Japanese Food Akita-based confectioner creating insect-inspired sweets

[thomas]

Akita-based confectionery Komatsuya Honten launched a "kimokawaii" insect sweets line that has proven to be all the rage. "Kimokawaii" (キモ可愛い) refers to something attractive and repelling at the same time. Komatsuya produces bee larvae, rhinoceros beetle larvae and other insects popular with Japanese children.

Photo credit: Hideki Muroya via Mainichi​

In 2002, Yokote City in Akita began organizing an insect exhibition during the summer vacation for families with children. The centerpiece was a giveaway of Japanese rhinoceros beetles as pets, which young city officials went out to catch. Children stood in a long line in the following year, each hoping to get a rhinoceros beetle. The event became more and more popular. But the rhinoceros beetles became harder to find, so in 2006, city officials asked Komatsu to make sweets as substitutes. Komatsu has a soft spot for insects. He consented readily. His first experiment was to make a chocolate rhinoceros beetle. But its fragile legs would snap every time. Komatsu put a piece of chocolate and dried cuttlefish in his mouth at the same time. Both had been served as snacks with his drink. He found it quite a good combination. So he split the dried cuttlefish into fine slivers and coated them with chocolate. He found that the cuttlefish strengthened the chocolate. It didn't snap.

Confectioner from Akita hits sweet spot with insect-like candy | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Mail order is available.

小松屋本店

サイト説明文

www.komatuyahonten.net

 

[Majestic]

Heavy on the キモ and sadly lacking on the かわいい

 

[mdchachi]

Mail order is available.

Tempting. My wife hates bugs so much she even hates butterflies.

 

[thomas]

Tempting. My wife hates bugs so much she even hates butterflies.

Halloween gift, perhaps?

Sadly, bug panic is virulent in Japan. My better half is quite laid-back with critters unless it's a mukade venturing into our futon. Her nephews freak out over the tiniest fly. Blame urbanisation.

Why do so many modern people hate insects?　The urbanization–disgust hypothesis | Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Why do so many modern people hate insects?　The urbanization–disgust hypothesis

www.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

 

[mdchachi]

One time when my son was really young -- less than a year I think -- I showed him a cush ball in a store and he strongly recoiled.
So I think there are some innate feelings about creepy critters built into us to help keep us safe.