noun
Kintarō candy; Kintarō-ame
A traditional hard stick candy with a cross-section design of folk hero Kintarō. Trademarked product; the name is often used generically for similar picture candy.
See also: 金太郎
お土産に金太郎飴を買った。
I bought some Kintarō candy as a souvenir.
金太郎飴を切ると、中から金太郎の顔が出てくる。
When you slice Kintarō candy, Kintarō's face appears inside.
noun
cookie-cutter; lacking originality; uniform
Figurative use: something or someone that is the same throughout, with no individuality or variety, like the candy's identical cross-sections.
この会社の新入社員はみんな金太郎飴みたいだ。
The new employees at this company are all cookie-cutter copies of each other.
彼の作品はどれも金太郎飴で、面白みがない。
All his works are cookie-cutter and lack interest.