Popular Japanese treats, Ringo Ame

Candied fruits and especially candied apples, ringo ame 「りんご飴」 in Japanese, are a very popular treat in Japan, you will always find at least one ringo ame stall at a Japanese festival. Thinking about Japanese festivals, one image that always comes into my mind is with girls dressed in yukata, elegantly holding a ringo ame.

The origin of the candy apple in the Western world was traced back to 1908, when a candy maker from Newark, William W. Kolb, produced the first candied apples. However, there is also a very similar traditional treat in China, called Tanghulu, so we cannot be sure how this confectionery first appeared in Japan.

In my opinion, the candy apple is more like an ornamental confectionery, it is quite difficult to eat and I was never one to patiently pierce the hard layer of candy to reach the juicy apple inside, I liked more the smaller candied fruits, like grapes or strawberries. But I have to admit that it looks great and it makes for a very decorative treat...