Bread Shop Tour in Kyoto

May 17, 2019

Yuka Yamazaki Riko Adachi, and Taiga Fukushima

Do you know that Kyoto is actually being evaluated that the level of bread is high in the image of Japanese food? Indeed, long-established shops that have continued since the Showa era also have recently been built Bou Lingerie Kyoto’s bakery shop has many exaggerated shops in materials and manufacturing methods. It is a restaurant that never blows hands and makes careful bread making. It is also a harsh food place. However, there are too many tourists who do not know the bread in Kyoto. Therefore, this time we will introduce a baker who also accepted the chef who knows the taste even in the bakery in Kyoto. And we will teach you how to eat delicious bread, charm.

The first shop is Bremen. This bakery is founded in 1977 and is located in Iwakura. Wooden toys are decorated and breads are arranged in a familiar store. For side dishes popular among junior high school students, consider the health of people who eat up to authentic French bread. Some people visit from other prefectures for the sake of bread being made sincerely. And not only bread but also freely available coffee and homemade bread crumbs service. It is a wonderful consideration. Especially recommended among the many breads is the vegetable Focaccia. Bread using eggplants, lotus root, mushrooms and other seasonal vegetables. It is a dish that is satisfactory enough to eat easily and nourish. It is recommended to bake this bread thoroughly in an oven for about 3 minutes and bake until the edge bread becomes savory. It is near from the station Iwakura Hieidentestu so you can easily go.

The second shop is Fiveran. This bakery is founded in 2015 and located in Karasumaoike. The shop is really fashionable space and easy to enter even by one person. Breads are arranged in a familiar store. For side dishes among Housewife groups and kids, consider the sweets. Some people visit from other prefectures for cream bread. This bread can buy 5 for each. Cream bread is really popular bread in this bakery. Cream bread is a rich cream like a pudding cream bread with a texture that melts dough with fluffy. Fiveran has eat in space so you can take a break of around the walk in Kyoto with Delicious coffee. Cream bread is not the only recommended bread here. Mentaiko French bread is also one of the recommended breads. A popular stick type mentaiko, this is not a French but a little baguette size bread is used and it fills in the mentaiko on the surface and it is packed tightly inside this thoroughfare. It is near from the station Karasumaoikae subway so you can easily go.

The third shop is TAMAKITEI. This bakery is founded in 2015 and located in Uji. The shop is really calm down atmosphere space. The store manager has strong commitment. Breads are manage the dough and check all the stages until baking, continue to make it throughout the day in a fresh state. That is the stance of Tamakitei, refusing to open a department store or opening a store in a commercial facility, and not doing any Internet mail order is stunned. The unnaturally processed food has bad aftertaste and it is bunched into the bread or kneaded in, so no matter how much time it took time to spoil the bread itself.

Domestic production in Tama Tatei, Overseas Production (Europe and Canada) We have selected high-quality materials. You can enjoy a lot of bread not many other bakeries, such as bread using bread and fruit using tea which is a specialty of Uji. Japanese chestnut bread is really popular bread in this shop. It is a fabric of hard system, but it is not too hard, the outside is a crunchy texture. The inside is dusty. Excellent compatibility with Japanese chestnut and condensed cream and bread. It is near the Oubakueki JR Uji so you can easy to go.

How about going to a bakery where you can go soon as you get tired of walking in Kyoto sightseeing and meet your stomach and relax? Please find your favorite bread and have fun with coffee and tea.

Great Bread around Karasuma Station

by Kensei Iizuka, Yuta Kobayashi and Takanori Tsuhako

As you know, Kyoto has a lot of traditional Japanese food that is popular with tourists. However, do you know that bread is really popular with people in Kyoto? In fact, bread consumption in Kyoto is No.1 in Japan. The reason why bread is so popular in Kyoto is due to its connection with craftsmen. There are a lot of busy craftsmen in Kyoto and bread is really easy for them to eat when they are working. In this article, we are going to introduce some great bakeries near Karasuma Station. This area is really flourishing so you can find not only bakeries but also many nice shops such as souvenir shops, clothing store and so on. Enjoy the metropolitan side of Kyoto and great local bread in this area.




