire and owner of sweets shop Ameshin Shinri Tezuka continues to wow Tokyo with his amazing amezaiku animals.

Amezaiku is an ancient art of candy crafting. Artists create skillfully sculpted sweets that depict impressively realistic animals, from expressive koi fish to seemingly slippery octopuses. While the art form has been around since the 8^th century, very few practitioners remain today. At just 27 years old, Tezuka is the youngest known amezaiku artist. In a new video for Great Big Story (which can be viewed below), he discusses his role as an ambassador for the dwindling art while also offering a glimpse into the meticulous process.

To create the charming confections, Tezuka first heats a syrup concoction until it becomes a pliable and transparent, taffy-like substance. Using his bare hands, he quickly handles the candy before it has time to cool and harden. He then employs traditional Japanese scissors and methods of “cutting, pulling, and bending” to form each figure. Finally, Tezuka colors the carefully constructed candies using paintbrushes, resulting in delicately translucent, glass-like sculptures.

Ameshin has come a long way since opening its doors in 2013, and we can’t wait to see what candy creatures Tezuka has in store for the future!

Photo credit: @emoi_k