Edible Art: A Beginner's Guide to Japanese DIY Candy Kit Adventures

Japanese DIY candy kits are an exciting offer from top confectionary companies. These products provide a fun way to "create" your own candy. With packets that magically transform into candy hamburgers, noodles, and drinkable mini sodas with a small amount of water, these DIY kits provide an exciting option for kids (and those who are kids at heart).

Each kit comes with detailed notes, ingredient packets, tools, and containers that aid in crafting homemade sweets at home. Also known as chiiku-gashi in Japan, which translates to intellectual training candy, these kits were initially crafted as a method for instilling desirable traits in children, such as patience and the ability to follow instructions.

Below, we explore some of the top DIY candy kit companies, like Popin' Cookin', providing a deeper view into these hands-on treats.

Meiji Apollo Chocolate 

Meiji, a major food company in Japan that launched in 1912, crafted a sub-company within their brand known as Apollo Chocolate. This sub-brand was launched in 1969 as a tribute to humans landing on the moon for the first time in the history of the world. The major event occurred on the spacecraft Apollo 11 (hence the name of this Meiji chocolate line). 

What distinguishes Meiji Apollo Chocolate from other chocolate candies is its distinct shape, crafted to intentionally share an appearance with the spacecraft from this momentous event. These cone-shaped/Apollo-shaped candies feature two flavors/hues—a top portion that is strawberry-flavored and pink and a bottom section that is made with milk chocolate and a brown hue.

 

Since the candy's inception, multiple products have launched featuring the distinct cone shape, from DIY Japanese candy kits to milk tea, stationary accessories, and additional chocolate flavors (such as melon and white Hokkaido chocolate).

Top Apollo Chocolate Products

Apollo Chocolate DIY

This delightful chocolate kit candy allows you to recreate the famous strawberry Apollo Chocolates in the comfort of your home. Each DIY candy kit includes a mold to craft the distinct cone-shaped candies, with three delicious flavors to mix and match. Choose between a combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, and strawberry white chocolate to produce a creamy, decadent, sweet treat. With squeezable packets, using this Apollo Chocolate DIY kit is a real treat for the entire family.

San-X Sumikko Gurashi

To understand the history of this company, it's important to first explore the "Sumikko gurashi" characters. These adorable characters often enjoy a solitary lifestyle and enjoy spending time in the corner, as they do not like being the center of attention. Initially, these characters were turned into cute plushies and stationery items with the first product launch by San-X in 2012. From there, the characters were turned into additional products, including clothing, furniture, cookware, and even Japanese candy and Japanese snacks like cookies and rice crackers.

Top DIY Sumikko Gurashi Products

Sumikko Gurashi DIY Pancake Set

Enjoy these adorably shy characters with a cute Sumikko Gurashi DIY Pancake Set. This DIY candy set includes multiple flavors for customizable fluffy pancakes that will delight even the most solitary adults and kids. With molds featuring varying Summiko Gurashi characters, you can craft a delicious treat in no time. Once the pancakes are ready, add your desired toppings (like fresh fruit, syrup, and whipped cream), and dig in!

Kracie Popin' Cookin'

Kracie is perhaps one of the most famous DIY candy kit makers, though it initially produced other products for Japanese People. The company was first launched in 1887 under the name Tokyo Cotton Trading Company, producing textiles and apparel. After transitioning to additional products, including soap and cosmetics, the company finally shifted to food in 1964.

However, it was not until 1979 when Tokyo Cotton Trading Company first launched DIY candy, known as Pukapon. The success of this initial DIY candy kit led to the creation of Nerunerunerune, which used exciting food chemical reactions to engage kids, allowing them to "play with their food." This led to the sub-brand Popin' Cookin', with the launch of the tanoshii cakes. This Poppin Cookin candy kit was intentionally created to allow kids and adults to create candy together. In 2007, the company was renamed to Kracie, its current name today. Since then, additional Poppin candy DIY kits have appeared on store shelves with rave reviews from people of all ages.

Top DIY Popin Cookin Products

Popin' Cookin' Fun Japanese Matsuri Kit

The Popin' Cookin' Fun Japanese Matsuri Kit is centered around a matsuri, a festival in Japan that focuses on various events, including religious and non-religious holidays. With this DIY Japanese candy kit, you can craft typical Japanese festival food in candy form, including corn on the cob, fries, and chocolate-dipped bananas!

Popin' Cookin' Fun Sushi Kit

Even non-sushi fans will enjoy this Popin' Cookin' Fun Sushi Kit. The kit provides tools and ingredients to create your own sushi dishes, including popular options like omelet sushi and salmon roe sushi. With this interactive kit, you'll feel as if you're a sushi restaurant owner. The kit even comes with "soy sauce" to dip the finished candy sushi for a more authentic experience.

Popin' Cookin' Fun Hamburger Kit

Just like the sushi kit will make you feel as if you're a restaurant owner, this Popin' Cookin' Fun Hamburger Kit allows you to pretend you own a fast food joint! Create candy cheeseburgers, French fries, and drinkable soda with this kit for an exciting family-friendly activity. The kit even comes with wrappers, French fry packaging, and a soda cup to make it look even more like a meal you'd get from the local burger joint.

Get Creative with DIY Candy Kits at Japan Crate!

With an entire selection of DIY candy kits at the ready from various brands, such as Popin Cookin, Sugoi Mart is an ideal location for creating the candy kit collection of your dreams. Whether you intend to provide a creative outlet for kids, teach them valuable skills, or as a fun, nostalgic option for yourself, you'll find a plethora of exciting candy kits to add to your cart.

Sugoi Mart's DIY candy kit collection includes options such as homemade chocolates, gummies, and candy foods (like sushi). This large selection of goodies ensures you share a fun activity with your children as many times as you'd like while making new goodies each time.

Complement these fun candy kits with additional Japanese snacks and sweet treats from Japan Crate. This monthly subscription features a new theme around Japanese culture, from holidays and events to Japan-centric art forms (like manga) and more. You can't go wrong with an ever-changing array of high-quality goodies with Japan Crate. Sign up now to start receiving delicious snacks and other interactive treats!