Meet young, charismatic and innovative Amezaiku or Japanese traditional candy craftsman Shinri Tezuka. In this interview, he talks about Amezaiku in Japan, his career as a craftsman and his future visions.
Summary
Meet young, charismatic and innovative Amezaiku or Japanese traditional candy craftsman Shinri Tezuka. In this interview, he talks about Amezaiku in Japan, his career as a craftsman and his future visions. He also showed us how he makes Amezaiku.
*this video clip was created on Oct 26, 2016Interview with Shinri Tezuka
Shinri Tezuka, 30, is a craftsman of Amezaiku or Japanese traditional candy craft art. After establishing his own company Tezuka Arts & Crafts, he opened his first Amezaiku shop in Asakusa (Tokyo) in 2013, then another in Japan’s tallest building, Tokyo Skytree in 2015. Young, charismatic and innovative, Tezuka’s stylish and charming candy crafts are rapidly gaining both domestic and international recognition. We talked with Tezuka about his background and thoughts on Japanese traditional crafts. 
Interviewer - Did you always want to become a craftsman? Of all the traditional crafts out there, why did you pick Amezaiku?
Shinri Tezuka - I knew I wanted to become a craftsman from an early age. In my teens, I thought that becoming a pyrotechnist (firework artist) might be fun, so I actually became one. But after joining a firm in the Tokyo area, I realized that the job was more like a broker business than trying to become an expert craftsman. In order to produce cheaper fireworks, the firm made a factory in China and the president asked me to become the head of China’s factory. That wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to become a craftsman, so I quit. I quit without knowing what to do next.
I considered all kinds of crafts. As I was thinking about what to do next, a memory came back to me of the time I enjoyed watching Amezaiku being made. Amezaiku craftsmen have to be skillful, can’t cover up their mistakes, and are racing against time. Most Japanese people know what Amezaiku is, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it. It was already a known craft, and was something that people of all ages can enjoy. Also, the Amezaiku culture was disappearing. Thinking of all these aspects, I thought Amezaiku was a great opportunity, and I decided to give it a shot.
Interviewer - After deciding to become an Amezaiku craftsman, what did you do?
Shinri Tezuka - There was no school or learning environment for me back then so I learned everything by myself. I made the ingredients and practiced. There were still some Amezaiku craftsmen left in the country but they were unable to take in apprentices, and there weren’t many who were doing Amezaiku full-time or trying hard to make something innovative and amazing. I decided to learn the craft by myself. All I needed was some candy and scissors. That was another reason why it was easy for me to start this. I didn’t need a lot of equipment.
Interviewer - That must have been incredibly hard work. What was the first thing that you tried to make?
Shinri Tezuka - A rabbit. Amezaiku craftsmen all start off by making rabbits. All of my apprentices start off with making rabbits. We then make all 12 Oriental Zodiac signs (mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, wild boar). All Amezaiku craftsmen have to master these 12 animals first, because these are the basics. So I started off by making these animals.
Interviewer - Did you know that becoming an Amezaiku craftsman was the right path for you right away?
Shinri Tezuka - It’s hard to feel accomplished right away. I am not the type of person who feels joy in seeing what I’ve created. I find the fun in challenging myself and developing a path of my own. There was no road in front of me, so I was making my own path and I found that to be fun.
Interviewer - I think you made a brave decision, entering an unknown world.
Shinri Tezuka - Anyone can do it, actually. People just believe that they can’t because they need a “secure” job. I don’t think what I’m doing is anything special. Anyone can do it.
Interviewer - You’re being very modest. Being a craftsman, is there anything you feel especially strong about?
Shinri Tezuka - I don’t think a craftsman’s job should be just about creating things. I believe a craftsman’s job is to create something that end-users actually want to buy, and keep coming back again for more. Something that people will think of as buying as a present for someone again. I try to remember this at all times.
In the past, a craftsman sold their crafts to wholesale stores but by doing so, sometimes they were unable to understand the needs of the end-users. When we are able to understand their needs, we understand what we could make to fulfill their needs, and with that we polish our own skills and try to create something better. Knowing what end-users want is a win-win solution. I know it sounds simple, but I do believe that creating something that people want to buy is one of the most important things to do.
Interviewer - Is that why your packages are so stylish too?
Shinri Tezuka - No one wants to buy candy in a dirty bag. Making packages that are appealing to customers is just, common sense, in my opinion. My team is always working on making better Amezaiku. One of the apprentices is a pastry chef, and she works on mixing different ingredients and creating different flavors, like apple flavor. Also we sell a variety of candy, not only intricate designs but simple and stylish ones like our fan candies, made by my apprentices. Another matter I think about is how to provide a way for my apprentices to make a proper living while polishing their skills. Which is why other than selling candies, we have Amezaiku workshops, and if there are requests we make trips to schools, parties, and other venues for Amezaiku performances. I need to show young people that being a craftsman is fascinating, and for that I need to become a top player in the industry and everyone including my apprentices needs to be able to make a proper living with their workmanship. 
Interviewer - Unfortunately, many traditional crafts are disappearing because there is a lack of people to pass the techniques to. What do you think about today’s Japanese traditional craft industry?
