The 12th Aoyama Bread Festival, bringing together specialty bakeries from across Japan, will be held on October 14th and 15th at the Farmer's Market @ UNU in front of the United Nations University in Aoyama, Tokyo. The previous 11th festival attracted a total of approximately 25,000 visitors over two days. This year's theme is "CRAFT BAKERS - Our Favorite Bakeries." A total of 90 bakeries will gather over two days to reveal the secret process behind the bread that artisans carefully bake every day. A highlight of the event will be the "Ultimate Bread Set," made with the simplest ingredients: wheat, yeast, water, and salt, by renowned bakeries such as Katane Bakery and Parlor Ekoda in Tokyo, Yoshida Bakery in Kyoto, Kimura Bakery in Nagano, and KANEL BREAD in Tochigi. The bread will be packaged in an original bread bag and available for pre-order online (http://breadlab.stores.jp/) on both days, with a limit of 30 sets per day. Another highlight is the "Living Yeast Library," where visitors can observe under a microscope the live yeast that the Aoyama Bread Festival staff have diligently cultivated. More than 30 types of yeast will be available, ranging from fruit like peaches and apples to more unusual varieties like wood ear mushrooms, chili peppers, and juniper berries. Additionally, bread from regional bakeries that are usually hard to visit will be appearing from food trucks selling bread by weight: NiOR from Ishikawa Prefecture on the 14th, Le Sucre Coeur from Osaka Prefecture in the morning on the 15th, and Tsuki to Pierrot from Ishikawa Prefecture in the afternoon. In addition, a "Fermentation University" course will be held, featuring lecturers Junpei Katsumi of Paradise Alley, Takashio Munakata of Munakatado, and Taro Hoshino of Hatano Kobo Pan Taroya, where artisans themselves will discuss the depth and excitement of bread-making. On the 14th, a "Fermentation Forum" will be held, featuring popular bakeries, sake breweries, and chefs. Tickets for the discussion are currently available for online reservations. Also on the 14th, a talk event will be held featuring Riku Watanabe, the fourth-generation owner of Pelican, a long-established bakery in Asakusa. The event will touch on the history and secrets of Pelican bread while featuring bread (1,500 yen, tickets available at http://breadlab.stores.jp/). There will also be a wine stand featuring recommended wines selected by the bakery, sandwiches to enjoy with wine, and a variety of other Aoyama Bread Festival-exclusive menu items from popular shops. Participants include gochisou, YOSHIE KAZAMORI, PANJIN, House San Anton Jam Factory, K's bakery, Bäckerei Shunta, ecru, Miura Bakery Juumugi, Setune Bonniday, San Chino, Levain, Bread to Espresso to Onka, and other famous food and drink vendors such as Stockholmroast tokyo, cosmic kitchen, KOKAGE BEER, Parlor Ekoda, Katane Bakery, and Michori Pan.

[Event Information]
"12th Aoyama Bread Festival"
Dates: October 14th and 15th
Venue: United Nations University Square
Address: 5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Time: 10:00-16:00
Will be held rain or shine