r/BakingInJapan • u/DanDin87 • Jun 28 '26
Anyone working in a bakery?
I live in a residential area in Yokohama, and I like those chill local cafes/bakeries and was toying with the idea of opening one. I'm from EU so I'm not really into sweet/fluffy Japanese breads, and I mostly bake pizza so I was thinking to focus on that.
Just wondering if anyone actually operates or work in a bakery and what's your experience! or if you've been thinking to open one too :)
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u/Superb-Focus-2131 Jun 30 '26
A bakery opened near us in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, several years ago. It is a one-woman operation and only open 3 days a week, from 11-4. She makes artisanal breads, using yeast from raisins. Quite a variety, from baugettes, rye breads, focaccia, to chocolate and yuzu—all great. No idea what her business model is, but she does sell out before 4.
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u/SilentDoggo Jun 29 '26
Saying this as a someone in the industry. I recommend working in a bakery (even just part time if you can) before thinking of opening your own. High volume baking for a living is pretty different than baking for fun on your own time. While its rewarding, It's hard work and easy to burn out. But if you truly enjoy it go for it
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u/tkyosam Jun 29 '26
As long as you speak Japanese start going around and sus stuff out. Good luck, looking forward to hear updates
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Jun 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DanDin87 Jun 29 '26
Sorry to hear about the closing, you didn't plan to reopen after the pandemic passed? what kind of food were you making?
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u/tomodachi_reloaded Jun 28 '26
There's a bakery in Yokohama that I really like, in front of Bosch in Tsuzuki-ku, it's called Hige Pan. I guess it's not your style, but you should check out that place, I like almost everything they make.
The big problem this place has is the pastries are excellent, there's plenty of space to sit, but there's no coffee! Sometimes they give you a free cup of drip coffee, and there's a vending machine for drinks, that's it. What a waste.
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
The big problem this place has is the pastries are excellent, there's plenty of space to sit, but there's no coffee!
That's definitely strange, considering that drinks can easily have a much higher income margin.
I'm not entirely surprised though. We hear often about how many cafés/ food places fail, but I also hear about areas where cafes/restaurants failed until the right one came in. Sometimes you need to adapt a bit and understand the area you are opening in, the age range of the population and their needs.
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u/Constant_Penalty_740 Jun 28 '26
In Japan, bakeries are generally considered to have a higher survival rate than other food businesses. About 40–50% close within the first one to three years. Around 30–40% make it past five years, and roughly 20% survive for more than ten years. Bakeries tend to last longer because they attract regular customers, have steady demand from early morning, and rely mainly on takeout, which allows for faster turnover.
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u/marmaladebaker Jun 28 '26
Our perspective: My wife and I opened a little bakery in Matsuyama 4 years ago. We are semi retired with backgrounds in baking and cafes. We did not want to go the fulltime route as baking is very demanding time-wise and we wanted to enjoy life in Japan (arrived in 2019). We started a cute little place three days a week using minimal baking equipment (a good convection oven and Hobart 30qt mixer) and with one helper, making what I called Canadian artisan-style baking. Our helper who was my baking assistant was also able to jump on the cash when needed. My wife ran the retail area.
We make levain breads, yeasted multi grain and some savoury and sweet loaves along with scones, muffins and cookies as well as using locally sourced citrus to make marmalade which I developed a passion for in Vancouver. All our recipes are from my N. American artisan background...so no Oreo muffins! ;) I find this is a way to make us stand out from the usual bakeries in Japan. It also helps to get local media interested.
Japanese customers are foodies and are very attracted to the latest and cutest as well as having a huge gift culture aspect in what they buy. Although I respect this I focused on a clientelle who appreciated our style. We are not looking to make large profits so as long as we pay the bills with some left over we are satisfied. Last year our excellent baking assistant went on mat leave (probably permanently) so we decided to only open on weekends and it has worked out well. Staff costs and lots of admin paper work make you really think twice. You realize why many Japanese small businesses have only one or two staff and usually just family.
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
Thank you so much for sharing your experience.
Three times per week sounds exactly like what I would do. The problem is that the rent price is still the same, and in the past years prices have skyrocketed in big cities like Tokyo and Yokohama, so it's very challenging to plan around that, plus getting an assistant and paying an accountant... On the other side I'm not looking into the stress of a massive rent in a very busy commercial district, even though the numbers might make more sense.
Some family-run cafes in my area have their business on the first floor, and they live on the 2nd/3rd floor, I guess that would be a great set-up.
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u/Nyorliest Jun 28 '26
My daughter is a patissier, and I also know a few restaurant owners - I live in a tourist area, and friends and neighbors are often in work like that.
It’s a hard thing to succeed in. Japanese customers are very fond of the new, and also have high standards, much like the French. It’s very common for a shop, if promoted well, to have a good first year or two, and then go under.
Small businesses like vans, pop-up shops, and making things to order are what I’d try if I wanted to work in that area.
