After a long time, I visited Nishikawa Ginza Honten and tried various types of bread from different shops. My personal favorite was the high-class red bean paste bread that emphasizes the use of water. I arrived around 11:30 am on a holiday and purchased the following: - High-class red bean paste bread that emphasizes water (950 yen) - High-class mountain-shaped bread that emphasizes water (540 yen) I tried the high-class red bean paste bread first. It was delicious as expected. The sweetness of the bread was already satisfying, but the refreshing taste of Japanese red beans added an elegant touch to it, making it a sophisticated bread. Next, I tried the high-class mountain-shaped bread. The staff recommended it to me, mentioning that it has a subtle sweetness but is enhanced by the faint taste of domestically produced "Iwato no salt." This saltiness spreads gently in your mouth. I recommend trying it without any toppings at first to fully appreciate the saltiness, especially in the center of the bread. Both bread types were very delicious! They also have limited-time red bean paste bread variations each month, so I look forward to trying them next time. I was very satisfied once again. Thank you for the meal!

I happened to come across a high-end bakery while picking up Kou's canelé, even though the luxury bread trend seems to have passed. It seemed like a famous shop, and they were selling limited edition items from the beginning of the month. I decided to buy a loaf, and the chestnut cream filling was delicious. They recommended cutting the roll in a way that the spiral shape is visible on the cross-section. The cost performance may be questionable, but both the bread and the filling are delicious.

Ginza ni Shikawa @ Ginza Ichome This shop in Ginza was the starting point for high-quality bread. It's still there and reliable. I was able to get the limited edition bread at the beginning of the month. The top-quality Shimizu white peach paste ★ is on the smaller side. It has finely swirled pink paste inside. The white peach flavor is very refreshing! It was tastier raw than toasted. I want to try different seasonal flavors.

I had been curious about it for a while. I received a high-quality loaf of bread as a gift. It is said that if you freeze the 2-pound loaf of bread, it can last for a month at room temperature for 4 days. I tried it without any toppings first, and it was delicious. It is also delicious when toasted. It's fine to eat it as it is, or with butter or jam. It has a subtle sweetness, so I think it would also be good as a cheese toast.

The high-class bread "Nogami" in the west is excellent, so I think the best in the east is "Nishikawa". I have been here a few times in the past, but this is my first visit to the main store. I imagined a luxurious boutique-like store in Ginza 1-chome since it's called the Ginza main store, but it is quietly located in the business district of Shintomicho, away from the hustle and bustle of Ginza. It seems like main stores are often treated this way. Even "Harepan" in Minami-Koshigaya is like that, and "Kangae ta hito sugoi wa" is in front of Kiyose station. I just found out that the parent company is "513 Bakery" which operates in the Kinki and Tokai regions. They had the bread-making expertise and started producing high-class bread using alkaline ion water developed in collaboration with the University of Tokyo laboratory. The word "Nishikawa" is derived from the president, Jinji Takahashi's name, with "kawa" (river) added to represent water. It's not a product of Nishikawa in Kyoto, but a pure Made in Ginza product. The trademark white noren sways on the granite stone. If the noren wasn't out, you might not realize this is a store. They sell seasonal flavored bread limited in quantity from the 1st of every month, and in December when I visited, it was the sweet potato flavor. I wanted to get the azuki nouveau that starts on the 11th, but couldn't due to scheduling conflicts. I suddenly thought, did they release the burnt black mountain bread in response to "Nogami"? I visited on a Saturday afternoon, and there was no line, with only one customer leaving as I arrived. There weren't many customers either. Actually, many people may not even know that the main store is located here. It's convenient that you can buy without a reservation, but is the high-class bread boom heading towards its end? I've been quite into it and traveled around to buy various kinds. I hope it remains as a category forever. Typically, high-class bread is sold in units of 2 loaves, with prices around 800-900 yen. However, this sweet potato flavor is half the size for 900 yen, double the price. I hesitated for a moment when buying, but I stuck to my motto of sticking to my original intention. But after trying it, I was convinced. The rich sweet potato paste is generously kneaded into the bread! It's marbled, so you can enjoy the flavors evenly. In addition, the fluffy, chewy, and moist bread, it's a perfect match. So, I thought, this isn't just high-class bread, it's a high-class dessert. There are plenty of specialty pastries in patisseries that cost over 1,000 yen. So, in that sense, it's worth eating and very satisfying. The difference between "Nogami", which uses margarine, and "Nishikawa", which focuses on water, stands out. Blindfolded and compared, a layman's tongue probably wouldn't notice the difference.

