Traditional Japanese Breads Names and Types! 8 Unique Breads Only in Japan!
There are some traditional Japanese breads you can enjoy in Japan.
I think you already know Yakisoba pan if you are an anime fan.
School students often buy it and enjoy on the school rooftop.
I traveled many countries before, enjoyed the breads in each countries and find that Japanese breads are unique.
Here I’ll introduce you unique traditional Japanese breads you can enjoy only here in Japan.
Japanese White Bread (Shoku Pan)
I know white bread is not only in Japan but Japanese White Bread is a little different from those in overseas.
This bread is called 食パン (Shoku Pan) in Japanese.
Japanese white bread is unique in the softness and sweetness.
I think people in overseas eat white bread after baking or spreading butter, jam, etc.
But Japanese white bread is tasty on its own although we also often bake the breads in the oven or spreading butter or jam on them.
Milk, butter, and sugar are often used and that giving it a slightly sweet and rich flavor.
This Japanese White Bread is already a kind of staple food like Japanese rice among Japanese.
We usually eat them in the morning or sometimes at lunch.
Koppe Bread (Koppe Pan)
Long oval-shaped simple bread is Koppe Bread.
We call the bread コッペパン (Koppe Pan) in Japanese.
Main bread I enjoyed at an elementary school or junior high school was this koppe bread.
It was a staple of school lunches that many Japanese feel a kind of nostalgy for this bread, I think.
Koppe bread itself is soft and a bit sweet and you can put any ingredients in this koppe bread.
I could see even a special shop for this koppe bread today.
Stir-fried Noodle Sandwich (Yakisoba Pan)
I think most famous unique Japanese bread is this Stir-fried Noodle Sandwich!
It is called 焼きそばパン (Yakisoba Pan) in Japanese.
焼きそば means Stir-fried noodles.
Literally, stir-fried noodles which is seasoned with sauce put in a soft koppe bread.
I know it’s a strange combination of carbohydrate and carbohydrate but it certainly is tasty.
Anime characters often eat this stir-fried noodle sandwich at school.
Well, not only anime characters but many real Japanese including me like this stir-fried noodle sandwich.
Since I was a little child, I’ve kept buying the bread every time I go to a bakery.
If you visit Japan, this Yakisoba Pan is a must-try!
Melon Bread (Melon Pan)
Like Yakisoba Pan this Melon Bread is also a must-try!
It is called メロンパン (Melon Pan) in Japanese.
Although the name is Melon Pan, no melon inside at all.
And no taste of melon.
The name might just come from its appearance, which resembles the pattern of a melon.
Anyway, I can say this melon bread is very popular and tasty!
No bakery in Japan that don’t sell this melon bread as well as Yakisoba Pan.
Not only bakeries but all the convenience stores sell each melon breads.
Sweet cookie dough covers the entire bread, making it crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
This melon bread is especially popular among younger generation and there are some melon bread specialty shops here in Japan.
It might be fun to try comparing different melon breads sold at each convenience stores.
Sweet Red Bean Bun (An Pan)
If asked most traditional Japanese bread, I would say Sweet Read Bean Bun.
Called あんぱん (An Pan) in Japanese.
The history is old.
It was first made by Yasube Kimura and his son in 1874.
So it was born in Japan about 150 years ago.
An means sweet red beans paste.
An Pan is a soft bread filled with sweet red bean paste.
I think sweet red beans paste is a unique taste to people from overseas except for Asian people.
So I’m not sure if you like it or not.
Elderly people especially like this An Pan.
I myself like this bread and sometimes buy it.
I recommend you if you wanna try an old traditional Japanese bread.
Ginza Kimuraya, which is the very origin of Anpan, is recommended if you come visit Tokyo!
Curry Bread (Curry Pan)
Curry Bread is also popular since old days.
We call it カレーパン (Curry Pan).
I think this looks also a strange combination to people from overseas like Yakisoba Pan.
The unique point of this curry bread is the bread is deep-fried and curry inside.
Spicy curry is wrapped in bread dough, coated with bread crumbs, and deep-fried.
So, the outside is crispy and the inside is creamy with a rich curry flavor.
Children and young people like this bread.
I myself often bought curry bread when I was younger.
Not only bakery shops but also convenience stores you can easily find this curry breads.
Cream-filled bread (Cream Pan)
Cream-filled Bread is also popular in Japan.
クリームパン (Cream Pan) we call it.
Cream bread characterized by its mountain-like shape.
The bread is filled with creamy custard cream..
I think anyone likes the taste as custard cream is popular in overseas as well.
If Japanese An Pan was not your taste, try this Cream Pan!
Fruit Sandwich (Fruits Sand)
This Fruit Sandwich is most modern bread in Japan.
It is called フルーツサンド (Fruits Sand) in Japan.
Technically speaking, Fruit Sandwich has been existed since old days but it had been continuously improved and suddenly became very popular over the past 5 years, I feel.
A sandwich filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit is Fruit Sandwich.
I could enjoy this Fruit Sandwich even at an elementary school’s lunch although the quality and quantity was different.
Today’s modern Fruit Sandwiches are thicker and full of fruits.
Certainly better taste than it used to.
Perhaps it was the beautiful cross-section that made it so Instagrammable.
It’s a bit expensive compared to other Japanese breads I introduced here but even people from overseas are impressed with the taste.
If you wanna enjoy modern popular Japanese bread, this is the one!
Summary
If you wanna enjoy traditional Japanese bread, Sweet Red Bean Bun (An Pan) is the one.
If sweet read beans are not your taste, try Cream-filled bread (Cream Pan) or Melon Bread (Melon Pan).
You are an anime fan?
Then, you can’t miss Stir-fried Noodle Sandwich (Yakisoba Pan).
If you wanna try daily bread many Japanese enjoy, Japanese White Bread (Shoku Pan) is the one.
Anime characters are also running with a slice of bread in their mouth.
Koppe Bread (Koppe Pan) is something we enjoyed at school lunch.
And try Fruit Sandwich (Fruits Sand) if you wanna keep up with modern trend.
You can purchase almost all the breads I introduced here at an ordinary bakery store or a convenience store in Japan!
So try them when you come visit Japan!