Sizuya is a famous bakery, which since 1948, has captured the hearts of Kyoto residents. Anyone who was born or grew up in Kyoto can’t but love their bread. There are 22 locations in Kyoto prefecture and the site that we visited this time is located in Shijo-Karasuma in the very heart of the city. This shop is very accessible as it is inside Shijo-Karasuma Station, and you can find it quickly as soon as you exit from the ticket gates. The most famous bread in Sizuya is the Karne -a sandwich with ham, fresh onion and soft margarine. It is very simple but delicious.




Shinshindo is known as a bakery pioneer in Kyoto. It was established in 1913, making it 35 years older than Sizuya and the oldest bakery in Kyoto. There are 12 locations in Kyoto; however, some stores don’t just sell bread. Some have a restaurant where you can enjoy lunch or dinner, and others have a coffee shop inside where you can enjoy super fresh bread and excellent coffee. You can walk there in about 5 minutes from Hankyu-Karasuma Station, so you can take a break and enjoy great bread and coffee before or after exploring Shijo. The most popular bread in Shinshindo is said to be their rich buttery croissant. Outside is very crunchy and the inside is super soft. The beautiful flavor of the butter spreads out in your mouth as soon as you bite it. It must be one of the best croissants in Kyoto.


Grandir Kyoto


This bakery has a cool and trendy appearance with a simple black exterior, and inside there is a wide range of bread on display. Grandir Kyoto opened about 30 years ago and specializes in bagels and panini. People who want to eat a nice bagel or fresh panini should visit there. There are 5 locations in Kyoto and also 3 locations in Nagoya. The shop that we visited is near Kyoto-Shiyakusho-Mae Station (Subway- Tozai Line) and is easy to get to from Kawaramachi or Karasuma. When you open the stylish door and go in, you are surrounded by the pleasant smell of fresh bread. You can choose from a lot of different kinds of bagels as you can see in the photo: cocoa, cream cheese and so on. Just picking which bagel you want is fun. You can also order fresh paninis which the shop staff make to order in front of you. So, you can enjoy a really tasty fresh panini there.


Kin-iro Kyoto

Kin-iro Kyoto, was launched just recently in April 2018. It is getting a lot of attention from young people. There are only two kinds of bread, both of which are cream buns. One is called kin-iro which has rich cream and plenty of Canadian honey. It looks really gorgeous because it is decorated with pieces of gold leaf on the top. The other cream bun is called kuro-iro. Kuro means “black” in Japanese, so it is a black cream bun with cacao and coffee in the bread dough. Inside of the bun, you can taste Guatemala coffee’s honey in the custard and cream made from high-class eggs from Oita prefecture. The harmonization of the bread dough made by cocoa and coffee with the rich cream will blow your tongue away!

Kyoto Bakery Market

This bakery is perfect for people who are downtown shopping and don’t want to walk around too much just to find some decent bread. It is on the 7th floor of Marui Department Store near Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu-Kyoto Line). The best thing about this store is that you can find a selection of great bread from various bakeries in Kyoto. You don’t need to spend time and energy going to each bakery to sample their speciality bread. Also, you can take a break and have a coffee in the rest area attached to the bakery. In other words, here is like a culmination of what Kyoto’s bakeries have to offer.

【Information for Sizuya】

Sizuya is in front of the subway ticket gates in Shijo Station. You can also easily access it from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Railway. The ticket gates are on the lower basement floor. If you come from the ground level, please take the stairs or escalator down. The opening hours are from 7:30am to 9:00pm, and they are closed on January 1st.

【Information for Shinshindo】

You can walk to Shinshindo in about 5 minutes from either Karasuma Station or Shijo Station heading north-east. Diagonally opposite, there is a park that has a playground. Shinshindo has lovely trees and plants, so you can easily find it. Opening hours are 7:30am to 8:00pm. The days when the bakery is closed varies.

【Information for Grandir Kyoto】

Grandir Kyoto is a smaller bakery than others. The closest station is Kyoto Shiyakusyo Mae (Kyoto City Hall) Station; however, you can walk from Kawaramachi. If you go there from Kawaramachi, please head north. It’s about a 15-minute walk. This bakery is next to Kyoto City Hall. You will see bicycles parked in front of the bakery. The opening hours are 8:00am to 7:00pm. The days when the bakery is closed varies.

