7 Must Visit Bakeries In Japan

Travelling is a wonderful and powerful way to expand your sense of self and deepen your understanding of this beautiful world. I adore travelling, so I’m dedicating some space on Flavour of the Film devoted to this exact topic. I wonder, have you ever looked into excellent bakeries to visit when planning a trip? If not, let’s start now! This post will detail a few of the bakeries in Japan that are worth visiting. I hope you’re hungry…

Contents

• 1. Train Station Bakeries
• 2. Boulangerie Papi-Pan
• 3. Cat & Bakes 9456
• 4. Monterosa
• 5. Peter Pan Suruga Kitchen
• 6. Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory
• 7. Asakusa Kagetsudo
• Bakeries in Japan
• Polite Reminder

If you’ve read a number of my recipes like my Blue Eye Samurai Japanese butter cookies, my Jujutsu Kaisen ladyfingers, or even my Home Alone cheese pizza, then you’ll be aware of my love for Japan. It’s the perfect starting point for my travel posts!

After graduating from university, I moved to Japan for a while.

When I say that the only reason I’m back in England is because of the events of 2020 and the proceeding years, I mean it!

Moving to Japan is the best decision I have ever made. I still say it four years after having to leave, despite having done a lot since then. It’s had such an impact on me in such an incredible way. I still think about it all the time… including the bakeries. I can still smell them…

That’s right, friends. Bakeries in Japan are some of the best I have ever been to!

Japan has not only imported bread, but has managed to adapt it to such a magical level that you can’t visit the country and not try it (if you are able). Shokupan (Japanese milk bread), for example, is like eating a cloud. Heck, just thinking about melon pan has me drooling.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

1. Train Station Bakeries

I’m starting with a tip that’s perhaps a little unconventional. There are bakeries all across Japan – over ten thousand in fact –  but some of the best ones I have found are in train stations. Sure, there are coffee shops and florists and the like there too, but the bakeries are next level.

When I was exploring Nagoya, I tasted some of the best pastries I have ever had the fortune to find in a French inspired bakery. Vie de France in Hongo Station, Nagoya is one such bakery.

Seriously, they make some of the lightest, most delicate sweet treats I have ever eaten. If you’re exploring Nagoya and are heading along the Higashiyama line, I recommend swinging by for a quick treat.

There is also a chain of bakeries in Japan by the name of Little Mermaid that makes particularly nice pastries and buns, which can be found in various train stations like the ones in Nagoya and Shizuoka. 

Then there’s Tokyo train station’s bakeries.

If you’re all about bread, then Japanese bread is a must try. Bakeries in Japan like Centre are known for their incredibly fluffy bread that toasts like a charm. 

Their entire menu is worth a browse, especially if you have some extra time to sit in.

For the really bougie folks, Ginza’s Wako Cake & Chocolate Shop will give you that taste of elegance and refinery one would expect to find in a high tea serving. The presentation of these sweet treats alone are enough to make the mouth water. 

I have one word for you: CAKE. Their cakes are truly works of art and are so worth a try if you’re able to splurge a little cash wise.

The takeaway here? Never overlook the train station bakeries in Japan. You may be surprised by just how delicious their bakes are.

2. Boulangerie Papi-Pan

Yeah, lots of bakeries in Japan are big on French styles of baking. It’s true an if you’re a fan of the hit Anime film Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), this next bakery could be right up your street.

Boulangerie Papi-Pan gives major Studio Ghibli vibes, particularly in relation to Kiki’s Delivery Service as the film is centred around a bakery.

Situated in Ueda Station in Nagoya, this bakery feels like it’s literally jumped out of Hayao Mayazaki’s creative brain.

It’s so beautiful, from the aesthetic of the building’s exterior, right down to the individual bakes.

From traditional French breads to delicate and buttery pastries, this bakery is a wonderful independent establishment that is worth visiting for the vibe alone, not to mention the baked goods.

