Bakeries in Japan: Guide to Bakeries and Delicious Pastries
Japan might not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of bakeries and baked goods. Bakeries in Japan are some of the most unique and delicious in the world.
Like everything in Japan, it’s about perfection blending French techniques with Japanese precision. Bakeries across Japan serve everything from savory sandwiches and croquettes to fruit filled pastries and elegant cakes.
In my opinion, the best bakeries in Japan are found in the prefecture of Okinawa, but you can find delicious bakeries throughout the country whether you’re wandering the streets of Tokyo or at Kyoto’s main train station.
I made this guide to cover what I think are some of the best bakeries in Japan, must-try pastries, and everything else related to bakeries in Japan.
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The cultivation of wheat is a fairly new practice in Japan. After all, rice was and still is heavily relied on here. So how did bread and pastries become so popular here in Japan?
I read through several sources and they all vary, but one common ground is that bread was brought to Japan by Portuguese traders and Missionaries in the mid 1500’s.
In Japan, the term for bread is “Pan,” which is derived from the Portuguese word “pao.”
For a long time, bread never gained popularity until the Meiji era. During a period of westernization, the Japanese would bake bread for western settlers.
Still, it was not very popular amongst the local population. That is until the invention of Anpan!
In 1874, a samurai warrior named Yasubei Kimura was out of a job. To make ends meet, he opened a bakery called Buneido but it was relocated to a district in the city of Tokyo and renamed Kimuraya.
Instead of making bread geared toward westerners, he wanted to bake something more suitable to the Japanese likings.
He created the bread in a traditional way, using sake yeast dough and filled the bun with bean paste. Thanks to Kimura-san, the Anpan was born.
The Anpan was presented to the Emperor of Japan at the time, he enjoyed it so much that he requested it be brought to him daily. Since the Anpan had the Emperors blessing, it’s popularity spread quickly throughout Japan.
Demand for bread increased in Japan, meaning the demand for bakeries also increased.
The Japanese have perfected other pastries from around the world and now you can find all sorts of breads and pastries throughout Japan. In fact, there are over 10,000 bakeries found throughout Japan.
Bakeries in Japan
Bakeries in Japan come in all shapes and sizes. There are specialized bakeries that sell decorative cakes and there are bakeries that sell a large variety of delicious sweet and savory pastries.
We’ve been to bakeries here specializing in German pastries and have even been to take out pizza restaurants that have a small bakery section.
When first entering a bakery in Japan, it’s generally self service. Similar to bakeries we’ve been to in Mexico, you grab a tray and tongs and grab whatever pastry you are craving.
We can’t control our baked good cravings so we usually fill up a tray. Whether your tray is full to capacity like ours or you have one or two treats, you bring it to the counter where the staff will ring up your order.
In Japan, they typically wrap ever pastry individually, it’s a waste of plastic if you ask me, but we recycle the bags at least.
Must-Try Japanese Pastries
Bakeries in Japan have a nice mixture of both sweet and savory pastries. You can find your traditional croissant or filled Danish but there are also savory pastries that are stuffed with ingredients like potatoes, cheese, and meats.
We don’t judge here, we love both sweet and savory pastries, here are some of our favorite pastries that can be found in Japanese bakeries. The names can vary depending on the region or bakery.
Melon Pan
Melon Pan is a popular sweet bun that can be found throughout Japan. There are even bakeries that specialize in just baking melon pan.
Melon Pan gets its name because the outside kind of looks like a melon, although they don’t always taste like a melon. In fact, melon pan can come in all sorts of flavors from actual melon flavor to rich chocolate.
Agepan
The Agepan is a fried sandwich in Japan. Bakeries have perfected the fried sandwich here. They fry the sandwich with bread crumbs. The outside is crunchy and the inside stays warm. Generally, these sandwiches will come with ham and egg or curry.
Bacon Epi
Bacon Epi, is my favorite savory pastry in Japan. It’s basically a small baguette with bacon inside of it. Bacon Epi has a unique appearance. Epi is an ear of wheat, so the pastry is made to resemble this.
