On my day off, I decided to visit a district in the southern area that I haven't been to much before. I searched for bakeries in the area and found this one. It's a steamed bun specialty shop, which caught my interest because it's quite unique. Following the navigation, I entered a residential area and eventually found a small sign for the shop. It's easy to miss as it looks like a renovated house. Inside, the staff was friendly and welcoming. Although some flavors were already sold out, I managed to purchase a few that I was curious about. The pumpkin steamed bun had a moist and light texture, with a natural sweetness from the pumpkin that complemented the subtle egg flavor. The steamed bun made with roasted green tea, sweet peas, and sweet potatoes had a hint of hojicha aroma and a gentle sweetness from the sweet potatoes. The one made with sake lees and organic red bean paste had a pleasant sake lees scent and a refined sweetness from the red bean paste. This one was my favorite. Overall, the steamed buns I tried were delicious, and I would love to try the plain and brown sugar flavors next time. Thank you for the meal!

I love steamed buns so much (I'm not the only one who loves them) and I had been saving them for years, but I couldn't go to the place, so when wu-ta said he was going to buy steamed buns, I immediately declared that I would go too. There were not all the menu items available, probably around 4-5 types. Plain was sold out unfortunately...! There were also some types of bread like campanile and anpan. - Hojicha steamed bun: It was the most chewy and dense, you needed a lot of strength to split it in half. The hojicha flavor was very subtle but increased when warmed up. It had a lot of beans in it so it was satisfying. I liked the texture the most. - Sake lees organic red bean steamed bun: It had a slight sake lees aroma and plenty of red bean paste. It was heavy and had a strong bean taste with a firm texture, which I liked. - Pumpkin steamed bun: This was the most moist among the ones I tried this time. There seems to be quite a variation in steamed buns. It had a natural sweetness and richness that made me think they used a lot of pumpkin. It felt very autumn-like. When warmed up, the pumpkin flavor increased. Maybe it had a higher water content, as it became more fluffy and moist. The restaurant is located in a residential area with lots of slopes, so I was glad I could go this time. I hope they will come to the city center for an event... Thank you, wu-ta!

I headed towards the riverside area and found a bakery that I had been curious about, but it was closed _(:3」∠)_ I searched for something nearby and came across this place! It's a steamed bun shop that uses homemade natural yeast. It's located in a lovely house. I arrived a bit early, so the owner showed me three types of steamed buns that were available. I felt bad for coming before they officially opened. I bought three steamed buns: "Pumpkin" (194 yen including tax), "Sweet Potato and Green Beans" (162 yen including tax), and "Sake Kasu with Organic Sweet Bean Paste" (216 yen including tax). All the steamed buns were moist and chewy, with a subtle sweetness that complemented the ingredients. They were delicious! They also sell homemade natural yeast bread on different days of the week. I plan to go back on Wednesday to buy the "Walnut and Cheese" bread. Thank you, Yasu-san!

I stumbled upon a steamed bun specialty shop by chance. It turns out they also bake bread on certain days of the week. I know there are steamed bun specialty shops all over the country, but this was the first time I encountered one. Initially, I hesitated to enter because I'm not a big fan of steamed buns, but seeing the menu photos at the entrance gave me hope that they also had bread. The shop owner was very friendly, and the workspace was visible from inside and outside, with the owner wearing a hair cover, which I appreciated. They only had two types of steamed buns available since it was closing time. The prices were reasonable, with the Chocolate & Fruit Steamed Bun priced at 258 yen and the Pumpkin Steamed Bun at 194 yen. I bought the Chocolate & Fruit Steamed Bun for myself and the Pumpkin Steamed Bun for my mother. The ingredients were top-notch, and the buns were filled with a variety of flavors. It felt more like a cake than a steamed bun, with the fruits' sweetness, acidity, and the aroma and slight bitterness of cocoa all blending into the bun. I was impressed by the quality and attention to detail in the ingredients. I checked the label on the back, and the Chocolate & Fruit Steamed Bun was made with 75% bitter chocolate, which explained the rich flavor. Personally, I would definitely come back for more. I am curious to try other types of steamed buns and regular bread from this shop. However, I was surprised by the prices of the steamed buns, as I didn't expect them to be around 200 yen each. The Chocolate & Fruit Steamed Bun was priced at 258 yen. I couldn't help but wonder why they specialized in steamed buns. I thought these ingredients would be perfect for a pound cake instead. The steamed bun's dough was slightly watery, and I felt a slight imbalance between the dough and the fruits. Nevertheless, turning these ingredients into a steamed bun offered a unique twist on the traditional Amami flavors. The softness of the dough made it different from a cake and provided a new taste and ease of eating. I felt that the steamed buns here offered a different experience than what I was used to. It was very refreshing. It was my last day in Nagano, so it will be a while before I can visit again, but I have already decided to come back. The location is in Kitanosawa, in Minami Ward, which may not be familiar to many. Generally, it is close to Moiwa Mountain Touring Road and along the river. It is also near Makomanai, but without navigation, it may be challenging to find. I stumbled upon it on the way to a friend's house. This was the last stop before leaving Sapporo, but I will be back since it's my hometown. By the way, I still have reviews pending for Sapporo, Aomori, Miyagi, Kobe, Kyoto, Kagawa... so I will prioritize those before posting this one. Hahaha...