Kintarō (金太郎) translated as “Golden Boy” is a folk hero from Japanese folklore. A child with super-human strength, Kintarō is supposedly based on a real man, named Sakata Kintoki, who lived during the Heian Period (794 ~ 1185) and became well-known for his skills as a warrior. As with many larger-than-life individuals, his legend has grown with time. It is a custom to put up a Kintarō doll on Boy’s Day (May 5th) in the hope that boys will become equally brave and strong.

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 Kintarō-ame  (Kintaro candy) is a traditional Japanese candy with a cylinder-shape, still produced in Japan and originating during the Edo Period (1603 ~ 1868). After being sliced, the cylinder’s cross-section shows an almost exact replica of Kintaro‘s face. In Japan, when things are identical, they are referred to as “like Kintaro-ame”, as in the English expression, “spitting image”.  In modern times, these candies are just as likely to depict such contemporary characters as cartoons, varieties of flowers/fruits or even brides-and-grooms names to be given as wedding favors.

It is very interesting to see the process involved in making these candies. They are made by combining different layers of different-colored, heated/melted sugar, formed and elongated while hot, and cut into sticks of the same length before being sliced/cut into candy pieces.

History of Sugar in Japan

Documents show that sugar was first brought to Japan from China in the mid-eighth century as a luxury used mainly as a medicine. The primary source of sweetening in ancient times was either maltose candy or amazura ivy extract. As trade with the continent flourished from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, imports of sugar increased and its use expanded as a sweetener used in cooking. The practice of the tea ceremony spread among the upper classes during this period, and sweets made with sugar were developed to accompany the tea. The tradition of sweets that evolved along with the tea ceremony—virtual works of art created from sugar—form a culture of confectionery that Japan can be proud of. It was not until the eighteenth century, however, when sugar cane began to be cultivated in Japan, that sugar became more readily available to the common people.   (By Dr. Takashi Yamamoto researcher on the mechanisms of taste and eating preferences)

Short video series on how these candies are made:
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Final product !

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