VOL.206 AUGUST 2025
THE APPEAL OF YOSHOKU: JAPANESE-STYLE WESTERN CUISINE (PART 1) Anpan: Born from the Fusion of Western and Japanese Culture

Anpan, the beloved Japanese bun filled with anko,¹ was first created by the founder of Kimuraya Sohonten, a historic bakery with a long-standing tradition. Located in Ginza, a commercial district in Chuo City, Tokyo, the bakery created anpan using a uniquely Japanese method that employs sakadane, a natural yeast starter made from rice, koji (rice malt), and water as yeast necessary for making bread.

Anpan, an iconic bun with sweet bean paste in soft and fluffy bread, was first created by the founder of Kimuraya Sohonten and his son. We spoke with the Public Relations Officer of the company about the history of anpan.

“In 1869, our founder, Kimura Yasubei, established Buneido, the predecessor of Kimuraya Sohonten. Following the Meiji Restoration,² the major reform movement that launched Japan’s modernization, new cultural trends flowed rapidly into the country, and the custom of eating bread gradually began to spread. However, the Western-style bread of the time was hard and had a strong acidic flavor due to the yeast used for fermentation, so it did not appeal to the broader Japanese public. Against this backdrop, Kimura Yasubei and his son Eizaburo took inspiration from wagashi (Japanese traditional confectionery) saka-manju³ and developed a soft, moist dough using a unique Japanese yeast called sakadane. The anpan we know today originated from the idea of wrapping sweet bean paste in this dough.”

For the Japanese people, Anpan, with its familiar and gentle flavor, is said to have spread rapidly among the general public after it was presented to Emperor Meiji (the 122nd emperor of Japan, who reigned from 1867 to 1912) in 1875.

“In the late 19th century, when the concept of Civilization and Enlightenment⁴ gained popularity, a phenomenon emerged known as ‘The Seven Tools of Civilization and Enlightenment’.⁵ It comprised items such as newspapers, postal mail, gas lamps,⁶ steamships, photo pictures,⁷ exhibitions, light balloons,⁸ and land steamers.⁹ Anpan was listed alongside them as a symbol of the new era. This illustrates just how innovative anpan was at the time.”

The invention of the anpan is said to have helped spark the spread of the bread culture across Japan. Today, anpan made using sakadane starter remains the bakery’s signature product, still prepared using the same traditional methods as when it was first created.

“Sakadane is also used in making the traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage nihonshu, commonly known as sake. It is characterized by weaker fermentation power than ordinary yeast and a lower concentration of microorganisms, resulting in slower fermentation. From preparing the yeast to the bread reaching the customer, the entire process takes ten days. Because fermentation is an unstable process that depends on temperature and humidity, fermentation experts known as tane-shi are responsible for carefully adjusting the interior environment.”

These fermentation experts monitor the condition of the sakadane starter, and regulate the internal temperature and humidity to create an optimal environment. Thanks to their efforts, the bakery continues to deliver consistently delicious anpan to its customers.

“Anpan is a unique Japanese bread that emerged from the fusion between Western baking culture and traditional wagashi culture, allowing people to enjoy the best of both worlds in one bite. I hope visitors from overseas will take the opportunity to try it as an easy way to  experience the flavors of Japan.”

• 1. A paste made by simmering beans and kneading them with sugar, commonly used in traditional Japanese sweets.
• 2. A major political and social transformation in the mid-19th century that abolished the feudal domain system and laid the foundation for Japan’s participation in the Western international order and the creation of the modern nation-state.
• 3. A type of Japanese confectionery made with a sakadane starter. It is called sake-manju because its preparation process is similar to that of the traditional sake brewing, and because the finished product has a subtle sake aroma.
• 4. The opening up of society and increasing convenience in daily life. The term refers to the Westernization and modernization brought about by the proactive adoption of Western civilization.
• 5. A term that gained popularity in the late 19th century. It refers to the symbols of Civilization and Enlightenment.
• 6. A lighting device that illuminated darkness by igniting gas delivered through pipes.
• 7. An old term referring to what are now known as photographs.
• 8. Balloons that floated using hot air or light gases, such as hydrogen, and were also used for entertainment or performances.
• 9. An old term referring to what are now known as steam locomotives.

By MOROHASHI Kumiko
Photo: Kimuraya Sohonten