DAIPAN, a bakery that is currently the talk of the town in Asahikawa

When you go on a trip, don’t you always want to eat as many different kinds of gourmet specialties as you can, but sometimes you also want to rest your stomach?
When you come to Hokkaido, you may be craving “sushi,” “ramen,” and “Genghis Khan” every day…but if you stay for an extended period of time, there are moments when you just want to have a “light” meal as usual, aren’t there?

There are also many people who have been here many times on vacation who want to go to restaurants that are not yet in the guidebooks but are popular with the locals, and there are also many experts who want to experience life in Asahikawa as it is lived by the locals.

This time, we would like to introduce a bakery that is rapidly gaining popularity among Asahikawa locals and is sure to please all of you!
The name of the bakery is “DAIPAN (Minna no Daipan)”.
It is actually a well-known store among those in the know, and the parking lot is packed with cars as soon as it opens at 10:00 am!
The bakery closes as soon as it runs out of bread, so those who want to get the bread they are looking for come from the morning to buy it.

About DAIPAN, Asahikawa’s New Gourmet Spot

DAIPAN is a bakery run by a couple, located in Toyooka 4jo 4-chome, Asahikawa, about 25 minutes by car from Asahikawa Airport and just over 10 minutes by car from Asahikawa Station.
It is a relatively new bakery, opened in 2016.
It is named “Daipan” after the name of the husband, Daisuke.
The store’s logo is also a charming handmade logo that seems to have been inspired by the husband.

The concept of DAIPAN is “a store that puts a smile on everyone’s face.”
They started the store with the aim of creating a friendly store that is loved by everyone from children to the elderly.

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

DAIPAN’s commitment to baking bread is evident throughout the store, but the first thing that is surprising is the number of products.
The couple makes as many as 80 varieties of bread every day.
The couple’s desire for customers to find their “favorite” bread among the many varieties is evident.

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

They also offer breads that do not contain eggs or milk, as they want those with food allergies to be able to enjoy our breads to the fullest extent.
Each loaf of bread is labeled with the allergy category.
What’s more, the blackboards and POP designs are so elaborate and cute that you will want to read them carefully one by one.

Let’s explore the DAIPAN store immediately!

DAIPAN is a small bakery with a floor space of only 16-20 square metres.
As you can imagine, once you step into the store, you will see a wide variety of breads in different colors, shapes, and sizes!

Lined up right in front of the entrance are Danish breads made with an abundance of seasonal fruits that are sure to “look” gorgeous.
During the winter season, many of the breads are made with strawberries.
Other Danish breads that add color to the display include Danish breads made with chocolate mint, which is rare for breads, and Danish breads with an abundance of marshmallows.
Fruit Danish is introduced with a cute illustration as one of the recommended items.

By the way, there are many pig figurines everywhere in DAIPAN.
Maybe it’s because they are so delicious that you end up eating too much…?

The next thing that caught my eye was the deli bread, perfect for lunch!
DAIPAN offers a wide variety of side dish breads.
Starting with the standard yakisoba bread, the “extremely popular” Chicken Tatsuta Burger, and the unique Hokkaido shrimp bread, the lineup is sure to keep you coming back every day.
The most popular of all is the Chicken Tatsuta Burger, with crispy fried chicken sandwiched between two pieces of bread so large that they protrude from the bun, a visually appetizing dish!
It is surprisingly priced at 220 yen for such a large portion.

Inside, fried shrimp and chicken from the deli were sold alongside the bread.
They were fun to have alongside bread, and tasty when eaten with bread.
Then sell them even if they are not bread!
This flexibility is another of DAIPAN’s charms.

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

And of course, a wide variety of basic breads are also available.
There are two types of bread (pain de me), square-shape and mountain-shape, and there are also different types of flavors, such as pumpkin and sesame.
If you ask for it, they will slice it to your desired thickness, so you can enjoy your favorite thickness of toast.

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

The great thing about DAIPAN is that they also offer a wide variety of products that go perfectly with their bread, making it even better as it is!

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

They also sell exquisite cheese, dairy products, jams, and processed foods made in Hokkaido in cooperation with farms and ranches in various regions of Hokkaido.
Enjoy them with bread and you have a true “Hokkaido breakfast/lunch!”

An insatiable quest for product development!

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

Despite having such a wide variety of products, DAIPAN continues to develop new products.
Some of these new products were started in response to customer requests!
Moreover, it is surprising that they have not one but a whopping 10 kinds of products at once.
This is a glimpse of the depth of DAIPAN’s relationship with its customers, which is unique to DAIPAN, a company that places great importance on communication with its customers.

Recently, they have been focusing on hard breads made with natural yeast, and their hard breads made with homemade natural yeast are one of their most popular items.
By the way, if you look closely at this photo above…

ven a single piece of standard French bread has such a cute POP attached to it, it is easy to see why customers smile just by looking at the store’s products.

With a mountain of bread in hand, it’s time to go to the checkout! While waiting in line, you will be tempted…

During peak hours, the aisles of the store are filled with people waiting to pay for their purchases, and the lines are so long that you can barely even get to the bread.
Even while waiting in line, the tempting and mouthwatering breads are so enticing that you can’t help but reach for a loaf.
And even when it comes time to pay, the sandwiches lined up in the cold storage next to the cash register still catch one’s eye.
In fact, sandwiches are one of DAIPAN’s most popular items.

Quoted：みんなの大ぱん

The hearty sandwiches are made with DAIPAN’s homemade bread and filled with a variety of ingredients to satisfy even the most voracious of appetites.
Among them, the cutlet sandwich is the best!
There is a wide variety of cutlet sandwiches, including chicken, pork, sauce, and other sauce-flavored sandwiches.
The affordable price of 200 yen is also a plus.

Recommendation: visiting DAIPAN after 11 am!

How was your DAIPAN tour?
For those of you who would like to visit DAIPAN and try out the various breads, we recommend that you go there after 11:00 am.
The store opens at 10:00 and is crowded at that time, but most of the 80 varieties of bread are available around 11:30 am.
After lunch, the number of items available may decrease dramatically.
The best part is wading through the crowded aisles of the small store to find your favorite item among the Asahikawa locals!
The shop is usually closed on Mondays, but it is basically closed irregularly, so check the website in advance before heading there.

DAIPAN is loved not only for the taste of its bread, but also for the kindness and politeness of its staff, no matter how busy they are.
The secret to DAIPAN’s current popularity is the warm personality of the staff, who are always willing to help you with a vague question such as, “I want the bread you had around here the last time I was here…”.
It would be a good idea to join the locals and ask them what bread they recommend that day.
It is only a matter of time before DAIPAN becomes a household name in the guidebooks, so why not visit this hidden gem before the rest of us?

For Hokkaido activity experiences visit Basho Trip