Since the start of the 21st century, don’t you think there are more stylish, independently run bakeries than there were in the Showa era?
Bakeries lined with all kinds of delicious freshly baked bread are wonderful, aren’t they?
But don’t you also find shops selling sweet buns in nostalgic, old-fashioned packaging appealing, with their sense of nostalgia?
A bakery with the nostalgic feel of a “small neighborhood bread factory” can be found in Tamashima, Kurashiki City.
It is Tsukiyama Bakery (Tsukiyama Seipanjo).
Tsukiyama Bakery is on a street lined with long-established businesses, including Teshimaya, which makes Tate Sauce, the ohagi specialty shop Yamato, and Minamida Branch, a handmade croquette shop.
Tsukiyama Bakery has a history of more than 100 years since its founding.
For many years, it has made a variety of breads with nostalgic packaging designs and simple, comforting flavors.
Among them, its signature “Keshpan,” made since the bakery’s founding, has many fans, from adults to children, and is something of a soul food for Tamashima residents.
Let’s explore the appeal of this long-established bakery, Tsukiyama Bakery.
The information presented was current when this article was published in October 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Tsukiyama Bakery is a long-established bakery founded in 1912
Tsukiyama Bakery was founded in 1912.
It is one of Okayama Prefecture’s most venerable bakeries, with a history of more than 100 years.
In fact, it was originally founded in Osaka and moved to Tamashima after the war.
Since then, it has been loved by the local community, especially in Tamashima, and longtime customers affectionately call it “Tsukiyama Pan.”
▼The exterior has the old-fashioned look of a “neighborhood bread factory.”
▼Through the entrance is a small sales area.
▼The room next door is the bakery where the bread is made.
This is where the many popular breads are made.
The bakery was filled with the fragrant, sweet aroma of freshly baked bread.
The staff work quietly, making and packaging the bread.
▼Lots of delicious-looking freshly made bread was lined up.
▼Tsukiyama Bakery’s signature product is “Keshpan.”
It has been made since the bakery opened and is still by far its most popular bread.
You could almost say Tsukiyama Bakery is synonymous with “Keshpan.”
Tsukiyama Bakery bread is available at supermarkets and other stores around Tamashima
Tsukiyama Bakery’s main business is supplying bread to supermarkets and shops in Tamashima and the surrounding area.
You can find stores selling Tsukiyama bread at supermarkets around Tamashima and elsewhere.
Tsukiyama bread is also sold at Michiguchi Parking Area on the Sanyo Expressway, so stop by if you’re interested.
Although wholesale is Tsukiyama Bakery’s main business, you can also buy bread inside the bakery.
▼The interior of Tsukiyama Bakery is compact, and only some of its breads are on display.
If the bread you want isn’t on display, ask a staff member.
They’ll bring it from the bakery next door.
If you’re lucky, you might get some freshly baked bread.
However, items may be sold out.
If no staff are nearby, try ringing the intercom at the entrance.
▼There is also a list of the breads made by Tsukiyama Bakery on top of the display shelf.
Use it as a reference when ordering.
There are so many choices, it’s hard to decide.
Tsukiyama Bakery’s bread
Information current as of September 2020. Prices include consumption tax.
Tsukiyama Bakery makes many different kinds of bread.
What’s more, a bag of “Keshpan” costs 235 yen (including consumption tax), while all the other breads cost just 105 yen per bag (including consumption tax)!
It’s surprisingly affordable.
The packaging is also appealing, with every bread wrapped in a nostalgic, classic design reminiscent of the mid-Showa era.
All the breads look tempting, but let’s take a look at some of the popular and recommended ones.
“Keshpan” has been popular since the bakery’s founding
When you think of Tsukiyama, you think of “Keshian buns”!
That’s how beloved this Tsukiyama Bakery staple is.
▼Keshian buns are small, round breads.
They are about 6.5 centimeters in diameter and 4 centimeters tall.
▼Five are packed vertically in each bag.
There’s something so nostalgic and nice about this way of packing them, isn’t there?
▼The name “Keshian bun” comes from the poppy seeds sprinkled on top.
When you pick one up, it feels surprisingly heavy for such a small bun!
You’ll understand why when you try it.
The dough is fluffy when you bite into a Keshian bun.
