Anpan Day (Sweet Bean Bun Day)

What Is Anpan Day?

Every year on April 4th is "Anpan Day" in Japan. It commemorates April 4, 1875 (Meiji 8), when Kimuraya (now Kimuraya Sohonten)'s "sakadane sakura anpan" was presented to Emperor Meiji during his visit to the Mito clan's lower residence in Mukojima, Tokyo. According to Kimuraya's company history, the presentation was made through Yamaoka Tesshu, who served as the Emperor's chamberlain. This is a day to look back on the history of anpan, which turned bread, then still unfamiliar, into a food suited to Japanese tastes.

The History of Kimuraya and "Sakadane"

The birth of anpan was the fruit of ingenuity born from the meeting of Western bread and Japanese food culture.

• How Kimuraya began: In 1869 (Meiji 2), Kimura Yasubei opened a bakery called "Bun'eido" in Shiba Hikagecho, Tokyo. The following year he moved to Owaricho in Kyobashi (near today's Ginza) and renamed the shop "Kimuraya," and in 1874 (Meiji 7) he created and began selling sakadane anpan in Ginza.
• Bread made with sakadane: Because the yeast used for bread was hard to obtain at the time, he fermented the dough using "sakadane," a starter used in sake brewing. Its subtle aroma and moist texture are said to have suited Japanese tastes.
• Salted cherry blossoms: The anpan presented to the Emperor was topped in the center with a salted double-flowered cherry blossom. The blossoms are said to have come from Mount Yoshino in Nara, and this "sakura anpan" is still one of Kimuraya's signature products.

Sweet Breads That Grew Out of Anpan

Anpan's popularity sparked the creation of one sweet bread after another in Japan. In 1900 (Meiji 33), Kimura Gishiro, the third head of Kimuraya, launched the jam bun, and in 1904 (Meiji 37), Soma Aizo, founder of Shinjuku Nakamuraya, is said to have created the cream bun. Anpan can be considered the starting point of Japan's "kashi-pan" (sweet bread) culture.

Interesting Facts About Anpan

• The "belly button" in the middle: The dimple in the center of an anpan serves as a spot for a salted cherry blossom or poppy seeds, and it is also said to help prevent a gap from forming between the dough and the bean paste during baking.
• The birth of Anpanman: Takashi Yanase's picture book "Anpanman" was published in 1973. As a hero who shares his own face with people who are hungry, he has been loved across generations.
• "The taste of civilization and enlightenment": Kimuraya's anpan, first sold in Meiji-era Ginza, won a strong reputation, and its traditional taste is still carried on at the main store in Ginza 4-chome.
• Smooth and chunky bean paste: The classic anpan fillings are smooth koshi-an and chunky tsubu-an. Some bakeries let you tell them apart by the topping on the "belly button," such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or a cherry blossom.
• "Anpan" overseas: Japanese buns filled with sweet bean paste are introduced abroad as "Japanese sweet buns" and similar names.

Tips for Marking Anpan Day

• Compare sakura anpan and koshi-an and tsubu-an anpan at your favorite bakery or a long-established shop
• Imagine the surprise Meiji-era people felt when they first tasted anpan, and look into how Japanese food culture has changed
• Try different drinks that go well with anpan, such as green tea, milk, or coffee
• Hand out anpan as a small treat for your coworkers or family

A Gentle Sweetness Born of Tradition and Ingenuity

April 4th is a day to think about the wisdom of those who adapted Western bread to Japanese tastes. The aroma of sakadane and the gentle sweetness of bean paste are still loved by many people nearly 150 years later. In cherry blossom season, why not take a break with a sakura anpan?