- About the Bakery
Located right next to Inokashira Park, Nakata Bakery is the kind of bakery that can be both a destination and a happy accident. During the interview, the owner often glanced outside the window or toward the back of the shop while talking. It felt less like speaking to “a baker” and more like talking to someone who was constantly aware of the neighbourhood around her.
“I don’t want this to be a place people come to only because the park is here,” she said.
At the same time, it was obvious how much she values being next to Inokashira Park. People stop by on walks, parents come with strollers, someone drops in with their dog. Nakata Bakery fits naturally into those everyday movements. It’s part of the rhythm of the area rather than something separate from it.
- Commitment to Bread
“Not all bread should be made the same way,” the owner said casually. That single sentence felt like it explained everything.
When the conversation turned to bagels, her pace picked up slightly.
“Bagels are boiled—that’s the fun part.”
Unlike most bread, which follows a familiar flow of fermentation, shaping, and proofing, bagels take a detour into hot water. She talked about that difference with genuine enjoyment, even touching on the unusual history behind it. When we moved on to baguettes and everyday bread, she mentioned switching between different types of yeast depending on the bread.
“In the end, it’s all bacteria,” she said. “There’s no good or bad—just what fits.”
Rather than following trends or labels, she focuses on what works best for each bread. That mindset is reflected in the wide variety lining the shelves: each loaf clearly allowed to be itself.
- The Owner’s Feelings About the Bread World
“To be honest, running a bakery isn’t very efficient,” she said, laughing.
But there was no bitterness in her voice.
“It’s just fun. You bake, people come, they’re happy.”
The simplicity of that answer was striking. When the topic shifted to younger bakers, her tone changed slightly.
“If someone wants to do this, I want to teach them.”
For her, baking isn’t something that should end with one person. It’s a way of thinking that gets passed on. When she talked about good bakeries closing because no one was there to take over, she looked genuinely sad. Technique alone isn’t enough—people are what keep bakeries alive.
- Thinking About the Bakery of the 22nd Century
“Ultimately, I want to create a space,” she said.
Somehow, the conversation had moved from bread to place. A space with books, coffee, and people who feel comfortable staying for a while. Bread, it seemed, was the entrance rather than the final goal.
“Because people eat bread every day, you start to notice small changes,” she said. “Like when someone hasn’t come by in a while.”
No one knows what bakeries will look like in the 22nd century. But they will probably still be places where people gather, talk, and return to. Walking through Inokashira Park and stopping by Nakata Bakery already feels like getting a small preview of that future—and a quiet invitation to think about it for yourself.