Kabutocho is a great starting point, where you can stretch your legs and visit plenty of places. The Nihonbashi area is flat and easy to traverse, with lots of great scenery to enjoy. Whether you are looking to visit a store that’s recently gained attention or to find your own private hideaway that only those in the know, know...... you’ll find that the area, its people, and its atmosphere will become more familiar to you as you enjoy your visit on foot.

VOL.1 introduces a wide variety of excellent bakeries in the Nihonbashi area. Be sure not to miss the five that we feature here, which are perfect for daily visits, or as a little treat for yourself or a loved one.

Since its opening in December 2022, Bakery bank has quickly grown to become one of the iconic faces of Kabutocho. When it first opened, Bakery bank, produced by Keisuke Oyama (the owner of well-known patisseries “ease” and “teal”) quickly attracted attention with its exceptional taste. They serve not only in sweet baked treats but also in savory breads with made with an assortment of fillings.

“The store is innovative and is not bound by stereotypes of what a bakery should be. Rather, Bakery bank is not afraid to challenge conventional baking,” says manager Sugai. “We don’t follow conventional bakery methodologies, and we put time and effort into areas that most bakeries don’t, such as kneading the dough for a long time to achieve a desired texture…….  We want to create a bread that is truly delicious and we strive to make bread that is beautiful, down to the very last layer.”

The bakery also pays careful attention to the ingredients and fillings used in each bread, making for a wide range of burgers and sandwiches that can be enjoyed as a meal on their own. The new Chicken Nanban Burger is a refreshing harmony of chicken flavored with salted lemon and a mild special tartar sauce. The shop also offers authentic scones with a crunchy outer layer and luxuriously heavy texture. The scone, alongside other breads, can also be topped with “teal” vanilla gelat, making for an especially luxurious experience. The shop hopes to make the most of its large floor space and is planning to host evening events in the future, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Bakery bank
6-7 Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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If you walk from Kabutocho toward Ningyocho, you will reach “BEAVER BREAD,” a bakery that more often than not, has a long line of people queueing up. Not only is it loved by the locals, but its bread can often be found in prominent Tokyo restaurants, including Neki in Kabutocho. In October 2023, a sister store will be opened in Station Tower, a new area of Toranomon Hills.

Once inside, you will notice how compact and cute the space is, which is full of many different types of bread. Manager Kaneko tells us, ‘Many of our so-called “standard” menu items are made with slightly unusual ingredients to create a playful atmosphere. For example, the dough of the staff’s most popular cinnamon rolls is kneaded with granulated cardamom to give it a more Finnish flavor. The bacon epi made with Aso Shizen Pork, which is raised by drinking the delicious water at the foot of the mountain, has a crispy, savory texture, followed by the juicy meat and sour taste of mustard, which is pleasant to the nose. The epi is thick enough to fit women’s and children’s mouths without difficulty, which may be one of the reasons why some customers come here for it.

The menu always offers 5 to 60 different kinds of food, which changes with the seasons. “We hope to become more familiar as a ‘bakery in town’ by focusing on sandwiches such as tartines with red bean butter, ham, and plenty of vegetables.”

BEAVER BREAD
3-4-3 Higashi Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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Located about a 10-minute walk from Kabutocho, Parklet is a café-bakery that overlooks a park. Fans come early in the morning to enjoy the abundant sunlight streaming in through the windows, the green scenery, and the natural chic interior that all blend together to create a harmonious atmosphere.

A popular menu item is avocado dukkah toast, which is made with signature country bread using natural yeast. The simple, yet complex bread is made with a blend of several kinds of Japanese flours, kneaded and baked using a traditional method carried over from California by the American husband and wife team. “It’s made with a perfect balance that really lets each of each ingredient shine,” says head baker Mizuno. The dukkah, a Middle Eastern-style mixed spice sprinkled on top of the avocado, is also available for purchase. Fujisawa, a manager, recommends the granola and yogurt from the morning menu. The thick yogurt is handmade in the kitchen and pairs perfectly with the rustic granola. For lunch, the gazpacho, made with fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs, is a must.

The café has a gallery space and frequently holds collaborative events with creators and other restaurants. “As a bakery, people tend to associate you with the mornings, but we’re thinking of expanding our food menu and pushing our offerings towards the evenings as well.”

Parklet
東京都中央区日本橋小舟町14-7 1F
1F, 14-7 Nihonbashi Kobunacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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Step into the Shinkawa area from Kayabacho and you’ll discover PARKER HOUSE BUTTER ROLL; a store specializing in butter rolls. Since opening it has attracted visitors from far and wide with its authentic taste and wide variety of menu items.

When the store first opened, the three members of the bakery who were relatively new to baking, pooled their wisdom. The store manager, Misawa, recalls,  “We went through a lot of trial and error to be sure that our bread wasn’t dry, we wanted the bread to maintain its moistness. We wanted to create something that was stress-free, with a soft texture and that had a good flavor and mouthfeel even a day after it was baked”. The secret behind the creamy mouthfeel is the water. “We compared different kinds of water and found that by using groundwater from Kanagi in Shimane Prefecture, with its soft, slightly alkaline acidity – we were able to adjust the flavor of the bread in a way that changing the butter or flour couldn’t. Of course, the rolls are still made with plenty of butter, giving the surface a crispy, yet juicy and rich texture.

In the café space at the back of the store, a Balmuda toaster is set up to ensure the highest quality taste from their bread. “We hope to release one new product a month. A hidden favorite is the ‘Butter Roll Soft’, which resembles a soft-serve ice cream cone made of bread. During the summer, we are also planning to offer a chilled butter roll with whipped cream inside that will be served frozen.” No matter what time of year you visit, you’re sure to find a new favorite.

PARKER HOUSE BUTTER ROLL
1F, 1-1-7 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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A gentle stroll along the Kamejima River, which runs between Kayabacho and Shinkawa, leads to Cawaii Bread & Coffee in Hatchobori. The space was created by an editorial team specializing in art and design, with the aim of ‘creating a genuine bakery and café space that matches the pleasant canal surroundings’.

The owner, Harada, used her research and editing skills to put together a team of bakers and baristas. However, in the absence of a baker, she decided to take on the task herself. And so she embarked on a journey to create a naturally fermented sourdough bread with natural yeast. “We wanted to create a bread that had natural flavors and that was low in allergens, and after a lot of trial and error, we finally perfected it.” Today, in the store’s glass-walled workshop, artisans expertly bake bread. The popular croissant has a crispy surface and is filled with a moist, multi-layered texture. The soft, yet chewy baguette made with high-quality ingredients is also recommended and the ham and cheese sandwich, which combines the tasty bread with fresh Iriya’s long-established ‘Ota Ham’, is also a must-try. The coffee is served as a dark roast from Kyoto’s Ooya Coffee Roasting Factory, which perfectly complements the bread on offer.

At the back of the cafe is a terrace overlooking the canal. The bakery also collaborates with a yakatabune (boat cruises) to offer bread, cheese, and beverages during river boat rides on an irregular basis. The bakery is a big part of the community and food culture of Hatchobori, often engaging in activities such as crowdfunding, and quickly becoming a key part of local life.

Cawaii Bread & Coffee
1F T&Y Building, 2-30-16 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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