Kurashiki Bread and Drinks (held March 23 and 24, 2024) 〜 Bread for snacks! A lineup of distinctive breads that pair perfectly with drinks

At Kurashiki Mirai Park, right beside the north exit of JR Kurashiki Station, a variety of events are held on weekends.
After shopping at MITSUI OUTLET PARK Kurashiki or Ario Kurashiki, it’s easy to drop by, so I often stop in while I’m out shopping.

The other day (March 24, 2024), a market called “Kurashiki Bread and Drinks” was being held, so I stopped by on my way home from shopping.

Despite the unsettled weather, with rain coming and going, “Kurashiki Bread and Drinks” drew quite a crowd. Here’s what the event was like.

The information provided was current when this article was published in April 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.

What is “Kurashiki Bread and Drinks”?

“Kurashiki Bread and Drinks” was an event held at Kurashiki Mirai Park on Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24, 2024.

As its name suggests, it’s an event where you can enjoy bread and alcoholic drinks, with 41 food and retail vendors from the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu regions.

There were not only savory options such as hamburgers and pizza, but also shops selling sweets like muffins and baked goods, as well as cafes serving freshly brewed coffee. Check the image below for details about the vendors.

It’s an event where you can enjoy all kinds of bread and drink pairings, such as pizza with wine or hot dogs with beer.

Snacks other than bread were also on sale, so it looks especially enjoyable for people who like alcoholic drinks.

What the event was like

I went on Saturday, March 23, but unfortunately it was raining.
I waited for a break in the rain and wandered around the market.

There were many families with children at the venue, as well as people looking for bread for breakfast the next morning. Although it was an event where you could enjoy alcoholic drinks, the atmosphere made it easy for even non-drinkers to join in. I was surprised by how many people were there despite the bad weather.

Some people were eating and drinking as they walked around, but with the weather so unsettled, I decided to get takeout and enjoy it at home.

I set out to look for bread and drinks that I could take home.

“Graham Market” Garlic French Bread

First, as I was looking for a main snack, I came across a shop selling a wide variety of bread.
Each item was individually wrapped, so it looked like I could take some home.

The shop was called Graham Market. It’s a bakery in Okayama City.

I saw a customer buying several at once, saying, “I’ll take four of those breads,” and got curious, so I decided to buy some here too.

The sweet buns and sandwich bread were tempting, but I chose garlic French bread, which seemed like it would go well with drinks. It looked delicious, with generous chunks of filling.

Baked goods were also on sale next to the bread. They were from Awäito Confectionery, a sweets shop that only operates out of shared spaces. Sweets you can only find at events—how rare!

“s.tart.inn” Amanatsu Tart

Now that I had some savory bread, I went looking for something sweet.

As I walked around the venue, I spotted a vendor wearing a stylish straw hat. I was drawn to the rows of tarts and the vendor’s cheerful smile, so I decided to stop by.

s.tart.inn, which sells tarts and quiches, had come from Fukuoka.

There were tarts in various flavors, including chocolate, lemon cream cheese, and apple. But when the vendor said, “Amanatsu is in season right now,” I chose the amanatsu tart without hesitation.

It was palm-sized, but looked substantial, and I was looking forward to trying it.

“LUCE wine＆tapas” Bologna Ham

Since I had the chance, I wanted to buy some snacks besides bread, so I decided to get ham from a shop called LUCE wine＆tapas.

LUCE wine＆tapas is a wine bar in Kurashiki City.

There was a ham slicer at the stall, so it looked like I could buy freshly sliced ham.

There were three kinds of ham, and as I was trying to decide which to buy, the vendor asked, “What kind of bread did you get? We recommend choosing ham to go with your bread.”

After consulting with the vendor, I chose the Bologna ham (the one in the middle in the photo below). It’s fun to be able to choose while chatting with the vendors—something unique to events like this.

“Oroi Brewing” Koero Pilsner

Once I had all the snacks I needed, I went to buy a drink to finish up.

Wine and cocktails were also on sale, but I decided to buy craft beer from Oroi Brewing, a brewery in Kagawa. I’d actually had my eye on the refrigerator packed with cans of beer for a while.

There were four types of craft beer, and they had brought varieties that pair perfectly with bread for this event.

I couldn't decide which one to get, so I told the staff what snacks I had bought and what kind of beer I liked, and they recommended “Koero Pilsner.” I was excited to find out what it would taste like, since it was my first time trying it.

Enjoying drinks at home with takeout bread

As soon as I got home, I enjoyed the bread and drinks I had bought.

First, since I was parched, I tried the craft beer. It was crisp and clean on the palate, with no strong flavors, so I could easily imagine drinking it down.

I reheated the garlic French bread in the toaster before eating it. The plump scallops and richly flavored cheese went well with the refreshing craft beer. It was a very satisfying snack, packed with toppings.

The freshly sliced Bologna ham was drizzled with olive oil and tasted just like something you'd eat at a restaurant. It also paired perfectly with the bread and drinks.

The Amanatsu tart, which I had in place of dessert, had nuts in the crust and was, as expected, a satisfyingly substantial sweet treat.

It's nice to be able to enjoy it warm at home, straight from the toaster.

It made for a slightly indulgent and enjoyable weekend lunch.

From the Writer

I thought “bread and drinks” would be an event attended by people who love alcohol, but I also saw families with children choosing snacks and homemakers buying bread for breakfast. With such a variety of customers, it was easy to take part even on my own.

The conversations with the shop staff were lively, making for an enjoyable shopping experience. Kurashiki Bread and Drinks seems to have been held several times in the past, so I’m looking forward to the next one.

Be sure to check out the weekend events at Kurashiki Mirai Park, an easy place to visit.