- 2022.01.26
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The story of a beloved bakery in Kochi City
In Kochi City, there is a beautiful red brick shop which sells 150 different kinds of bread, puddings and cakes: the Komi Bakery
Founder Shigeru Komi grew up in the town of Ochi with 6 siblings. He lost his father when he was just 6, so he worked as a paperboy to earn his tuition and help his mother. He decided to be a professional Japanese sweets craftsman because he couldn’t forget the deliciousness of the manju (traditional steamed cake with red bean filling) he had as a little boy.
In 1969, Shigeru and his wife opened Komi Confectionary on the first floor of their old apartment, starting with just one tiny sweets showcase. They sold Japanese traditional sweets and cakes at first, but they didn't get a lot of customers because the shop was surrounded by rice fields.
To deal with the situation, Shigeru came up with the idea of baking bread. He thought that people don’t eat sweets and cakes every day but bread is more accessible. He had never made bread before, but the delicate skills he used when making Japanese traditional sweets helped his bread baking, and Komi Confectionary became more popular.
In his early 40s, he faced health issues from working so hard. His wife Yuri suggested retiring and moving back to their hometown, but Shigeru didn’t want to give up. Instead, he decided to expand his business by moving to a bigger building (the current location). Komi Bakery's logo says “SINCE 1985” since that is when he made this big decision. His vision paid off, and the bakery has been a beloved institution ever since!
Visit Komi Bakery and enjoy their deliciously old-fashioned breads. Feel the passion and energy of the man who staked his life on his dream in each bite
You can enjoy your bread under the cherry blossoms of the Horikawa Canal, just a 12-minute walk away: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10049
Founder Shigeru Komi grew up in the town of Ochi with 6 siblings. He lost his father when he was just 6, so he worked as a paperboy to earn his tuition and help his mother. He decided to be a professional Japanese sweets craftsman because he couldn’t forget the deliciousness of the manju (traditional steamed cake with red bean filling) he had as a little boy.
In 1969, Shigeru and his wife opened Komi Confectionary on the first floor of their old apartment, starting with just one tiny sweets showcase. They sold Japanese traditional sweets and cakes at first, but they didn't get a lot of customers because the shop was surrounded by rice fields.
To deal with the situation, Shigeru came up with the idea of baking bread. He thought that people don’t eat sweets and cakes every day but bread is more accessible. He had never made bread before, but the delicate skills he used when making Japanese traditional sweets helped his bread baking, and Komi Confectionary became more popular.
In his early 40s, he faced health issues from working so hard. His wife Yuri suggested retiring and moving back to their hometown, but Shigeru didn’t want to give up. Instead, he decided to expand his business by moving to a bigger building (the current location). Komi Bakery's logo says “SINCE 1985” since that is when he made this big decision. His vision paid off, and the bakery has been a beloved institution ever since!
Visit Komi Bakery and enjoy their deliciously old-fashioned breads. Feel the passion and energy of the man who staked his life on his dream in each bite
You can enjoy your bread under the cherry blossoms of the Horikawa Canal, just a 12-minute walk away: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10049
