Lollipops come in all shapes and sizes, from thick hearts to thin twists. But these variations are not only familiar, but frankly, uninventive when compared to the lollipops created at Candy Art Hawaii.
Husband-and-wife owners Chika and Nathan Tanaka practice the ancient Japanese art of “amezaiku,” which, according to their website, involves “sculpting hot candy into lollipops of various shapes and animals” and “dates back to the Edo era in the 17th century.”
As with any craft, from tailoring to painting, practitioners of “amezaiku” go through an intensive training and apprenticeship period. The Tanakas, for example, learned from a trio of masters, including the revered Ishiwari-sensei, in both Japan and the States.
If this all sounds a bit much for making mere lollipops, consider the process. First, the Tanakas heat the rice sugar—the key ingredient—to an extremely high temperature. Since the piping hot confection must be handled by hand, severe burns are not only a common occurrence, but also a rite of passage.
Once heated to the appropriate level, amezaiku then becomes a race against time. The Tanakas must use their fingers and small scissors to snip, shape, and sculpt the sweet goo before it cools and hardens. The result: gorgeous renderings of virtually the entire animal kingdom, from butterflies to swans to dogs, which are further enhanced with food coloring.
While, on the surface, amezaiku seems like a treat for children, Nathan told Hana Hou! magazine that’s not necessarily the case. “The kids just want a piece of candy,” he said, “but the adults – especially the aunties and grandmas – go crazy.”