Curry Pan
Who knew that both curry and croquettes were so popular in Japan? Curry croquettes can be found anywhere throughout Japan in almost any bakery, convenience, and grocery store. They are usually served pipping hot.
Matcha Pastries
Of course, in Japan you can find matcha flavored everything, including pastries. I’ve tried matcha flavored muffins, melon pan, and scones.
The matcha pastries will be green in color, don’t let that fool you because the pastries are always delicious.
Egg Toast
This is definitely in my top 5 favorites when it comes to Japanese baked goods.
Bread in Japan is usually cut much thicker then we are used to. The Egg Toast pastry is simply a slice of bread, with an egg baked on top.
Japanese love adding mayonnaise to everything, and the egg toast is no different. The egg toast usually has a layer of mayonnaise under or around the egg and there is usually some type of bacon or ham on it as well.
My Favorite Bakeries in Japan
I try and go to as many bakeries in Japan as I can when traveling. I’ve tried everything from small corner bakeries in the city of Tokyo to world-famous bakeries in Fukuoka. Here, you can find some of my favorite bakeries in Japan, I broke it down by region.
Bakeries With Multiple Locations
Little Mermaid
Little Mermaid is a Japanese chain bakery. There are over 260 locations scattered throughout the country.
Many of their bakeries that we’ve visited are located in malls or train stations.
Although Little Mermaid is a chain, it feels like a local bakery.
Here you can find both sweet and savory pastries. They also have great coffee. If you are lucky, they give out free gifts here and there!
Via de France
Via de France is another solid chain bakery that is found throughout Japan. Like Little Mermaid, they are found primarily in train stations and malls.
Like all the other bakeries, Via de France had a good mix of sweet and savory pastries. Their cinnamon rolls and chocolate bread are my favorite and usually go-to pastries.
Chugoku Region
Pannokimochi NOPI
This bakery is located in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Near the Iwakuni Train Station, you can find Andersen Bakery which is a great bakery, but Jill and I found ourselves going to Pannokimochi NOPI more often once we realized it was there.
Pannokimochi NOPI is kind of hidden and out of the way but it’s totally worth it!
The bakery is small, but they bake fresh pastries throughout the day. You can find anything here from fresh bread to meat filled pastries.
Address: 1 Chome-10-24 Imazumachi, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 740-0017
Koro Bakery
When Jill and I cycled the Shimanami Kaido, we stayed one night in the town of Onomichi. Near our hostel was a bakery called Panyakoro.
We had a long day of cycling ahead of us, so we popped in here grabbed a bag full of pastries and ate them at a nearby park.
Honestly, like many pastries in Japan, I wasn’t 100% sure what we all had but the quality and flavors of the pastries were some of the best we’ve ever had.
I had this bread baked with potatoes and chicken and to this day, it is still one of my favorites.
Address: 1 Chome-3-31 Tsuchido, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0035
Kyushu Region
Toit Vert
We stayed in Kagoshima for 5 days, I believe we visited Toit Vert three times.
This is the bakery that had the futuristic counters that count your pastries and add up the total costs. That alone made this bakery stand out amongst the rest but their baked goods were fabulous!
Toit Vert was a large bakery and they specialized in just about everything. They had fresh breads, sandwiches, flaky pastries, and so much more.
Address: 7-11 Kinseicho, Kagoshima, 892-0828
Dacomecca
Get ready to wait in line, but it’s so worth it! Just outside of Hakata Station in Fukuoka is the famous Dacomecca bakery.
If you are lucky, you can step right in, grab your pastry, pay, and go. But if you by chance have to wait in line, which is probably most days, trust me, it’s worth it.
They grill sausages here on the spot and a lot of their pastries use fresh sausages and meats.
This bakery has perfected everything they touch from the savory breads and sandwiches to the sweet and flaky pastries, Dacomecca is one of my favorite bakeries on mainland Japan.