Boulangerie Papi-Pan also has a lovely history. The owner moved from Japan to France to re-train as a baker before returning to Japan to open his own bakery, inspired by French cuisine. You can read all about his story here.

Find it: 3-chōme-1209-1 Ueda, Tempaku Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 468-0051, Japan

3. Cat & Bakes 9456

After training in Nagoya, I moved to Shizuoka for work. Naturally, I have a soft spot for this beautiful city, so I’m excited to share some of the great bakeries that Shizuoka has to offer!

Cat & Bakes 9456 is a bakery in Aoi Ward that creates baked goods shaped like cats. Yes, really! From sweet buns to cookies to bread, they’ve found a way to make all of their creations cat-inspired.

Friends, these bakes are SO cute. Major kawaii feels.

They also sell adorable merch, for anyone after a cat-themed tote bag or t-shirt. 

Cat & Bakes 9456 is a takeaway bakery only. There’s no sit-in area so keep that in mind for your visit. They do, however, make lovely little gift boxes containing their bakes which could be perfect for that cat-loving friend you’re perhaps travelling with.

Here is the link to their website. It’s in Japanese, but who needs words when the bakes look that tasty?

Find it: 2 Chome-12-19 Takajo, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0839, Japan

4. Monterosa

We’re riding the cuteness wave, friends. Monterosa is another bakery in Shizuoka that sells bakes at level 100 on the kawaii scale. 

Plenty of their biscuits are made and decorated to look like popular characters. I’ve seen Totoro biscuits, of course. There are also Sanrio character biscuits and ones shaped like minions, if that’s your thing. 

Monterosa also packages their lovely little numnums in nice little bags.

If you’ve visited Japan already, you may have noticed just how much effort they put into the packaging of things. Especially food; food that is made for occasions and events even more so. Bakeries in Japan are often no different.

Like Cat & Bakes 9456, Monterosa is located in Takajo, Aoi Ward in Shizuoka. It’s also a takeaway only bakery. You could double up on your bakery trips seeing as they aren’t far from one another. No one would judge.

Just think of all the cute bakes, friends. Yum.

Find it: 2 Chome-4-25 Takajo, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0839, Japan

5. Peter Pan Suruga Kitchen

Okay, last Shizuoka based recommendation for this list. It’s a magical one.

Peter Pan Suruga Kitchen is pretty much what you think it could be. A gorgeous building with wood detailing and even more gorgeous food.

It’s not just a bakery! It’s a deli, too. Oh, they absolutely make custard-filled buns, pastries and curry doughnuts. But, the deli section means it’s also a great lunch spot.

There’s ample seating for those wanting to sit in, including outdoor log stools and benches, which just adds to the magic. 

Peter Pan Suruga Kitchen is situated in Shikiji, Suruga-ku in Shizuoka. If you’re in the area and are on a hunt for baked goods, you may find satisfaction in this lovely bakery.

Find it: 〒422-8036 Shizuoka, Suruga Ward, Shikiji, 1 Chome−16−1 ピーターパンするが工房

6. Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory

If you’re on a Studio Ghibli hype, this bakery is just the ticket for a Ghibli inspired sweet treat. I’m usually on the Ghibli ride, as demonstrated in my My Neighbor Totoro inspired bread recipe.

Situated in Daita, Setagaya in Tokyo, Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory is a quaint little cafe and bakery that looks as though it’s been drawn by a Studio Ghibli artist with a magic pen. You may even wonder if sprites will appear during a visit there!

The area itself is like a beautiful little hideaway from busy city life, making the journey to Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory even more enjoyable. It’s worth the trip outside of Tokyo’s centre.

There are both dine-in and takeaway options, but be mindful that this is an incredibly popular establishment.

The chances of a long queue are pretty high, but this is often for the sit-in area. Takeaway is usually pretty swift considering that the popularity level of the place is one of the highest amongst bakeries in Japan.

