Though Hokkaido is known for its snow festivals, ski resorts, and fresh seafood, that isn’t all that the region has to offer. The northernmost island of Japan is also home to superb baked goods and pastries. To help you get your carb fix, we’ve sniffed out some of the best bakeries in Hokkaido that are well-worth the trip and your dough.
Image credit: @echoooo520
Situated in a quiet forest in Biei, Likka Lokka is a cozy bakery that specialises in bagels. The humble woodland bakery prides itself on using locally sourced, quality ingredients such as wheat from Biei, natural yeast, salt, and beet sugar.
Image credit: @nagase.hiroki
Beet sugar is said to be lower in the glycaemic index and it’s a good substitute for granulated white sugar. This means those who are watching their diet need not worry as much about their sugar intake.
Image credit: @hachikuboshogo
The bagels are priced ¥210 (~USD1.98) each and customers can take their pick from a variety of flavours. Besides the usual offerings, Likka Lokka also sells unique flavours such as bean paste with walnut and Japanese leek with cheese. To make it a more filling meal, simply top up ¥390 (~USD3.68) for the soup of the day.
French toast bagel with vanilla ice cream
Image credit: @pookdailydelicious
If you’re craving something sweet, go for their signature french toast bagel (¥690, ~USD6.51) that’s served warm with vanilla ice cream on the side.
Image credit: @saachiin
There’s ample space both indoors and outdoors for customers to dine in and enjoy their food while gazing at the spacious meadow.
Image adapted from: @cafeandbook
Address: 1 Chome-5-50 Bibaushiminami, Biei, Kamikawa District, 071-0462 Hokkaido
Opening hours: Tue – Sat 10AM-3PM (Closed on Mondays and Sundays) (Apr-Nov) | Wed – Sat 10AM-3PM (Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays) (Dec-Mar)
Telephone: 0166-73-4865
Website
Image credit: @yuki__hanada
Aigues Vives is located on a small hill overlooking the sea, away from the city centre of Otaru. The best way to get here is by car, but you can also hop on a bus from Otaru Station and alight at Oshoro station. Despite its inaccessible location, many flock to Aigues Vives to get a taste of their bread that’s baked in a wood-fired oven.
Image adapted from: @kotoringo82
Before setting up Aigues Vives, owner Takayoshi Tanno travelled to Europe and came across countless bakeries making bread using wood-fired ovens. Inspired by this, he decided to set up a similar store in Oshoro in 2000.
When you arrive at Aigues VIves and walk up the small flight of cobblestone stairs, you’ll see firewood, which is meant for the oven, piled up at the back of the store.
Croissant
Image credit: @___.sayu
Depending on when you visit the bakery, Aigues Vives has seasonal offerings. In the summer, tomatoes are used to make bread, while in fall, apple-flavoured bread is sold. The bakery also sells stollen (fruit bread) for Christmas and Galette des Rois (almond pastry) during the New Year.
But if you can have only one pick, we recommend getting their croissant (¥240, ~USD2.29). Thanks to the perfectly laminated dough, Aigues Vives’ rendition of the iconic French pastry is flaky and crispy on the outside while the interior remains fluffy and light. In every buttery bite, you can taste the smoky fragrance of the firewood.
Image credit: @takako_1024
There’s no seating area in the store, but you can hang around and admire the view of the sea while munching on your bread. The bakery closes once they sell out, so head there early if you don’t want to be disappointed.
Address: 1-195 Oshoro, Otaru-shi, 048-2561 Hokkaido
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 11.30AM-6PM (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Telephone: 0134-64-2800
Image credit: @hayashi_minami_cow
Kokopelli is a popular bakery located in Souen, a quiet residential area in Sapporo. Though it’s crowded throughout the day, the bakery is especially swamped at 11AM, which is when they open. Customers will come to collect the bread that they’ve reserved in advance, so it’s best to avoid visiting the bakery then.
Image credit: @marutsuru0520
According to their website, the owner of Kokopelli used to work at the Hilton Hotel in Osaka. Due to his child’s health problems, he moved to Sapporo with his family and subsequently set up a bakery. Now, the shop is run by him and his wife.
Mentai Baguette
Image credit: @inorin8888
Kokopelli sells mainly hard bread, but there are a myriad of other options available, including sweet breads and bread with fruits and nuts. Depending on the ingredients used, the price of their bread ranges between ¥200- ¥400 (~USD1.91-USD3.81).
