The fragrant smell of freshly baked bread whets the appetite, the sweet aroma spreads softly, the bread is soft, chewy, crunchy... Bread can be enjoyed in a wide range of flavors and textures depending on the ingredients used and the combinations used.

There are many bakeries in Sapporo, but Donguri, known as the birthplace of "chikuwa bread," is a bakery that has been loved by the local community for responding to their needs. To find out more about its appeal, we visited the Kokonosukino store, which will be celebrating its first anniversary in November 2023.

From a small coffee shop to a "town bakery"

The roots of "Donguri" can be found in a small coffee shop called "Coffee House Donguri" that opened in Maruyama in 1983. The shop was named after the acorn trees on the mountain behind the shop, which matched the atmosphere of the shop. Although its story as a coffee shop came to an end, the shop has made a new start as a bakery.

Donguri is a freshly baked bread store that currently has over 10 branches in the city, each with its own unique features. With a lively, exciting market-like sales floor and warm, homemade flavors, the store has been satisfying the appetites of its customers for over 40 years.

I was touched by the idea of "Always freshly baked"

After working as a production staff member at the Soen store and the main store, Yamoto Yuta volunteered to take on the role of public relations, eager to "spread the appeal of acorns to as many people as possible." We spoke with him.

When Yamoto was a vocational school student, Donguri's president, Nojiri, visited the store to give a company presentation. He was impressed by the company's philosophy, which he explained to him: "Although we are concerned about waste, we want to offer freshly baked bread until 30 minutes before closing."

"Isn't it strange that only people who buy bread at night are eating cold, hard bread?" Yamoto-san felt this way and learned that the store has become a place where customers can enjoy freshly baked bread no matter what time of day they visit, morning or night.

"I thought that we were doing something that wouldn't be possible anywhere else, and that was what attracted me the most," he said, recalling his feelings at the time.

The staff also seem to be mindful of what's on customers' trays, and if there's freshly baked bread, they'll proactively ask customers to replace it when they're paying or shopping. This kind of consideration was born from the spontaneous idea that "if we do this, customers will be happy," and it gradually spread among the staff.

"Chikuwa bread" born from local demand

When it comes to "Donguri," the first thing that comes to mind is the "chikuwa bread," which is the product that made the brand famous. The chikuwa that is specially ordered from "Kibun Foods" is made a little longer than normal so that it will be cooked just right when it is baked together with the bread.

The soft, chewy, and moderately sweet dough is stuffed with tuna mayonnaise and onions that have been fried for an hour until caramelized, and then baked together. All the ingredients are perfectly matched, and it's no wonder that it is popular with many people of all ages.

In fact, this "Chikuwa Bread" was born from customer feedback that they wanted "a bread that is like a side dish."

"At Donguri, we wanted to be a simple, everyday bakery that served home-style food. It was like putting side dishes made by your mother on bread, so I think it was inevitable that we started selling more prepared breads."

The vegetables used in the bread are often sourced from greengrocers in towns around Sapporo. They make as much as they can in-house, including curry, croquettes, custard cream, and red bean paste. The bread, which is carefully prepared in-house from the flour to the ingredients, conveys a warmth and a sense of security.

Creating an exciting and enjoyable sales floor

What is important in creating the sales floor is not just that the product is delicious, but that it is also exciting. The way the product is generously served on a large plate or in a tray, and the impactful POP display using "acorn lettering," one of the "Donguri-ness" characteristics that has been passed down since the company's founding, bring out an even more joyful feeling.

Another unique feature of "Donguri" is that you can always find new products. Around 500 new flavors are created every year across all stores, and Yamoto-san and his staff have teamed up to try new flavors. Perhaps it is precisely because of this environment that encourages the staff to take on new challenges that they are able to create a store that makes you "look forward to your next visit" whenever you visit.

A special "acorn" that is "different from the usual"

"Donguri" always thinks from the customer's perspective and continues to do what makes them happy. At the "Kokonosukino store" that opened last year, you can enjoy "a different kind of "Donguri" than usual."

While they offer standard breads, they also have a large selection of original breads that are only available at the store, and while the process for making bread is the same as before, they have upgraded the ingredients, adding a little extra touch that only their location in Susukino, which attracts many customers from outside Hokkaido, can offer.

For example, the long-loved curry bread now contains meat, the cream bread dough is made fluffy to give it a gentle flavor, and the popular salt bread is made chewy by changing the type of flour, giving it a satisfying texture and a rich flavor.

"Donguri" is "a little more special than usual," and is sure to be a shopping experience of "new discoveries" for both first-time visitors and regular customers.

We will continue to treasure our connections with the local community

When asked what he recommends at the Kokonosukino store, Yamoto replied, "The Kouign Amann has been a popular staple since it was first released. Its large size, crunchy texture, and the crunchy feel of the macadamia nuts are fun to eat. The salted bread is also recommended."

"I think that Donguri has been able to celebrate 40 years because we have always valued connections. Going forward, we would like to build stronger connections with not only our customers, but also with the local community and the businesses that support us, and increase the number of opportunities to do activities together, such as the bread-making classes that we recently started."

As a store that has continued to listen and respond to the voices of the local community, it will deepen its ties and steadily contribute to the town. "Donguri" always delivers joyful feelings with its lovingly handmade bread, exciting space, and new initiatives and consideration. Yamoto-san's stories were peppered with many charms that draw people in.

---

Acorns (Kokonosukino store)
Address: 1-1 Kokonosuki Building, basement floor, 4-1 Minami 4-jo Nishi 4-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Telephone: 011-206-0692
Access: 1 minute walk from Susukino Station on the Namboku Subway Line
HP: https://www.donguri-bake.co.jp/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/donguri.official/
*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.