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  • Welcome to Yanaka Ginza. This is an area of the city that still has that old Tokyo feeling to it

  • It's also where a lot of these shops here have been handed down for generations

  • And where we'll find Japanese traditional candy still made called amezaiku

  • So I commissioned this Japanese traditional candy bust of myself from the amezaiku master

  • it took his shop a week to make but the question is does it look like me?

  • Find out at the end of the video to see if it does

  • now of to the candy shop

  • Welcome to Yoshihara amezaiku candy shop

  • It's small but big enough to display a hundred creations along the walls, it's a sugar rush just looking at them all

  • Colorful and cute many depicting animals prices depend on the difficulty and the time required for each one

  • Now let's see Yoshiharasan make a bird out of candy it only takes a few minutes

  • Here's his workstation it's basic

  • Find Japanese scissors like tweezers for real detailed cuts, edible paints

  • and mizuame which is a taffy like heated sugar

  • amezaiku artists or performers have about 2 to 3 minutes to work the candy before it hardens

  • That's the challenge to get a beautiful character or animal as fast as possible

  • He stretches it to even the consistency and temperature

  • When it's ready he molds it into a ball that almost looks like an egg from which the creation will spawn from

  • a stick is inserted starting what will become the hkolder now

  • Now he works the candy out from the side to create the wing.

  • the scissors snip the feathers

  • He repeats this for the other side making sure to use the exact amount of candy.

  • memorized from practicing thousand's of times

  • When they look even he pulls a little for the tail

  • From the base it's time to form the head

  • Yoshiharasan delicately stretches it out. You can start to see it coming to life now. We're 75% done

  • Times short the candy is starting to harden a few bends to get the shape just right

  • Now it's time to paint

  • The black paint is edible and adds the details to the body of the candy making it look more lifelike

  • Two dots for the eyes

  • One more touch a little red

  • And done

  • I asked Yoshiharasan why he wanted to become an amezaiku artist

  • Yoshiharasan has an amezaiku studio to try it out and certainly I could create something following his lead. How hard could it be right?

  • Although it's candy it's also an art and this rabbit is the shops mascot

  • simple and cute right down to its tail

  • The dog

  • i asked for an orange one with a red leash

  • it was made in under three minutes

  • Pegasus the mythological winged stallion from Greek mythology

  • looks museum worthy on a stick

  • We've arrived to the studio near Yanaka Ginza for a little contest master verse beginner

  • who can create the cuter rabit?

  • After your gloved it's time to start the race

  • Performers typically have 3 minutes to finish the creation

  • we'll boil this contest down to just 30 seconds

  • Masters must practice the motions for years before they get it perfect every time

  • It kind of reminds me of those balloon making clowns who can turn them into zoo animals

  • I guess you can call that a rabbit?

  • When I look at my animal and I look at Yoshihara sensay's animal

  • His is a lot better. I got to tell you something, but I think this is a little bit cuter. Just something just really utakata

  • About this thing where it's just silly enough to be almost sellable

  • wrap them up to protect them and they're ready

  • Which one do you like?

  • It's not even close

  • So now it's time to see my bust made from candy.

  • yoshiharasan had his done

  • its slightly melted but still

  • there's a good resemblance

  • His shop can make it from photos. It costs about $100 and takes a week.

  • they can only be ordered in shop

  • After a week I returned to see the final candy bust seeing myself in candy. What can I say it's a first

  • seeing myself in candy what can i say its a first

  • But does it look like me?

  • you be the judge!

  • There are a lot of details and the candy does start to melt in the heat of summer but I can see a resemblance

  • They added a few shocks of gray too

  • The wavy hair

  • The ears and side look great

  • The shop even packages it up for me

  • i know you want to but it's not advised to cut air holes for the you covered in plastic

  • Does this look like me?

  • leave a comment below and let me know what you think

  • Amezaiku is a traditional art performance that is being rescued by the younger generation in japan. But is it art or candy?

  • Should you display it or eat it?

  • Hey, nothing lasts forever in this world. And if you're hungry do it take a bite

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Welcome to Yanaka Ginza. This is an area of the city that still has that old Tokyo feeling to it

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