Shinri Tezuka - Yes unfortunately, there are many great traditional craftsmen with no apprentices. The craftsmen retire, the business closes down and the techniques are lost. Many Japanese say “Japanese traditional crafts are spectacular and should not be lost” but those who say it usually aren’t doing anything to stop the craftsmanship from turning into something of the past.
Many traditional crafts are disappearing because, in my opinion, they put too much strength in preserving traditions. I think traditions can live on, by changing them to something that appeals to today’s society. In other words, traditions have to be updated, and for that, innovation is key. Kabuki, for instance, has done just that. They’ve constantly updated their shows to match our changing society. I believe that’s why it’s still appreciated by many. 
Interviewer - Do you believe recent technological developments are a threat to traditional craftsmanship?
Shinri Tezuka - I think it’s dangerous to think that it’s a threat. Amezaiku’s craftsmanship has been updated with technology too. We use machines to maintain the same level of heat on candy to keep them soft and malleable, which wasn’t something craftsmen were able to do a century ago. I don’t believe anything is better just because it’s made by hand. In fact, if machines can make the same thing faster and in more volumes, why not? If there were talks about making a machine that creates Amezaiku, then I’d cooperate!
With my business too, I wouldn’t have been able to come this far if it weren’t for the Internet. We can appeal to end-users directly through the Internet. Back in the day when there was no Internet, it would have been harder to reach end-users directly.
We need to change this old-fashioned culture from the inside, and from the outside.
Interviewer - What do you mean by “from the outside”?
Shinri Tezuka - I’m starting to get more and more requests for Amezaiku performances outside of Japan. I’m actually going to several countries in Europe next month. Japanese people tend to listen to what “outsiders” say more than what’s being said inside. 
Interviewer – You are a very successful craftsman, running two shops and taking in several apprentices. There is an image that craftsmen have a hard time making a living. How were you able to get passed this image, believe that this was the right path, and continue to go forward?
Shinri Tezuka - Part of it has to do with my family. They’ve definitely affected the way I think. My parents taught me to think on my own, decide for myself and to take responsibility of my own actions from a young age.
Interviewer - What do you want to do in the future?
Shinri Tezuka - In order for the team, myself included, to step up, I am thinking of taking a break from Amezaiku craftsmanship. My apprentices can handle more now, and will learn more if I let them take care of the Amezaiku shops. I am still young, and the team is still young. I will be a craftsman for life, but the material I deal with doesn’t have to be limited to candy. I want to try making different traditional crafts. I want to look for new challenges, acquire new craft skills, and pass those skills on to my apprentices. I want to keep challenging myself.
Interviewer - What type of craftsmanship are you thinking of doing?
Shinri Tezuka - I’m not ready to say. I only make things public after I’ve done it, not before. Come interview me again when I’m ready!
Creating Amezaiku Candy Crafts
Tezuka showed us his beautiful workmanship as he talked. When he came out into the kitchen space of his Tokyo Skytree store, “Asakusa Amezaiku Ameshin,” shoppers stopped by forming a small crowd around him. He smiles, “Most foreign tourists are surprised when I tell them that this is made out of candy.” 
He held the softened candy that’s heated up to 194°F (90°C) with his bare hands, and started to get right to work. He says he’s making a goldfish, one of the most popular Amezaiku at his shops. 
With expert speed, he turned the heated candy into a real-life looking, transparent goldfish. He explains, “The shiny texture of candy is similar to the transparent skin of fish. It’s our most popular Amezaiku.”
Seeing him work at ease, I asked if the candy wasn’t burning hot. He replied calmly, “You get used to it. Of course when I was a beginner it was hot and my hands were full of blisters. But over time, my hands got used to the heat. I don’t do anything special to my hands but I don’t get blisters anymore. I think it’s because I’m touching candy all the time. May be candy has the power to moisturize my skin. Just like people who make Sake always have pretty hands.”
He continues, “These are scissors customized for myself and some of my more experienced apprentices. Compared to the type sold in stores, it’s harder to cut but easier to control. Everyone starts off with the normal type.”
“I hope nothing happens to the man who’s making these scissors for me. He’s over 70 and the only man in the world who can make these. Just recently, he took in an apprentice to pass on the technique. I hope the apprentice learns fast. There was another craftsman who was making these but he too was in his 70’s and had to quit due to health conditions.”
Shinri Tezuka’s open-mindedness toward art crafts, his power to change traditions to match our present society, and his motivation and professionalism toward what he considers to be high-quality craftsmanship is no doubt a great influence to other aspiring craftsmen and artists. If you have the chance, stop by his shop in either Tokyo Skytree or Asakusa to check out the beautiful Amezaiku yourself.
Information
Tokyo Skytree Town Solamachi Full selection of candies are sold here. If you are lucky, maybe you can watch an Amezaiku craftsman making Amezaiku.Access: 1-min walk from Tokyo Skytree Station or Oshigae Station
Address: 4F, TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN Solamachi, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 131-0045
Open Hours: 10 AM to 9 PM (open every day)Asakusa Shop
Amezaiku workshops and a limited selection of candies are sold here.
Access: 7-min walk from Asakusa station
Address: 1F Hori bldg, 2-9-1 Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0033
Open Hours: 10:30 AM to 6 PM (closed on Thursdays)
