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TOKYO ARTISAN

飴細工

Amezaiku

[Amezaiku]

Candy Sculpture

Amezaiku, or Japanese candy sculpture, is said to have originated as confections offered to temples in the Nara and Heian Periods, but the particulars remain unknown. Amezaiku came to prominence in the city of Edo (old Tokyo) during the Edo Period, giving rise to the amezaiku artist. It is said that these artists often used song and dance to sell their confections, as amezaiku rapidly gained popularity among the common townspeople.

Amezaiku Artist

Shinri Tezuka

プロフィール

Founder and CEO, Tezuka Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd.
Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1989. Worked with sculpture and carving from a young age. Has since established himself as Japan’s premier amezaiku artist through his brand and amezaiku artist collective Amezaiku Ameshin, holding live candy sculpture demonstrations and workshops throughout Japan, and specializing in made-to-order confections.


2013年 Established the amezaiku candy store and factory Asakusa Amezaiku Ameshin in Asakusa, Tokyo
2015年 Opened second location at Tokyo Solamachi

インタビュー

今にも動き出しそうな、いきいきとした金魚やかえるたち。これが飴でできているとは驚きです。アメシン代表の手塚さんが飴細工師を目指したのは20歳のときのこと。飴細工は元々庶民の間で広まったもので、今でいうストリートカルチャー。文献が少なく、飴細工の世界も縮小して弟子入りできる職人が減っていたため、手塚さんは独学で研究を始め、ひたすら飴に向き合う日々が続きました。伝統的な製法では、飴に空気を含ませ、白色にするのが主流。しかし手塚さんは飴を触っているうちに、飴本来の透明感や清涼感を生かせないかと考えるようになりました。そして生まれたのが、透明な飴にあざやかな色を施した作品の数々です。繊細で躍動感のある作品は人々を魅了し、金魚やかえるは、季節を問わない人気商品となりました。
去年はニューヨーク、今年に入ってからは香港で、飴細工作りを披露しました。「国際的にも飴細工のポジションを高めていきたい」と手塚さん。多くの人々に喜んでもらえるものを作るために変化することが、飴細工の未来を作っていくと思っている、と話してくれました。

Interview

Goldfish and frogs that look as though they might spring to life at any moment. And they are made -believe or not- using sugar syrup. Shinri Tezuka, founder of candy store Ameshin, first set out to be an amezaiku artist at the age of twenty. Amezaiku originally came to prominence as something for the common people to enjoy, a form of street culture in its day. With literature on the subject sparce, and a shrinking amezaiku industry, fewer artists were able and willing to take on apprentices. Therefore, Tezuka began his study independently and devoted many days to mastering mizuame—the starchy syrup that serves as the candy’s base. The traditional way of making amezaiku usually involves incorporating air into the mizuame to turn it into white taffy. Tezuka, however, wondered whether it might be possible to retain the mizuame’s cool, glassy look and texture. And thus an array of candy sculptures made from clear taffy and vibrant, naturally-derived coloring were born. These ornate and dynamic works of art have captivated many, and the goldfish and frogs are popular all year round.
Tezuka exhibited his amezaiku in New York last year, and this year, in Hong Kong. “I want to spread the art of amezaiku internationally as well,” he says. He believes that the future of amezaiku lies in changing with the times to create products that can be enjoyed by many.


Asakusa Amezaiku Ameshin

浅草飴細工アメシン

/ Shop Information :

[Asakusa Main Store and Factory]
Adress:1F, 1-4-3 Imado, Taito-ku, Tokyo


/ Telephone:
03-5808-7988


/ Hours of Operation:
11:00~18:00



Closed:Thursday




[TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN Solamachi Store]
Adress:4F TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN Solamachi, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo


/ Telephone:
03-6240-4155


/ Hours of Operation:
10:00~21:00



Closed:Same as building holidays



/ Website:
http://www.ame-shin.com/