▼And inside, it’s packed full of smooth red bean paste.
Since it was founded, Tsukiyama Bakery has been particular about the flavor of its smooth red bean paste.
The paste is smooth and just the right amount of sweet, not too sugary.
Its simple, old-fashioned sweetness is addictive.
The poppy seeds add a little crunch and a toasty aroma.
They make a lovely accent.
The paste has such a perfectly balanced sweetness and texture that you’ll want more.
Keshian buns are small, but deliver a satisfyingly rich flavor.
They’re small enough to be just right as a snack for children, too.
The harmony of the dough and red bean paste in the “Fried Bun” is addictive
The “Fried Bun” is also recommended.
Tsukiyama Bakery’s fried bun has a distinctive rugby-ball shape.
You might expect it to be greasy because it’s fried, but it’s surprisingly light and easy to eat.
▼The dough is thick and fluffy, with plenty of smooth red bean paste inside.
As it turns out, this is the same smooth red bean paste used in the Keshian buns.
But somehow, changing the bread makes the flavor seem a little different.
The harmony of the fried dough’s flavor and the smooth texture and sweetness of the red bean paste is sure to become addictive.
By the way, warming the fried bun briefly in a microwave or toaster oven brings out its flavor and makes it even tastier.
The “Melon Bun” is filled with buttercream
The “Delicious Melon Bun” from Tsukiyama Bakery comes in an amusingly old-fashioned bag.
▼Melon buns are generally dome-shaped, but Tsukiyama Bakery’s version has a slightly irregular dome shape.
▼The clearly defined ridges on the surface are also striking.
When you eat Tsukiyama’s melon bun, its crisp texture and sweet aroma spread through your mouth, giving it the classic melon-bun flavor.
The inside is soft and fluffy.
▼And, amazingly, there’s buttercream inside!
Melon buns with cream filling are unusual and feel like a real treat.
I thought the buttercream’s flavor and gentle sweetness were also highlights of Tsukiyama’s melon bun.
The custard in the “Cream Bun” is rich and melt-in-your-mouth
Tsukiyama Bakery also makes one of the classic sweet breads, the “Cream Bun.”
▼Tsukiyama’s cream bun has a somewhat distinctive shape.
The dough is also very fluffy.
▼Inside the bun is a generous amount of yellow custard cream.
The custard cream has a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a rich, full-bodied sweetness.
I thought it was an addictive custard cream with a nostalgic flavor.
“Chocolate & Butter” is a great deal, letting you enjoy both chocolate cream and buttercream
“Chocolate & Butter” is actually a popular item with many fans.
▼At first glance, it is a spiral-shaped bread like a cornet.
As the name suggests, the bread is filled halfway with chocolate cream on one side and butter cream on the other.
Doesn’t this make you feel like you’re getting a little extra?
You can see each cream through the hole at the end of each side.
▼The chocolate cream has a rich chocolate flavor and a satisfyingly intense sweetness.
▼The butter cream, on the other hand, has a gentle sweetness with a subtle buttery flavor.
I think Chocolate & Butter is a great-value bread that lets you enjoy two flavors at once.
The curry bread isn’t fried, and its filling has a perfectly balanced flavor
Tsukiyama Bakery also makes curry bread.
▼It is dome-shaped.
Curry bread is usually thought of as fried, but Tsukiyama Bakery bakes theirs instead.
According to the shop, they used to sell fried curry bread, but later switched to the baked curry bread they make today.
The curry bread has a thick, fluffy crust.
▼The curry filling is sweet, with a hint of tartness.
It wasn’t very spicy.
▼It is generously filled, with a hearty, meaty texture, and is delicious.
It’s also easy to eat because it isn’t fried.
I could easily see myself polishing off a second Tsukiyama curry bread.
Since 1912, Tsukiyama Bakery has made a variety of breads, including its popular keshi bread.
In its hometown of Tamashima, it is so beloved by residents that it could be called soul food.
We interviewed Tsukiyama Masami, the head of Tsukiyama Bakery.
Tsukiyama Bakery Information
| Name | Tsukiyama Bakery |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-5-8 Tamashima Chuo-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-522-3608 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Wednesdays, Sundays, and public holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Products can be reserved by phone |
| Seating | None |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
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