Amezaiku, the Japanese Art of Crafting Candy

The stunning, tiny works of art created by artist and confectioner Takahiro Yoshihara have become the talk of the town. If you like your sweet treats a little bit special, then these Japanese candy sugar sculptures are worth seeking out, and the way they are made in front of your very eyes will put a smile on your face.

The Japanese art of candy crafting is called amezaiku. The sugary artwork starts off as a malleable syrup called mizuame, which skilled sculptures use to create their visions. The sculptors place the mizuame on a stick and quickly begin to create, forming all kinds of fun characters and animals.

After stretching the paste to even out its consistency and texture, the artists only have a few minutes to mould the candy before it hardens. Using tools such as small scissors, they are able to manipulate the mizuame into the shape required.

Takahiro Yoshihara opened the amezaiku candy art shop – the first of its kind in Japan. He believes strongly that there’s much more to the art form than just making pretty sugar sculptures.

He says that amezaiku is not all about selling the finished product; you also have to make it a fun experience for the customers watching you work.

Amezaiku art is a painstaking process that requires a lot of skills. Keeping customers entertained as artists create their amezaiku is one of the difficulties of the process, but the creations are intended to inspire and amaze, too.

There’s a collectible quality to these treats that will make you want to (sugar) rush your way to Tokyo to see it for yourself. You’ll probably need to buy two of each one, though – one to collect and one to devour enthusiastically.