Bread may not be a traditional Japanese food like rice, but it has been an important part of the Japanese food culture for decades. More people eat bread than rice for breakfast, and there are many bakeries that specialize in Japanese-style fluffy bread or European-style artisan bread everywhere in Japan. Bakeries are usually inside or in front of major train stations so that people can pick up some freshly baked bread for the next day’s breakfast after work. If you have traveled to Japan, you may have noticed the irresistible smell of freshly baked bread when you get off a train or walk on a neighborhood street. For those of us who do not live near Japanese bakeries, we have some easy-to-follow bread recipes here.
Shokupan, Japanese Basic Bread, and Koppepan are essential Japanese bread recipes, and they are used in many variations of sweet and savory bread such as Anpan, Cream Pan, Melon Pan, Ham Roll, Yakisoba Pan, and Tamago Sando. Hope you try them all!
Shokupan
Shokupan, also known as Japanese Milk Bread, is a square loaf bread that is often eaten as toast or used for sandwiches. Although rice is the biggest staple food in Japan, Shokupan bread today may be the most popular breakfast item. Shokupan is very soft and tender and delicious, and you will love it if you like Japanese bread.
Get the Shokupan Recipe.
Japanese Basic Bread
This basic bread roll has a hint of sweetness but not overly, so you can make it into either sweet or savory bread. Once you master this versatile bread, you will be able to enjoy all sorts of arrangements of Japanese bread such as Anpan, Cream Pan, Melon Pan, and Ham Roll.
Get the Japanese Basic Bread Recipe.
Koppe Pan
Koppe Pan is oblong-shaped white bread similar to an American hot dog bun. It is light and soft, mild in flavor, and one of the very basic and versatile breads in Japan. Koppe Pan can be eaten as is, of course, but most of the time it is used for sandwiching some kind of sweet or savory filling.
Get the Koppe Pan Recipe.
Anpan
Anpan is a Japanese sweet bread with Anko (sweet red bean paste) inside. It is an old-fashioned kind of bread, and one of the most popular snack breads of all time. An Pan was first created in the late 19th century, and it became tremendously popular right away. Although people in Japan were not familiar with bread back then, they got to like Anpan which is similar to traditional Japanese sweets because of the use of Anko.
Get the Anpan Recipe.
Melon Pan
Melon Pan is a Japanese sweet bread with a thin cookie crust on top. It is one of the most popular Kashi Pan (sweet bread) in Japan, loved by the young and the old. The shape resembles melon, but the flavor has nothing to do with the name. We added lemon zest and vanilla extract in our recipe, and that gives a nice sweet smell.
Get the Melon Pan Recipe.
Cream Pan
Cream Pan is an another popular Japanese sweet bread, and this one has custard cream filling inside. It is a staple item for any bakeries or stores that sell bread in Japan. Freshly baked, still warm Cream Pan is so soft and sweet, we bet anyone would fall in love with it once they taste it.
Get the Cream Pan Recipe.
Ham Roll
Ham Roll is a typical Japanese savory bread roll that can be found at many local bakeries in Japan. Thinly sliced ham is interestingly rolled into Japanese Basic Bread dough and baked, and it shows a nice swirl pattern in the end product. Ham Rolls may look a little complicated but they are actually quite simple to make once you know how to do it.
Get the Ham Roll Recipe.
Yakisoba Pan
Yakisoba Pan is Yakisoba (seasoned fried noodles) sandwiched in Koppe Pan bread. It is one of the staple items at many bakeries in Japan. Yakisoba Pan has been around for a long time, over 50 years, and typically is served as a perfect lunch or hearty snack.
Get the Yakisoba Pan Recipe.
Tamago Sando
Tamago Sando is a Japanese version of an egg salad sandwich. Finely chopped hard boiled eggs are mixed with tangy Japanese mayonnaise and sandwiched with fluffy white Shokupan Bread. Tamago Sando is sold at bakeries, supermarkets, and of course convenience stores all over the country. This fluffy and scrumptious sandwich has gained popularity among foreign tourists in Japan.
Get the Tamago Sando Recipe.
