Saikyo miso is a traditional Kyoto miso. It's made through a short maturation process, and is characterized by a lower salt content and a stronger sweetness than regular red miso. Delicious on its own, it also makes a great base for dishes, and new and exciting pairings using Saikyo miso are being experimented with all over the place. In Kyoto, notable bakers are creating a succession of conceptual breads based on the theme of "Sakyo miso x bread." We visited a popular bakery challenging itself with new flavors.

■ Karasuma Oike Bakery "Flip UP!"

After training at a major bread manufacturer and a bakery in Hokkaido, Miyamoto Shinji opened his own bakery in Kyoto in 2015. "I bake bread every day because I want everyone to eat the bread I want to eat, the bread I think is delicious," he says with a cheerful smile. Although many customers visit from outside the prefecture, the bakery says it wants to remain a "town bakery" beloved by locals. Using a 70:3 ratio of domestically produced wheat to imported wheat, the bakery creates its own original breads using homemade yeast. Miyamoto boasts that the yeast he creates, "179," "does a great job," was developed in September 2005. After experimenting with many different types of yeast and repeated trial and error, he finally found the yeast he was happy with. He uses this yeast in almost all of his breads, giving the dough just the right amount of elasticity. When you break it open with your hands, a soft, sweet aroma emanates, stimulating your appetite. The sweetness of the wheat is palpable with each bite, and it's easy to see why the bakery has so many repeat customers. The bread selection is truly diverse, including sliced bread, baguettes, adorable skewers of bread resembling small dumplings with individual olives inside, bean buns, cream buns, sausage buns, pizza, and steamed buns. Customers come in nonstop, buying up a wide variety of breads to eat as meals or snacks. Their bagels, which they started making two or three years ago, have quickly become a hit. They have a chewy yet firm texture, and are delicious eaten as is, without any toppings or sandwiches. Their recommended bread, made with Saikyo miso, is the "Yuzu and Walnut Bagel with a Light Saikyo Miso Topping." Yuzu and walnuts are mixed into the bagel dough, and a mixture of Saikyo miso and honey is spread on top before being baked until golden brown. The refreshing aroma of yuzu and the slightly bitter and sweet flavor of the peel stand out, and the toasty walnuts pair beautifully with the chewy dough. They always have eight to nine different types of bagels available, including chocolate, Annou sweet potato, and cheese. "Saikyo miso adds richness and sweetness to bread. I'd like to use it not only for bagels, but also for a variety of breads."

We look forward to seeing what future challenges Miyamoto, who is passionate about bread making, will take on.

Interview cooperation /
Flip UP!
TEL: 075-213-2833