Donuts in Japan

[tokyogurumegal]

Krispy Kreme never made it to Japan (with their corporate turmoil I doubt they will in the near future) but Doughtnut Plant made it across the Pacific! You no longer have to go all the way to Lower East Side in NY for their delicious gourmet doughnuts. I have friends in Japan who find Doughtnut Plant's doughnuts to be a little too pricey (280 yen each) and a little dry (pasa pasa as they call them) but I strongly disagree! I wish they'd make doughnut holes so I can buy lots of variety and not eat so much of it when I'm back home.

In Tokyo, there are 3 free standing Doughnut Plant stores one recently opened in Jiyuugaoka which I have unfortunately not been to. But the other two are in Shirogane and Otemachi. They can also be bought at Dean & Deluca. Here's their weblink: http://www.doughnutplant.jp/eng/

The Japanese site has more pictures and info about Doughnut Plant if you're interested.

I've tried their Valrhona chocolate, vanilla beans and straberry flavour. In NY I tried the orange flavour but the flavour was a little too subtle.

So, where is your favourite doughnut place in Japan?! Do you have a special place you like to go to (maybe other than Mister Donuts and Dunkin...).

[torakris]

280 for a donut (about $2.50) that is pricey. There are too many donut shops in jaapn except for Mister Donut and I love their coconut donuts but I only buy them when they have their 100 yen ($1) sale days....

I used to have a Mister Donut at the station by my house but it closed about 2 years ago and I don't think I have had a donut since.

[Blondie]

280 for a donut (about $2.50) that is pricey.

FWIW Kristin, if the donuts are similar to the ones here in NY, they are *huge*. Easily twice the size of a regular donut, and they use top notch ingredients - Valrhona chocolate, fresh white peaches, etc. I'm not a donut person, but I think they're worth the money.

[azurenath]

Wow, Krispy Kreme donuts. I haven't had one of those in a long time, and I really miss them. You can get them at Harrods, but for TWO DOLLARS A DONUT (twelve pounds for a dozen). I definitely crumpled to the pressure once, but I'll have to get really homesick before I do it again.

[Fat Guy]

There was just a small piece about the Doughnut Plants in Japan in the new food magazine Crave New York. Apparently the doughnuts are so popular that they're being rationed, so you can only buy X number of doughnuts per person -- can anyone local confirm that?

[Blondie]

There was just a small piece about the Doughnut Plants in Japan in the new food magazine Crave New York. Apparently the doughnuts are so popular that they're being rationed, so you can only buy X number of doughnuts per person -- can anyone local confirm that?

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From the link tokyogurumegal posted:

We may also distribute numbered tickets or restrict the number of doughnut you may buy depending on the congestion of the store.

[torakris]

more on donught plant from the watashi to tokyo blog

[GlorifiedRice]

Finally, the Sweeties:

I am wondering if overkill is hurting Krispy Kreme and Cinabon's in the US? I'm really curious about this. Does anybody know how are they doing there? Food fads there too fade, so it doesn't only happen in Japan.  How many times has cherry Coke come and gone.

In the meantime I think I should plan a quick trip in a hurry to Harajuku while I can still get a decent hot dog.

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This is the only thread with Krispy Kreme in it that was unpinned..

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=bizarre&id=5166463

Evidently the writer doesnt know about Japans junk food rep!

[torakris]

Krispy Kreme Japan homepage

[torakris]

I am not sure if these really qualify as donuts...

Mister Donut's new mikoron

[GlorifiedRice]

I am not sure if these really qualify as donuts...

Mister Donut's new mikoron

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I dont care, they are pretty.

[tokyogurumegal]

I was in Shinjuku last December on the grand opening day of the first Krispy Kreme store in Japan. The line up was unbelievably long, it was almost as long as the line up for Playstation 3!

I'm curious how they're received now... there's a commonly used expression especially by women in Japan, "amasugi" meaning "too sweet", and I think the traditional glazed donut from Krispy Kreme is definitely "amasugi".

My new favourite donut place is in Seattle, called Top Pot. Some of their donuts resemble Donut Plant's glazed donuts. If you're ever visiting Seattle to go see Ichiro it's worth a quick visit!

[emsny]

We recently came back from a couple of weeks in Tokyo, and I can affirm that Krispy Kreme is still doing a land-office business there. Long lines outside the Shinjuku store, and many people seen walking around with large boxes of doughnuts. Japan's tooth may be getting sweeter.

[torakris]

I remember hearing stories of people waiting in line for over an hour to buy cinnamon rolls at Cinnabon a couple years back. The stores were popping up everywhere, now according to Wikipedia they have closed all the stores but one (Odaiba location).

It seems Doughnut Plant is still doing well, so I am curious to see what becomes of Krispy Kreme in another year or so.

[miulang]

My new favourite donut place is in Seattle, called Top Pot.  Some of their donuts resemble Donut Plant's glazed donuts.  If you're ever visiting Seattle to go see Ichiro it's worth a quick visit!

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And Top Pot and Donut Plant's products are transfat free (so does that mean their calories don't count either? )

Miulang

[JasonTrue]

Top Pot is a dangerous thing... now 2 out of the 4 weeks in my new day job we've had a bunch of them brought in. Since I also work a short hop from Belle Epicurean (aka Belle's Buns) and Gelatiamo, I really have to make sure I get more exercise.

Tony Bourdain covered a strange-ish Portland place that has maple bars with bacon on them, to which he responded favorably... I bet that could get some TV coverage in Japan if it were offered there.

I do wish I could buy fresh An donuts in Seattle. The few Japanese-style bakeries in Seattle (Fresh Flours, Seabell, Hiroki) don't have deep fryers. Though I think an donuts are kind of disappearing in Japan, too.

Hiromi commented that Krispy Kreme had done a good job of mob marketing, which seems to be essential to creating an initial following in Japan... But she didn't seem to hold out much hope for them, based on her experience with their donuts in Seattle. (I think they were brought to the office where she did an internship, so they weren't the "hot donuts now" experience) Personally, I find their signature donut too sugary and the others too artificial-tasting, and I suspect that over the long term Japanese will react similarly. Either K.K. will adapt to local tastes or fail. (Hiromi seems to prefer the vegan Mighty-O donuts in Seattle; I find them less appealing than Top Pot's).

Occasionally in Japan I get a craving for Mr. Donut. Azuki cream, matcha glaze, etc... hmm... dangerous.

My new favourite donut place is in Seattle, called Top Pot.  Some of their donuts resemble Donut Plant's glazed donuts.  If you're ever visiting Seattle to go see Ichiro it's worth a quick visit!

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