3 Must-Visit Bakeries in Kanazawa
Masayoshi Sakamoto (坂本正敬)
Kanazawa has been increasingly attracting international visitors. Now, more than ever, various shops for tourists and residents are flourishing, causing a number of bakeries to compete with each other. While most of them provide delicious loaves, here are our Top 3 picks that you absolutely must try.
1. Boulangerie Yamaneko
The first bakery we'll look at is Yamaneko, selling about 40 kinds of bread constantly, including croissant, bucket, rustique and focaccia. While it currently opens at 10 a.m., by 11 a.m. most of the bread has been sold. Of course others in turn arrive on the shelves, but the types of bread change with time. To purchase goodies such as croissants for your breakfast, you ought to visit shortly after the store opens.
Boulangerie Yamaneko
Address: Sainen 4-19-26, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture
Tel: 076-232-7785
Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- www.facebook.com (Japanese)
2. Fanfare
More than a few locals call Fanfare the best bakery in Kanazawa. At any given time, a crowd of bakery fans occupy the modest-sized store. The store boasts about 200 varieties of bread and as soon as they hit the shelves, they fly off! Even in the carpark of the bakery you can find a few bread lovers eating in their cars, unable to wait until they get home. While this bakery is located a little far from the central district of Kanazawa, it opens at 7 a.m., convenient for early-rising travelers. When visiting Kanazawa, head to Fanfare and start your day with stunning bread.
Fanfare
Address: Togashi 1-2-13, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture
Tel: 076-244-8858
Closed: Mondays and the third Tuesday of each month
- www.pipuru.jp (Japanese)
3. Bistro Hiramipan
Hiramipan isn't just a bakery. It has various other facets including a bistro and café. The quaint restaurant runs their business in an old authentic building that began as an iron factory, but was rebuilt as an eatery in 2011. This restaurant opens at 8 a.m. and is located in the very center of Kanazawa. Even better, customers can have their breakfast in-store—we highly recommend going in the morning. You can also purchase a few kinds of homemade bread and bring them on your travels as snacks or to Central Park as your lunch.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) the staff there seems to be unable to speak English, so try to communicate in Japanese. It's surely one fun aspect of traveling abroad.
Bistro Hiramipan
Address: Naga-machi 1-6-11, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture
Tel: 076-221-7831
Closed: Mondays
- www.hiramipan.com (Japanese)
