¥¥¥¥BakeryMon-Sun 10:00-19:00
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.
TipThe cafe side seats a toast-tasting flight; the takeaway counter sells loaves whole. Closed New Year.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 11:00-20:00
Pierre Herme Paris Aoyama in Tokyo is the French patissier's Asia flagship on Aoyama-dori. Macarons, the Ispahan, and a viennoiserie counter for croissants.
TipThree-floor flagship; the cafe second floor is the calmer seated option. The Ispahan rose-lychee macaron is the canonical.
¥¥¥¥BakeryWed-Sat 08:00-19:00, Sun 08:00-18:00, closed Mon and Tue
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.
TipThe pain de campagne and the melange fruit loaf are the morning order. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; cafe opens 11:00.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 08:00-19:00
Bread, Espresso & is the Omotesando flagship of a much-loved Tokyo bakery cafe, open since 2009 and known for its Mou, a square pull-apart buttered brioche.
TipThe Mou brioche and the French toast made from it sell out by mid-afternoon; the bakery and cafe share one counter just off Omotesando.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 10:00-21:00
Ginza Kimuraya in Tokyo has baked Japan's original sakura anpan since 1869, the Yon-chome corner the Meiji Emperor was once served from. Salt-cured blossom.
TipOpen daily 10:00-21:00. The original sakura anpan and the koshi-an sweet bean version are the canonical picks.
¥¥¥¥BakeryMon-Sun 09:00-19:00
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.
TipBuy the truffle salt rolls warm before noon; the black truffle egg sando is the lunch order. Cash and IC cards.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 08:00-20:00
Maison Kayser Tokyo Omotesando is the French boulangerie chain's flagship below Tokyu Plaza. Eric Kayser's liquid-levain Baguette Monge baked through the day.
TipOpen daily 08:00-20:00. The croissants and Baguette Monge are baked in three batches; arrive by 11:00 or 16:00.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 08:30-22:00
Viron Marunouchi in Tokyo is the French boulangerie-brasserie that imports French Retrodor flour. The hand-shaped baguette is Tokyo's reference baguette.
TipBakery counter and seated brasserie are on the same ground floor. Order baguette by 14:00 for the freshest batch.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 10:00-20:00
Boul'Mich Yurakucho in Tokyo's Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan basement is the 1973 French patisserie's home shop. Hand-rolled croissants and the mille-feuille daily.
TipBelow the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan; closest to JR Yurakucho. Open 10:00-20:00 daily.
¥¥¥¥BakeryTue-Sun 08:00-19:00, closed Monday
Bakery Tokyo Shibuya in Tokyo's Okushibu is the sister bakery to Shibuya Cheese Stand. Single-bake country loaves and pain de mie, baked each morning.
TipClosed Mondays. Best paired with the cheese stand's mozzarella and burrata next door.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 09:00-22:00
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.
TipThe takeaway counter is downstairs, the brasserie upstairs; share a croque-monsieur with a glass at lunch.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 07:30-21:00
Le Pain Quotidien Shibakoen in Tokyo is the Belgian organic-bread chain's park-side cafe under Tokyo Tower. Communal table, organic sourdough, vegetarian.
TipWalking distance from Tokyo Tower. Lunch tartines and breakfast plates are the value play.
¥¥¥¥BakeryDaily 10:00-21:00
Dean and Deluca Roppongi in Tokyo Roppongi Hills is the New York deli's flagship across the Hillside corner. Bakery shelf, deli counter and cafe seats.
TipOpen 10:00-21:00 daily. The seeded sourdough and the salt-baked cookies are the takeaway picks.