【Information for Kin-iro Kyoto】

Kin-iro Kyoto is on Sanjo Street. You can walk from Kyoto Shiyakusyo Mae (Kyoto City Hall) Station (10-minute walk) or Kawaramachi Station and Karasuma Station (15-minute walk). The bakery doesn’t have any space to eat inside. The opening hours are 11:00am to 7:00pm. The bakery is closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

【Information for Kyoto Bakery Market】

Go to the 7th floor in Marui Department Store, which is on Shijo Street opposite the Disney Store. There are lots of tables and chairs where you can eat. If you are tired of shopping, you can take a rest here. Opening hours are 11:00am to 8:00pm. The bakery is closed when Marui is closed.



Kyoto bakery


Kyoto is said to have the highest bread consumption in Japan. Kyoto has many bakeries and the consumption is the best in Japan.　It is also known that there are many delicious bakeries.　These are some recommended bakeries.


Le Petit Mech

The most popular bakery in Kyoto is “Le Petit Mech.” It is a bakery with a nice look like a bakery on

France’s street corner “Le Petit Mech.” The appearance is red, and local people have nicknames it “red mech.” It is a popular, delicious and tasty bakery shop. The shop is crowded with customers all the time. The bread is made by the owner, who was trained in France. French pastries are acclaimed around the world.

Business days are Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays. The inside of the shop is fancy, and decorated with many French images. French movie posters are on the walls, along with messages from customers from all over the world.　There is an eat-in space with red gingham check tablecloth, and it is crowded with lots of people from early in the morning. Either with coffee or French beer, you can have delicious bread. The most popular pastry at Le Petite Mech is “Bacon Shrimp” which includes bacon, shrimp and black pepper.  This is so simple, but so popular in this bakery.

Next is baguette. This bread is made with a low temperature, so the smell is very good with a crisp exterior.

This bread costs 262 yen and it is 60 cm in length.


Kyoto City Kyoto-shi Kamigyo-ku Imadegawa-ku Oomiya Nishi Ima 159 Roh Minami Kitaokicho

To go to this bakery, you take a bus [203] and get [go to Nishikibayashisyakomae] bus and get off at Imadegawaoomiya bus stop. Then, continue 140m on foot.


Grandieres Oike

A long-established Kyoto store is “Grandieres Oike shop”.

“Grandieres Oike shop” has a chic, calm and nice appearance. It is a long-established bakery which has been beloved in Kyoto since long ago. While taking over the old taste, it continues to make more delicious bread every day.

Various types of sandwiches are popular. This shop in the business area has many breads and good for lunch. For example, a burger with plenty of ingredients. You can also eat the bread you bought on the outside terrace. There are many kinds of delicious breads. The variety of breads is said to be the best in Kyoto. The most popular bread is “panini shrimp & avocado” for ¥460. Shrimp, avocado, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and basil sauce are included.

Bagels are also popular. They have a very nice scent and the  texture is wonderful. It is recommended to use the bagels for sandwiches.



Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto City Nakagyo-ku Teramachi Oike Shimuru Ueonbonnji-mae cho 480-2 1F

To get to this bakery, you take the subway Karasuma line, and get off at the Kyoutoshiyakushomae station. From this station, 2 minutes on foot.



Another popular bakery is Tamakitei. This bakery is in Uji.


Inside the shop is filled with the fragrance of freshly baked bread. It looks like delicious bread. There are lots of bread with individuality and impact. Every one seems to be really tasty. Although I don’t usually have such strong urges about food, in this shop I want to eat everything. One of the popular breads of the shop is “Panshue”. This is bread baked with a lot of bacon and potatoes. The taste of pepper, garlic butter, and parsley is makes it a flavorful meal. A fragrant, tasty baguette is another attractive specialty. Even though it has a deep taste, there is lightness, and when you start eating you won’t feel like stopping until the bread is consumed.

Also, the “cream croissant” is so delicious. It costs 230 yen. It has handcrafted custard and cream. This bread is campagne, so it is very delicious. This bakery is the only one that uses these ingredients.　 In addition, this bakery has a refrigerated corner. There is bread available only at this refrigeration corner.　 There are many breads with unique names such as Kanyane (クニャーネ), Ujibashi Dori, and Tan Tan France.　 Kanyane has a very good texture. Ujigashi dori smells of tea. Tan tan France uses black beans. so, you can feel the taste of Japan.　Please do try it once.



〒611-0011Kyoto Prefecture Uji-shi Gokenjo Hirano 57-14

to get this bakery, you take JR Nara line and get off at the Oubaku station. From this station, the bakery is 5 minutes on foot.