One of their bestsellers is the Mentai Baguette (¥260, ~USD2.48), in which a small baguette is cut in half and filled with mentaiko (pollock roe).
Image credit: @ryoryoo0327
For those who have a sweet tooth, pick up sweet pastries such as the Custard Danish (¥220, ~USD2.10) or the Cinnamon Roll (¥200, ~USD1.91). Reservations can be made over the phone so if you’re pressed for time, drop them a call to place your order and collect the bread when it’s ready.
Image adapted from: @mochifuwa07
Address: 18-4-10 Kita 7 West, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, 060-0007 Hokkaido
Opening hours: Tue – Sat 11AM-6PM (Closed on Mondays)
Telephone: 011-887-8118
Website
Image credit: @kohta_low
First established as a coffee store in 1983, Donguri is now a popular bakery in Sapporo selling bread, side dishes, and salads at affordable prices. They operate 10 stores in Sapporo – seven of them have a cafe space where you can dine in, while the remaining stores operate on a takeaway basis.
Image credit: @yasquall
In October 2020, Donguri even forayed into onigiri-making and started a rice ball speciality store right next to their branch in Odori.
Image credit: @bella_naia
Donguri puts out over 170 types of bread daily, so to help you along, we’ve picked out some of the must-tries. The best-selling item is the chikuwa bread (¥167, ~USD1.58), which resembles a hot dog bun at first sight. But instead of a hot dog in the centre, a chikuwa (竹輪; tube-shaped fish paste cake) is stuffed with tuna and encased in the fluffy bun.
According to their website, the chikuwa bread was born because customers requested for a moreish and savoury bread.
Image adapted from: @donguri.official and @donguri.official
Donguri regularly releases limited edition bread in special designs. Some of the designs they’ve released so far include Halloween-themed bread, Anpanman bun, and adorable porcupine bread.
Image credit: @pan_mi_5
Sapporo Odori Store
Address: 1F Le Troyes, 1-13 Odori Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0042 Hokkaido
Opening hours: 10AM-9PM, Daily
Telephone: 011-210-5252
Website
Image credit: @jill.juicy
A little less than an hour’s drive away from Sapporo and en route to Asahikawa is Bibai City, a small city that’s famous for its rice production. Founded in 1996, Sugiura Bakery is best known for their mochi-like bread and chiffon cake that’s made with Bibai rice flour.
Image credit: @bibaikanko
Typically in baking, rice flour is rarely used for bread making as it is gluten-free. This means that bread that’s made using rice flour is likely to be dense and unable to hold its shape, since it’s the presence of gluten that allows the dough to rise.
However, after years of trial and error, Sugiura Bakery managed to come up with a recipe that yields bread with a chewy yet light bite. The bakery uses 85% rice flour for their bread, with an additional 15% wheat gluten to achieve its signature fluffy texture.
Image credit: @d24holic
More than 60 types of bread are baked in-store daily. But for more variety, visit Sugiura Bakery on the weekends when more than 100 types of bread are baked and sold.
Aside from savoury baked goods, many go for their chiffon cakes. Thanks to the addition of rice flour, the chiffon cakes sold at Sugiura Bakery are softer and chewier than the average sponge cake. Prices for the cakes start from ¥189 (~USD1.78) onwards and they come in a variety of flavours such as matcha and pumpkin.
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The bakery is located along the highway but they have parking space, a spacious dine-in area, and clean toilets. Do drop by for a pit stop if you’re on a road trip.
Address: 1192-5 Bibai, 072-0009, Hokkaido
Opening hours: 9AM-6PM, Daily
Telephone: 0126-64-2089
Website
Image credit: @altezza0123
Translated literally as “sound of wheat” (麦音), Mugioto is the flagship bakery of Masuya Shoten, a popular chain bakery that’s based in Tokachi. The bakery prides itself on using only wheat sourced from Tokachi, one of the largest wheat producers in Hokkaido and Japan.
Image credit: @mmmuusaarun
Besides an assortment of freshly baked bread, pastries, and fried donuts, Masuya Mugioto Bakery also sells stone-baked pizzas.
Totori cheese bread (right).
Image credit: @mmmuusaarun
If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer variety of bread, look out for their bestselling torori cheese bread (¥250, ~USD2.36), a soft bun that’s filled and topped with five types of cheese.
Image credit: @photomaru__
After you’ve bought your bread, head over to their huge patio where you can enjoy your food whilst taking in the view. Customers who’ve purchased bread are entitled to one free drink at their drinks bar, which means that you can use the extra bucks saved to get more bread.
