October 3, 2011 - 9:18pm
missing bread in Kyoto
I am living in Kyoto this year (from August 2011 until July 2012) and we have such a tiny kitchen and no oven. I really miss baking bread. I had to give my starter to a friend to hopefully keep alive for me.
Most of the bread here is pretty bad; white sandwich bread, but there are a lot of small bakeries that make french loaves, and we treat ourselves to them from time to time. And, of course, they have sweets too :)
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Hi, hmcinorganic
Hope you're enjoying your stay in Kyoto, apart from their white bread. ;)
I'm originally from Tokyo, so I can't say I'm an expert on the up-to-date bread scene in Kyoto area, but as you said, there should be a good number of European style bakeries (mainly French or German) in the town.....though I must admit Kyoto's forte food-wise is not really in bread or other western-style cuisine. I'll usually try to stick to traditional Japanese food whenever I go to Kyoto, which they're very good at. ;)
Not sure how good you're in Japanese, but have you checked these lists?
Kyoto Top 100 Bakeries
eonet Popular Bakeries in Kyoto
A bread blog - Seems most reliable source and possibly more to your taste than above two. If you have any help in deciphering what's written there, let me know. ;)
Also, have you tried food floors in department stores? Most of them usually have a good bakeries or two (some outlet of famous bakeries), too.
Other options are going to Osaka when you have time. It's only 30 min on train and they have much more choices of good bakeries there. Kobe is great with good bakeries (and restaurants), too.
lumos
I totally understand! I am currently living in a hotel in Istanbul, and will be for the next 4 months. No kitchen, no cooking or baking of any kind.
I'm dying to get back home and revive my dormant starter!
Good luck.
Hi hmcinorganic
I took a quick look on google using 京都天然酵母パン (Kyoto naturally-occuring-yeast bread) and found quite a few places selling sourdough bread. One site had an English translation.
http://hachihachi.org/index_e.html
If reading the Japanese websites is a challenge for you, if you give me a general idea of where you are located, I'll take a look at the others and find some in your vicinity. I lived in Kyoto for four years, way back when there really was only white bread to be had. In latter years I lived a few minutes walk from one of the best sourdough bread shops in Tokyo. These days there is wonderful bread to be had in Japan - it can quite expensive, mind.
Bread making is a popular hobby in Japan and I can't help but think you could probably make some like minded friends in Kyoto, who might even share their oven with you. It was doing such activities that really helped me find my place there. Kyoto is said to be closed to outsiders (other Japanese included!) but if you are genuine and respectful, many doors will open.
Cheers, Robyn
Here is a wonderful note on TFL from someone in Bhutan who has a similarly modest kitchen. It led to some interesting answera also. Perhaps your problem is not so rare after all. I hope you let us know how you are getting along with bread baking, it will make for very interesting reading on TFL Good luck.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/18858/flatbread-frying-pan