kinakina

A short stroll from the Myoshoji River in Wakamiya, Nakano Ward, kinakina opens its doors only on Saturdays. This petite bakery crafts handmade bread and Western-style baked sweets. Despite welcoming visitors just one day a week, it regularly draws local strollers and families dropping by to pick up their favourite takeaway treats.

The bakery builds its savoury and sweet loaves primarily around domestic wheat and natural yeast doughs. For lunch, hearty choices include tomato keema curry buns, bacon and cheese bread, and a satisfying focaccia pizza. Those looking for something sweet can turn to a refreshing lemon and yellow peach danish, the classic green-bean paste anpan, or a simple salted butter roll.

Alongside the bread counter, the chilled display and shelves hold tempting confections. Cream-topped baked Kinakina pudding, fragrant iyokan citrus cake, and unassuming baked goods like madeleines make delightful gifts to carry home for tea. Dropping in on a lazy Saturday afternoon to select a pastry or two has its own quiet charm.