Farmer’s market.
Image credit: @team_yumyum
Mugioto is open the whole year round, but we recommend paying a visit anytime between late May to early November. During this period, a small farmers’ market called “Bio Marche, where fresh locally produced vegetables are sold, is set up from 11AM to 1PM daily outside the bakery.
Image credit: @mugioto
Address: Minami 8 Sen-16-43 Inadacho, Obihiro, 080-0831, Hokkaido
Opening hours: 6.55AM-7PM, Daily
Telephone: 0155-67-4659
Website
Image credit: @chan.kir
Located at the foot of Mt. Okura, Boulangerie La fontaine de Lourdes is a humble bakery that sells French-style bread using levain, a type of fermented natural leavening agent that’s typically used in sourdough-making.
Image credit: @sapporo_aika
Though the bakery is small, they produce around 30 types of European-style hard crust bread and croissants daily. All baked goods are left to ferment for a long period of time, so you can taste their distinctive tanginess.
Image credit: @fika_life
Opened in 2006, the bakery has remained popular among locals and residents living in the area. According to their website, the owner used to work for Maison Kayser, a renowned artisanal bakery based in Paris.
That’s where the owner picked up the techniques and skills needed to layer dough perfectly. So when you’re there, give their croissant (¥210, ~USD1.98) or pain au chocolat (¥220, ~USD2.08) a try.
Image credit: @sachi_m
Address: 12 Chome-10-1 Miyanomori 4 Jo, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, 064-0954, Hokkaido
Opening hours: Thur – Fri 10AM-6PM | Sat & Sun 8.30AM-6PM (Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays)
Telephone: 0116-16-2320
Website
Image credit: @krm_319
Nestled at the end of a narrow nondescript alley, Marumugi sells bread that are made with 100% organic Hokkaido wheat flour. The yeast used is also organic natural yeast imported from Germany.
Image credit: @wakamai
Though the small bakery can only accommodate up to three customers at a time, you don’t have to bump shoulders to browse through the store. A daily selection of bread is displayed on the wooden bread shelf that’s adjacent to the entrance. If you peep through the glass, you can even see the bakers hard at work in the kitchen.
Image credit: @wakamai
For something versatile, go for the Marumugi shokupan, a fluffy white loaf of bread that goes great with jam and butter. You can get them either whole (¥680, ~USD6.42) or halved (¥340, ~USD3.21).
Image credit: @bagelholic1584
Besides their hearty shokupan, the bakery’s small bread selection includes soft bread, buttery pastries, and crusty European-style breads which cost between ¥130- ¥330 (~USD1.23-USD3.12).
Image adapted from: @dolly_1231
Address: 26 Chome-2-24 Minami 3 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, 064-0803, Hokkaido
Opening hours: Wed – Sun 7AM-6PM (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Telephone: 0116-99-6467
Image credit: @syokora0404
Jozankei may be well-known as a hot spring town and a day trip destination from Sapporo, but the town actually has a hidden gem undiscovered by tourists: it is also home to Vergine Baccano, one of the most popular bakeries in the region.
Image credit: @tomo_1101_
After having a cozy soak at Jozankei Onsen, make a pit stop at the bakery for a midday snack. Handmade bread is baked daily in the stone oven that’s located just outside the bakery.
Image adapted from: @tks310
Bread that’s baked in a stone oven tends to have a lower percentage of water, which yields a chewier texture and thicker crust. The special oven also imparts a lovely earthy aroma of firewood and makes the wheat flavour more fragrant. And that’s why Vergine Baccano’s bakes are so coveted.
Image credit: @moon_nannu
Around 30 types of bread are sold at the bakery, including wholegrain bread, croissants (¥220, ~USD2.08), and pain de campagne (¥1,000, ~USD9.44). As Vergine Baccano is wildly popular among locals, they often sell out by early afternoon, so make sure to visit early if you can.
Image credit: @myuchinn
Address: 1 Chome−63−4 Minami Ward, Jozankei Onsen Nishi, Sapporo, 061-2303 Hokkaido
Opening hours: 10AM-4PM, Daily
Telephone: 0118-39-5184
Whether it’s wood-fire baked croissants or fluffy shokupan loaves, these bakeries in Hokkaido are guaranteed to help you start the day right with a full stomach. Don’t miss out on these lovely yeasted creations when you’re sightseeing in the region.
For more articles related to bread, check these out:
Cover image adapted from (clockwise from left): @pookdailydelicious, @jill.juicy and @syokora0404
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