Ota Bakery

Opening at 7:00 on weekday mornings on a street corner in Higashi-Nihombashi, Ota Bakery lines its shelves with comfortably nostalgic bakes. Tracing its roots back to a fresh milk retailer, the bakery makes its signature out of Hokkaido milk bread, prized for its exceptionally soft, lightly sweet crumb. The sweet selection highlights unassuming yet careful craftsmanship, from smooth red bean paste buns so delicate they require a gentle touch with the tongs, to crisp-crusted melon bread with a satisfying, airy chew.

When a sturdier morning meal is called for, the savoury range comes into its own. The coarse-ground curry dog pairs a substantial sausage with a gentle kick of spice, while the coarse-ground mustard dog uses a firmer dough designed to hold up to the filling. Other everyday classics include the egg salad sandwich, generously packed and lifted by the crunch of sliced cucumber, and the deep-fried curry bread with its crisp breading and mildly spiced, comforting filling.

Purchases can be taken away or enjoyed immediately with a cup of coffee in the second-floor eat-in area. Whether grabbing a milk cream baguette or marmalade danish for an afternoon treat, stopping in for a quick bite before work, or taking a pause mid-morning, it is an easy bakery to work into any daily routine.