Bread is becoming a staple food in Japan, with the amount spent on bread exceeding that of rice in recent years. There are over 7.83 million posts on Instagram, and the variety of bread is also increasing.

Despite all this, Parfum Bakery in Shiroyama-cho, Sasebo City, remains a local standard and continues to be preserved as a taste of youth.

A mysterious bakery where school names are scattered all over the place

"Hey, I went to middle school, do you have bread from Pan-Fill? That brings back memories!"

For some reason, customers come into the store one after another, telling us the school they went to or the nickname of the bread they like.

"Just like there are rules unique to schools, the way the breads are called in the shop also varies. I think that was the bread they were talking about earlier," says Nakao Tomoe, director of Parfum Bakery Ltd., as she predicts what kind of bread the customer was looking for.

When my father was hospitalized two years ago, I took over the shop and have been running it every day since.

The day of the interview was the day before Tomoe-san's (right) birthday. A customer was presenting her a birthday present.

"I'd been helping out at the shop before, but I never thought I'd be the one to do it. But when I actually tried, I managed to do it, and I think that gave me confidence," he recalls, gazing at the workshop at the back of the shop.

Preserving the same taste even as times change

Popular bread orders are almost always sold out by mid-morning, even on weekdays.

The history of Parfum Bakery dates back about half a century. A baker named Koba rented the space from what was once the landlord's home and shop and opened Parfum Koba. It is still affectionately known as "Koba's Bread" among people who have known it for a long time. Over time, Tomoe took over as the baker of Parfum Bakery, and it continues to this day.

The silver trays used in school lunches. Even those who have never served bread will feel nostalgic.

Despite being passed on from generation to generation, "Panchu" is one of the reasons why it remains a beloved flavor of Sasebo's youth.

Panchu is an abbreviation of "bread order". Orders were placed by a set time in the morning and were a popular way to enjoy lunch. In Sasebo City, school lunches began in junior high schools around 2013, and the "panchu" was discontinued, much to everyone's regret.

On the other hand, there are also store-exclusive breads that were not featured in the bread lineup, as well as irregularly-released revival menu items. Parfum Bakery offers a selection of nostalgic flavors that have not changed since those days.

The most popular item is the soft-serve chicken (front), with a sweet aurora sauce that whets the appetite.

"It's hard to make so many different kinds of bread, but I think we have to make them if people want bread for the Pan-Express, so we're doing our best."

When I took over, the infectious disease was spreading and many restaurants were forced to close. Even as people were being asked to change their lifestyles, the demand for the same flavor continued.

I started using social media a little before I took over the store. It not only helps me attract customers, but also allows me to communicate with fellow shop owners and customers, which has helped me to continue running the store.

Standards are changing with the times.

However, Parfum Bakery preserves the taste of youth through its unchanging nature.

Parfum Bakery

電話：0956-23-7790

Address: 9-7 Shiroyamacho, Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Access: 2 minutes walk from the Seihi bus stop "Shiroyamacho"

SNS: https://www.instagram.com/parufanbakery/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.