I came across a bakery specializing in water-focused luxury mountain-shaped bread with a large signboard while heading from Takaramachi Station to Shintomi Station on the subway. I purchased one loaf for 500 yen (including tax) to take home and found it to be decent in taste. The dough was moist and fine, and the inside was fluffy, maintaining the traditional texture of Ginza Nishikawa. They claim to have added no additives, using only domestically produced natural sea salt called "Iwato no Shio" as a hidden flavor, enhancing the subtle sweetness with a saltiness. The bread is said to be unique as they use their own alkaline ion water in the dough, along with wheat flour, fresh cream, butter, and other ingredients to bring out the umami flavor of the ingredients, creating an unparalleled "luxury bread focused on water."

After having fried horse mackerel at Kyobashi Matsuwari, I also stopped by. They had three types: regular, half size, and with red bean paste. I'm not really a bread person, but I was impressed. It's not only soft but the aroma is different. Normally, we have YMZK Pan's shokupan at home. It might be interesting to compare it with Ebisu's Ore no Bakery shokupan, Nekoneko shokupan, and Nogami's shokupan. Thank you for the meal!

What sets this place apart is the use of unique alkaline ion water, wheat flour, fresh cream, butter, and other ingredients to bring out the flavors perfectly, resulting in a one-of-a-kind bread. By using alkaline ion water known in the culinary world for "bringing out the umami of ingredients" as the bread's water, it creates a rich flavor, unique moistness, and delicate texture. The highest quality Canadian wheat flour was carefully selected, along with premium butter, fresh cream, and honey as a hidden flavor to complement the wheat flour. The mysterious sweetness created by the fusion of Canadian wheat flour with honey, fresh cream, and butter can be fully appreciated even when eaten raw. The address is 1F Cabinet Building, 1-27-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The arrival date was Friday. There were no people waiting in line, and no waiting time. The orders were: 1. Luxury bread that emphasizes water - 1 loaf (2 pounds) for 980 yen (tax included). 2. Monthly special bread for August - Okinawa Aged Purple Sweet Potato Paste for 980 yen (tax included). For August, we used purple sweet potatoes from Kumejima, which boasts the highest harvest volume in Okinawa. The refined sweetness, moderate stickiness, and vivid red-purple color of the purple sweet potato paste give the bread a finish reminiscent of traditional Japanese sweets. When toasted, it takes on a flavor similar to roasted sweet potatoes, enhancing the aroma of the sweet potatoes.

I followed the recommended way to eat at the shop, and then I had it with toast. It was delicious even without any toppings, with a hint of sweetness. The location is a bit unusual, so it might be difficult for everyday use.

I was planning to buy regular bread, but I changed my mind to buy red bean paste bread after seeing the sign! Even though it's only one loaf, it's quite heavy. When you cut it, there's a lot of red bean paste inside! This bread should be heavy. It's delicious as it is, but my favorite way to eat it is to toast it and spread plenty of butter on it to make red bean paste butter toast. ♡

I visited a high-end bread shop in Ginza this time called Ginza Nishikawa. They focus on using alkaline ion water to make their bread, which gives it a slightly sweet and moist texture. It's light and refreshing, perfect for enjoying with jam or butter after toasting. I think it would also be great for making sandwiches. If you're interested in trying high-end bread that emphasizes water quality, definitely check out Ginza Nishikawa in Tokyo. #Tokyo #Ginza #Takaramachi #GinzaNishikawa #bread #breadshop #March5th #43rdshop #breadshop #Ginza #Takaramachi

I came across reports that the boom of premium shokupan (Japanese bread) is calming down and the selection process has begun. I had never really bought it before, but I received one that was over 800 yen. Of course, it was delicious! It remained fluffy even after some time. It was delicious no matter how I ate it, but I had it with red bean paste and butter or made it into a pizza bread. However, if asked whether I would buy it again, considering the price, I probably wouldn't.

