The Kawagoe Candy Maker
Feb 3rd, 2009 | By Shane Sakata | Category: Photo Gallery, Tokyo and VicinityThis past fall my husband and I made a day trip to Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, about an hour outside of Tokyo. It was a splendid day and a holiday which lent a festive atmosphere to the streets with crowds and special vendors all about. As we wandered through the quaint town, also known as "Little Edo", we stopped to admire the old Japanese storehouses and lovely shops and we made in a point to see the Gohyaku-Rakan (500 statues of Buddha’s disciples) and Kashi-ya Yokocho or Confectioner’s Alley.
This gentleman above was shaping warm sugar into candy along Kashi-ya Yokocho and we couldn’t help but stop for a moment to see what he was going to create. He started with a blue ball of sugar atop a stick which he kneaded, pulled and then carefully shaped into a swirling s-shaped pattern. We weren’t sure just what the end result would be so we watched with the others who had curiously gathered around his colorful booth.
He kept us in anticipation until he pulled out a small tool and further sculpted the sugar – he had stretched and shaped the sugar into a fantastical blue dragon that was much to stunning to eat!
It was a great day, and I hope to have an excuse to make the trip to Kawagoe again soon.
The image above is a diptych (two images in one) and was inspired by a photography project suggested by Japanorama.
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I’ve seen these candy makers at some festivals too. They are real artists. I wonder if people feel bad just before biting the heads off of the candy??
nice pics. I was there not very long ago and remember the guy
I don’t think I could eat it after watching him make it. He was fast too - it didn’t take him more than a minute or two to create the dragon.
I will look forward to another trip this year and will probably take guests as I enjoyed the feel of the town.
This guy is symbolic of the under use of exceptionally skilled individuals in Japan.
If there was an art market in Japan, which there isn’t, then he’d be able to dedicate his time towards what he wants to do. If that is making sugar dragons then all the power to him.