Amezaiku, the art of making realistic animal lollipops, has been a Japanese tradition since the 8th century, but 26 year-old Shinri Tezuka is the young master making it famous again. There is no cheap or convenient way to mass produce the candy, and the artists have to endure painful heat when working the hot candy by hand. Shinri is one of the few Amezaiku artists keeping the tradition alive. He opened his shop ‘Ameshin’ in 2013, sells his animal confectionery for 1000-2000 yen (8-17 USD), and also offers courses for those interested in learning. The candy is made from sugary syrup and starch along with organic coloring.