Kongari Panyasan

The small hot springs village of Kurokawa Onsen, tucked away between the mountains of the Aso and Kuju ranges, may seem an unlikely place for a bakery. But if the rich Japanese cuisine of the town's ryokan becomes a bit too much, the treats of Kongari Panyasan may be just the solution.

The bakery lies on a narrow country lane a few miles west of the main village of Kurokawa Onsen, just off the road to Minami Oguni. A small sign at the road (shaped like a slice of toast) will indicate whether the shop is open or not. There is parking for about four or five vehicles just off the lane across from the bakery, though in bad weather be aware that this area can turn into a bit of a muddy mess.

Kongari Panyasan keeps some rather interesting hours, and it actually took me multiple trips to Kurokawa Onsen before I first tasted their fare. The shop is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays only, though once the stock is sold out, the shop closes, no matter the hour. The proprietress informed me that Saturday is a bit of a slower day, meaning you have a better chance of scoring an afternoon roll than if you arrive on Sunday. On holidays, the shop usually runs out of baked goods by noon.

You can actually time your arrival at the bakery to take advantage of when each type of bread comes out of the oven. Table rolls and sesame rolls emerge from the oven around 7:00 am, while you can score warm gobo (burdock root) bread at 9:30 am. Crispy rolls and small baguettes arrive on the shelves at 10:00 am while the much-heralded curry bun is slated for 11:30 am. While the prices are slightly higher than most conventional bakeries, the results are worth splurging on. My favorite was the fig bread, though my daughter was a huge fan of their melon bun.

There are no seats inside the small shop, but in good weather, you can enjoy your fresh bread on the tables and benches on the porch. Kongari Panyasan also offers a small menu of coffee and tea.