Address: 〒812-0011 Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Hakata Ekimae, 4 Chome−14−1 博多深見パークビルディング
Okinawa
Marco Polo
This is possibly my favorite bakery in Japan. Jill and I have been here dozens of times, have tried numerous items, and have loved everything we’ve tried.
This bakery has been baking delicious pastries and other items since the 1950’s.
The bakery does have a restaurant inside with an actual breakfast and dinner menu.
You can also just visit their bakery section (we usually do), tell the staff it’s for here and they will warm up your food and serve it to you in the restaurant.
Address: 5 Chome-15-5 Takahara, Okinawa, 904-2171
Maribu Bakery
Maribu Bakery is Jill’s favorite bakery in Japan and it is also in Okinawa.
I won’t lie, I love Maribu as well. The bakery is on the smaller side, they have about 3 tables. Their pastries are amazing, you can also find sweet and savory pastries here.
Maribu makes amazing flaky pastries with fresh fruit on top or as a filling. They also make great lunch items like sandwiches.
Address: 3 Chome-23-5 Minamitobaru, Okinawa, 904-0035
Bakery Ademok
I know I sound like a broken record here, but Bakery Ademok is another one of my favorite bakeries in Japan. There are multiple locations spread throughout Okinawa, but I prefer the Uruma location best.
Bakery Ademok, makes the best egg toast and croissants. This is another bakery where I’ve tried dozens of pastries and have yet to have something I didn’t like.
Address: 4 Chome-8-15 Midorimachi, Uruma, Okinawa 904-2215
Mister Donut
Mister Donut is kind of an honorable mention as it is not a traditional bakery, but they do make donuts and sell other pastries that are really good.
Mister Donut is a chain donut shop and can be found everywhere in Japan. We’ve even had them on the somewhat remote island of Ishigaki.
In a way, Mister Donut is similar to a Dunkin’ Donuts. The donuts are displayed and sold in the same way. The donuts do taste different, they are lighter and the glaze is not as sweet.
One thing Mister Donut does well is marketing. They have so many fun seasonal and themed donuts. In Ishigaki, we got Pokémon donuts at Mister Donut.
FAQs About Bakeries in Japan
What are some of the most popular bakery items in Japan?
Some of the most popular Japanese bakery items include melon pan, curry pan, anpan, bacon epi, and honestly, fresh bread.
Are bakeries common in Japan?
Yes, bakeries are very common in Japan. You can find locally owned bakeries in almost every town and city. You can even find amazing bakeries at train stations and malls.
Are Japanese bakeries expensive?
Not at all! Bakeries in Japan are generally affordable especially when comparing to bakeries in Western countries.
Are convenience store baked goods in Japan decent?
Surprisingly, yes! You can find great pastries in convenience stores in Japan. There are a few Family Marts in Okinawa that have fresh baked goods that are the best out of any convenience store.
Do Japanese bakeries serve coffee?
Most bakeries in Japan do serve coffee. I’ve seen it all from high end coffee to simply pour over coffee. Places like Via de France will have coffee guaranteed. Some of the small mom and pop shops may or may not. Thankfully there is always a vending machine close by.
Conclusion
We love exploring new bakeries in Japan and have bakeries we keep going back to time and time again.
I’ve traveled around Europe and have had my fair share of baked goods there. I can honestly say that bakeries in Japan, are just as good as ones you would find in Europe.
Whether you are visiting the tropical islands of Okinawa or wandering the streets of Tokyo, make time to step into a local bakery, it’s the perfect way to start your day off.
If you have a favorite bakery in Japan or pastry, let myself and others know in the comments. Safe Travels!
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4 Comments
Pierre
What a fascinating article (for us with a sweet tooth)!
I found what you wrote about the Japanese term for bread really interesting. You mentioned that “Pan” is derived from the Portuguese word “pao.” In French, bread is “pain”, which is nearly the same word!
Also, I wouldn’t mind tasting one of these mini-cinnamon rolls, they do look delicious!
zimminaround
Thanks! Very interesting how the term Pan is used and derived from various languages! If you have a sweet tooth, you would love the little cinnamon rolls.
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