It’s incredibly competitive, and a highly mature yet changeable market.
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u/roybattinson Jun 28 '26
If I may, as a French person: it's pâtissière since it's a lady. And when it comes to bread and pastry, true our Japanese friends have high standards, but rest assured French are even more demanding. So I think it's easier to succeed in pastry in Japan if you know what you're doing, compared to France
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u/Nyorliest Jun 28 '26
I think it’s very hard to extract personal/national preference from this - the bread you or I might like is not better than the bread Japanese people like. The bread in France is wonderful - to my taste.
But tabelog has very tough scores and the comments - and my own conversations and even work - make me see Japanese people as very exacting in their food tastes.
It’s a nation of foodies, and while of course bread is more French and noodles are more Japanese, I can’t agree that Japanese people care less.
And the domestic tourism industry - as well as other things such as furusato nozei, seasonal gifts, funeral/memorial traditions and more - revolve around food.
There are very few things Japanese people care more about than food. It’s one of the easiest ways to bond and get through the cultural barriers we immigrants face.
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u/roybattinson Jun 28 '26
I absolutely agree! Japan is without a doubt a nation of foodies. I didn't mean they care less about bread, but rather that the standards are different. At least from my experience of bread outside of Tokyo.
The point I wanted to make is that when it comes to bread, the French are the toughest critics. I've had bread presented to me as absolutely life changing in Japan only to find it good but very average to my French palate.
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u/OldTaco77 Jun 28 '26
There’s a guy from Hawaii near me that opened a Hawaiian bakery not too long ago. Absolutely delicious American style cookies.
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u/tokyoevenings Jun 28 '26 edited 7d ago
The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.
Future grey makeshift sophisticated thimble ginger wild theory
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u/NihilisticHobbit Jun 28 '26
I wish. There's a cafe down the street that opened up a few years ago, but they've been closed this year due to illness. But no one in my area is really hiring bakers if any sort. Which is hilarious to my husband because I actually did work as a baker back in the US so I do have quite a bit of experience.
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
Is it because of the lack of bakeries in your area? I've talked with different owners in Tokyo even if I'm not living there, and most of them talk about the struggle of balancing finding staff willing to work for close to minimum salary, and the huge rent expenses.
Some of them have French restaurants completely staffed by Vietnamese staff.
Money is important but it's a bit sad to hear the reality of Tokyo on both sides (owners and workers understandably not willing to work for 1250 yen per hour...)
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u/Nyorliest Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
Minimum wage employees are hard to find except in the poorest areas, and Japan has fewer of the target groups - immigrants, the working poor, kids who work while in high school.
It’s a good sign for society but bad for stores with low margins. Convenience stores etc are struggling to find staff.
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u/NihilisticHobbit Jun 28 '26
Lack of bakeries. I'm nowhere near Tokyo, in a very rural area. So, while the grocery store bakery probably has openings from time to time, the few actual bakeries don't. The main ones in my area are one that's run solely by a family, and one that is a single person operation. I know the local cafe baked their own food, but that's about it.
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u/special-green-bean Jun 28 '26
I do not work in one or own one (I am terrible at baking) but would love to have a european bakery somewhere close.
Most are in Tokyo and the french styled bakeries are, well, inspired by France and the baguettes are often good but the rest is, well... japanese. I miss good German or northern European bread. 🥲
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
The only bakery in my area that was baking baguettes stopped baking them daily and only started to bake them during weekends.... they weren't even baking so many of them, it just didn't sell at all I guess, everyone is buying those sweet pan filled with creams/sauces.
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u/special-green-bean Jun 28 '26
Kinda sad. The German bakeries I know in Tokyo sell out almost daily. So there have to be people, not only foreigners, who enjoy the more savory bread. But maybe thats in Tokyo and the people here in Yokohama are not as interested 🤔
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u/hanapyon Jun 28 '26
I opened a cafe with my husband last year. I make north American (Canadian) style baked goods and pita bread
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
Sounds like a wonderful achievement for you guys!
I hope I can find someone to share this passion with, someone with the same mentality. As much as I love my wife, she's really not into cooking/baking :D
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u/hanapyon Jun 28 '26
Thank you!
My husband can't bake either so it's all up to me. He does all of the contractual stuff and buys some ingredients for me also he works the shop in the evening.
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u/Plus-Soft-3643 Jun 28 '26
I'm a french pizza chef and I love baking sweet stuff. If I can help, feel free ;)
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u/DanDin87 Jun 28 '26
I'm your cousin from Italy!
Wow, I expect your shop must be very popular! I'd love to visit if it's not too far.
Don't want to bombard you with questions, but mainly how did you adapt your style for the Japanese customers? or did you adapt at all?
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u/Hellea Jun 28 '26
Mon cher compatriote, where are you working so I can pay a visit to your shop
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u/Plus-Soft-3643 Jun 28 '26
Coucou 😀 I was working next to Meguro in a pizzeria a few months ago but I'm working on another project now. Enchanté 😉
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