Japanese milk bread, otherwise known as shokupan, has been wildly popular in the years since it landed on Australia’s bread scene. Now, a bakery dedicated to bringing one of the softest breads in the world to Sydney has opened: Akipan.

The owners of Akipan, situated in Pyrmont, have brought the majority of their equipment, ingredients, and knowledge over from Japan to ensure the authenticity of the experience. Not only that, they also adhere to traditional Japanese baking techniques. However, they also incorporate some Aussie ingredients to create completely unique shokupan that has proved popular with Sydneysiders.

The bakery has had a slow start, with the business initially slated to open mid-2022. This initial opening date was pushed out even further, with delays in things arriving from Japan pushing the it out to the beginning of this year. Even then, when Akipan threw open its doors in February, they were unable to supply the much-anticipated shokupan, instead offering matcha, hojicha bread (made using hojicha tea), and tea.

“We would like to make sure that we have all the necessary preparation done before [we] start taking orders,” Akipan wrote on its social media in August last year.

Now, however, the bakery is fully up and running, offering its signature shokupan, which comes in a variety of different flavours, including marbled matcha loaves and raisin shokupan. The bakery is only open Thursday–Saturday, with customers able to pre-order Akipan’s tasty baked treats online through the bakery’s website.