Kintaro-ame

Kintaro-ame is a very old, traditional style of Japanese candy-making, formed by layers of candy rolled together into a long rope and then cut into thick, cylindrical slices. Each slice of candy features the face of Kintaro (Golden Boy), a Japanese folk hero (although it's not always Kintaro's ugly mug in the candy--it can be anything from animals to Santa Claus). Kintaro was a kid with purportedly Superman-like strength.

I picked up this Kintaro-ame at a street festival in Kyoto last night. As far as taste goes, it's nothing special--just sugary hard candy. But after you suck on the candy long enough, Kintaro's face becomes warped with little holes throughout it, which is mildly amusing.

When things are lacking individuality (suburban homes, Stepford wives, etc.), we call them "cookie-cutter". In Japan they call anything unoriginal "Kintaro-ame" because of all the identical faces you get out of one rope of candy.