Sit-in is also usually limited to one hour. Once your hour is up, you’ll need to vacate.

Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory is known for their cream puffs (shocker), which are famously shaped like Totoro and come in multiple different flavours, including chocolate and classic. They also provide drinks and other adorable sweet treats like biscuits/cookies.

Top tip: arrive as early as possible to avoid missing out on treats due to the bakery selling out.

Find it: 5-3-1 Daita, Setagaya ward, Tokyo 〒155-0033

7. Asakusa Kagetsudo

My final recommendation on this list of my must visit bakeries in Japan is a special one. I was lucky enough to be taken to Asakusa in Tokyo. Whilst there, we visited Senso-ji Temple on a glorious day in December.

On the way out of Senso-ji Temple, I found myself completely enamoured by a delicious smell wafting through the air. It was coming from a little bakery that sold melonpan: a Japanese sweet bun that is topped with a cookie crust, making it look like a melon while the bread itself doesn’t actually taste like melon.

Asakusa Kagetsudo is famous for their incredible melonpan. It’s crisp on the outside and deliriously light and fluffy on the inside. There was no way I could walk past this bakery without trying some.

They even make melonpan with ice cream in it. That’s right, friends. ICE CREAM. 

Out of all of the bakeries in Japan that I have listed in this post, Kagetsudo is my favourite.

What can I say? I treasure it in my heart and can’t seem to let go. If you’re wanting to try some of the best melonpan, a visit to this delightful establishment is a must.

You can make a day of it by visiting Senso-ji Temple and surrounding places in Asakusa. Just be sure to put tasting melonpan from Kagetsudo high up on the to-do list.

Find it: 2-7-13 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo

Bakeries in Japan

There are SO many bakeries in Japan that are worth visiting. Literally thousands. All of varying styles offering a variety of baked goods. I aimed to recommend a handful from different areas – not just bakeries in Tokyo – as I have experience travelling and living in other parts of Japan.

I’m hoping that if you’re visiting Japan, you’re considering the slightly less tourist-y places alongside the usual classic spots. A good balance of both makes for a well-rounded trip. 

Nagoya and Shizuoka are some of the less tourist-y cities, but both mean a lot to me. They shouldn’t be missed! Wherever you go on during your time in Japan, I hope it’s as rich an experience for you as it was for me. Take some time to check out the bakeries wherever you are in the country; you won’t regret it.

Yeah, I hear you asking it. Why seven recommendations? Seven’s a lucky number in Japan. It feels right.

Let me know in the comments what your favourite bakeries in Japan are! If you have memories from your time in Japan or hopes for your trip there, please share them, too!

Polite Reminder

Recently, there have been reports of tourists behaving poorly whilst travelling in Japan. This has been an issue for some time, but is unfortunately worsening. Such poor behaviour by tourists is disrespectful to both the country and to the locals, and is no longer being tolerated. 

It is being reported that, as a result of this, Japan is having to take action by limiting access to parts of the country to tourists. This is very sad news and is something that could be totally avoided.

Before visiting this stunning country, please do your research. Make sure you know what is culturally, socially and legally acceptable in Japan and follow those rules. Be respectful of the locals and of your surroundings, even if there are some practices or rules that you don’t agree with.

Please be mindful of how you behave. It is entirely possible to have fun and be completely respectful at the same time! Being able to say phrases like “excuse me”, “thank you”, and “please” in Japanese can go a long way.

You can find guidance on the proper basic etiquette to follow in Japan here. This JNTO article is also a good starting point. For further information on travelling respectfully in Japan, Responsible Travel is a good source.

Disclaimer: This list is not to be understood as factual. The post contains only suggestions based on the author’s own tastes and experiences. As each individual is unique, there is no guarantee that the reader will like these recommendations and no guarantee should be taken from this post. Whether or not the reader enjoys the recommendations made on this list is their decision and their prerogative.