Pelican Bakery in Tokyo's Asakusa has baked only two products since 1942: shokupan and dinner rolls. Loaves sell out by mid-afternoon and reservations help.
Tip: Phone-reserve a loaf two days ahead or arrive by 10:00. The Pelican Cafe on Kotobuki serves the same loaves toasted with butter.
Address: 4-7-4 Kotobuki, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0042
Truffle BAKERY in Tokyo's Sangenjaya turns French butter-bread into a luxury product with imported truffle. The white truffle salt roll is the queue-builder.
Tip: Buy the truffle salt rolls warm before noon; the black truffle egg sando is the lunch order. Cash and IC cards.
Worth the queue: White truffle salt bread
Viron in Tokyo's Shibuya imports flour direct from the Viron mill in France and bakes Baguette Retrodor to French spec. Upstairs is a sit-down brasserie.
Tip: The takeaway counter is downstairs, the brasserie upstairs; share a croque-monsieur with a glass at lunch.
Worth the queue: Baguette Retrodor and croissant
Levain in Tokyo's Tomigaya has baked organic wild-yeast bread since 1984, one of Japan's earliest naturals. Domestic wheat, on-site cultured levain, no shortcuts.
Tip: The pain de campagne and the melange fruit loaf are the morning order. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; cafe opens 11:00.
Worth the queue: Pain de campagne
Centre The Bakery in Tokyo's Ginza is the shokupan-only counter where queues form for the milk bread tasting flight by 11:00 most days. Cafe seating upstairs.
Tip: The cafe side seats a toast-tasting flight; the takeaway counter sells loaves whole. Closed New Year.
Worth the queue: Three-style shokupan tasting (Pullman, mountain, raisin)