These three bakeries are so popular, but in Kyoto there are other delicious bakeries. When you visit Kyoto, please try to go to bakeries.



SIZUYA~Kyoto’s Bakery with Heart



図2Although Japan is typically known as a culture of rice, the consumption of bread has been steadily growing over the past several decades. Bread has become so popular that Kyoto boasts the most bakeries per capita of any city in Japan. One of the oldest and most famous bakeries in Kyoto is Sizuya, which opened its first store on Kawaramachi Street in 1948.

Last year Sizuya cerebrated its 65th year in business.  Sizuya has many branches throughout the city and is popular not only among Kyotoites, but tourists too. There is even a Sizuya branch near our university. The popularity of some of Sizuya’s products has been the result of features done on it by popular TV programs, magazines and newspapers. We decided we wanted to talk to a store manager and find out more about why Sizuya has been so successful.

Naoko Iura

Naoko Iura





Naoko Iura is the manager of a new Sizuya branch named Kotochika. It is located in front of the gates for the subway line at Kyoto Station. In spite of the fact it was early morning, Ms Iura took time from her busy schedule to have an interview with us. She always wears an attractive smile for customers and is full of energy. We could tell she maintains good relationships with other staff members because we felt the store had such an easy-going atmosphere.





KAHO NISHIURA: Why do people have an image that if the bread is from Kyoto then it is Sizuya bread?


NAOKO IURA: Because the head store is in Kyoto. Although there are some shops in Osaka and Shiga. Also, Sizuya first opened in downtown Kyoto where a lot of people go shopping. Kyoto consumes the most amount of bread of any city in Japan. They have a very long history, since 1948. So the residents of Kyoto have come to love bread.



AKARI YAMAMOTO: What are the special characteristics of Sizuya?

Every month seven to nine new products are released. We also have a wide variety of sandwiches for sale. You can buy Sizuya bread anytime because there are many stores throughout the city.



Why did Sizuya open only in Kyoto Prefecture?

Ever since the establishment of our first store, Kyoto citizens have loved and supported us. From now on we, the department of management, have been thinking that we should somehow contribute to society in the future. It’s added value that you can’t buy in any other place. Also Kyoto strengthens the brand.




図7 Why is Shizuya best known for its “carnet”?


To start with, Sizuya was picked up in a popular TV show called “Himitsu-no-kenmin Show!” and then we  appeared on other TV programs and in magazines. Our carnet was featured, so it became widely known all over Japan.






How many items of bread do you make?

I can’t answer exactly, but within our products, there are about 100-110 different kinds of breads and sweet-rolls. There are about 20-30 different kinds of sandwiches. So about 120~140 items in total.



Does each shop have different kinds of bread?

Best-selling products such as sweet rolls and sandwiches are sold in every shop, but the number of products that can be sold in each shop is different because each shop is different in size and space. The shops that have big floor space deploy many kinds of products. However the shops that have a kitchen, or are close to a Sizuya factory, or shops in the station, sometimes sell their own original breads and sandwiches.


How many foreign people come to  KOTOCHIKA KYOTO in a day?

About 50 people.


How many Sizuya outlets are in department stores and supermarkets like AEON?

 There are 24 shops.


Which is the most popular selling shop?

The shop in Kyoto Station.



What is the difference of Sizuya and Sizuya Pan?

Sizuya is a bakery that provides safe and delicious breads to the people of Kyoto. It has sweet rolls and sandwiches. Even deserts are developed there. Some of its stores have a small café where people can eat and have coffee or tea. On the other hand, Sizuya Pan is another brand which has the phrases “a small present” and “ connecting people and heart.” It is run as a specialty store for anpan, buns with sweet-bean paste inside. Sizuya Pan collaborated with a famous designer to come up with stickers and the product’s package. Also, shops are totally different from existing Sizuya shops and they are designed with simple white and black colors.



Why do you think Sizuya has continued to be loved for 65 years? 

Because the policy of our founder, Mokoto Hori, has been taken to heart by all of our staff. It is…

1. to care your health.

2. business is not just a business; sell with your heart.

3. when deciding the price of  a product think from the position of the customer.

4. do not forget shops are there for the customers.

5. give your cooperation and make an effort to improve your skills.


That is wonderful! Thank you for your time.