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Expertly Crafted Japanese Candies Look Like Exquisite Glass Sculptures of Animals

shinritezuka1

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 8th 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!

ShinriTezukaAmeshin2ShinriTezukaAmeshin3ShinriTezukaAmeshin4Photo credit: @emoi_k

ShinriTezukaAmeshin6ShinriTezukaAmeshin7ShinriTezukaAmeshin1ShinriTezukaAmeshin8Photo credit: @hibinoyorokobi

ShinriTezukaAmeshin9Photo credit: @non_nononon

ShinriTezukaAmeshin10Photo credit: @philaxin

ShinriTezukaAmeshin11Photo credit: @marcosora

ShinriTezukaAmeshin12Photo credit: @tabirecipe

ShinriTezukaAmeshin13Photo credit: @reinajpn

ShinriTezukaAmeshin14Photo credit: @winqmagazine

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via [Colossal]

All images via Ameshin unless otherwise stated.

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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