I replaced my toaster and wanted to eat delicious toast, so I decided to go to the famous bakery Pelican. I called to make a reservation that morning, but they said they don't accept same-day reservations and couldn't guarantee if I could buy without waiting in line. So, I ended up choosing Nisshikawa, which has a branch in Kasai, but I thought it would be nice to visit the main store. I called to make a reservation here too, but they don't take same-day reservations either, but they said I could buy if I waited in line. I decided to visit anyway. I was planning to get off at Ginza, but when I transferred to the Ginza Line at Nihonbashi, I realized that Kyobashi was closer!! So, I quickly got off at Kyobashi and walked to the bakery. It's located around Tomachi, Hatchobori, and Shintomicho. When I arrived at the bakery, I saw people going inside and others waiting outside. It seemed like those with reservations could go inside, while those without had to wait outside. The sign showed the next baking time, which was about 15 minutes later. I was relieved. I thought it would be tough to wait for an hour or so. However, I was quickly seated without waiting for the 15 minutes. I was able to get a warm loaf of bread (864 yen)♪ After that, I did some shopping and when I put the bread on top of the things I bought elsewhere, it got slightly dented. I panicked, but it popped back up when I removed the items. Phew! I couldn't eat it on the day of purchase due to other plans, so I had it the next morning. I wanted to try various ways, so I had it plain, toasted, and as buttered toast. All three were delicious♪ The bread had a deep sweetness, fine texture, and was incredibly tasty. The recommended way to enjoy this bread is to eat it plain on the first day, still plain on the second day, and toast it on the third day. But I can't leave it for three days (laughs). Even without butter, it was delicious enough, so maybe adding butter might seem wasteful to the bakery, but it makes the bread incredibly delicious. When served with delicious bacon and omelette on the side, it became a luxurious breakfast. Bliss♪ I froze the portions I didn't eat immediately, but I accidentally wrapped them in plastic wrap before reading the storage instructions. The recommended method is to wrap them in aluminum foil. Additionally, placing them in a storage bag should keep them fresh for about a month. Thawing is as simple as heating them in the toaster oven. The time with Nisshikawa's bread was a happy time. By the way, a friend told me, "It's delicious even without doing anything special, just try toasting ordinary bread in your toaster" (laughs).

Unfortunately, by the time it was 4 pm, the bread was already sold out. So sad. On the way back, my heart was invaded by a craving for bread, so I stopped by Nishikawa-san's place and there were only 4 loaves left! I received one and I am so happy. And it didn't even cost 900 yen! I thought for sure it would be over 1000 yen. The bread has a slight warmth to it, and I'm holding it with joy. Next, I will head to a ramen shop to fill my stomach. The bread I will eat the next day, raw (as is), raw with Echire butter, and finally, as buttered toast with a hearty 3 slices of thick-cut bread. Even without butter, it's definitely delicious. But, fresh out of the oven is the best for raw eating! So, this time, buttered toast wins. Since they recently did a segment on the world of buttered toast on a TV show, I tried to imitate it and put a nice char on it when baking. I didn't add extra butter though. There are still 6 slices in the freezer for me to enjoy slowly. Thank you for the meal, see you again!

Egg-free bread made with water, wheat flour, and fresh cream. It's delicious when freshly baked, but even tastier the next day as the flavors develop. Enjoy the moist and fluffy texture as is, or toast it for an enhanced aroma. One loaf of bread costs ¥864.

Arrival date and time: Weekday 4:15 PM Number of people waiting: None Wait time: None Ordered item: 1 loaf (2 pounds) for 864 yen Comments: I love bread and often visit famous bread shops, but I couldn't miss visiting this shop. I tried to make a web reservation the day before, but I found out they don't accept same-day reservations when I called on the day. They said the final batch is ready around 4 PM, so I visited around that time and was able to purchase it. I took it home and tried it right away. The loaves are a bit small in size. When eaten fresh, they are moist and have a strong aroma. I can see why they sell well. I heard that the moisture decreases over the second and third day. When toasted slightly, it becomes even more delicious. The price is a bit high, but the taste is worth it. Thank you for the meal!

My relatives often buy this bread for me, and it's so delicious! I can easily eat it as is. When I toast it and spread butter on it, I can eat a whole loaf in one day because it's that good! I've never actually finished a whole loaf in one day (it's too good to eat it all), but it's normal for me to eat at least a third of it and get scolded by my family. LOL

The sweetness is not very strong, so even when eaten raw, it doesn't stand out. It tasted better when toasted, but with so many high-end bread shops popping up, this one seems to lack distinctiveness. Relying on the name value of Ginza in the restaurant's name may be a sign of lack of confidence.

One of the bakeries leading the current luxury bread boom. The Ginza main store is located in a back alley slightly away from the area commonly known as Ginza. Reservations are recommended, but they also have same-day sales. I wanted to eat delicious bread suddenly, so I got the same-day sales bread. The bread was as delicious as rumored. The white part (not sure if that's the correct term) was very fine-grained and incredibly fluffy. It's like eating the highest quality facial foam. Once you try this, you can't go back to convenience store bread.

"High-quality bread that focuses on water" 1 loaf (2 pounds) for 864 yen (including tax). Made with unique alkaline ion water, wheat flour, fresh cream, butter, and other ingredients to bring out the umami flavor. It is a one-of-a-kind bread. It is recommended to eat it fresh on the day of purchase and toast it from the third day onwards. Thank you for the meal! ✨"

The high-quality bread, only available for two days at Tokawa Benibanawalk in Saitama, is said to be made with a focus on water. When torn by hand, the inside is fluffy and sweet, with a faint aroma of yeast. It's a delicious bread that is appreciated for its high quality. It may not be easy to distinguish from regular bread when served together, but it's a valuable experience like the "Nogami" bread I had in the past. I hope to encounter it again somewhere in the future.