Creating Beloved Breads and Sweets in a Space That Feels Like Home

"We wanted to create a comfortable space where we could work surrounded by things we love, and it naturally turned out this way," says owner-chef Takamichi Yogi with a smile. The interior of Nuku Muku is filled with vintage toys and雑貨 (zakka, knick-knacks), and alongside them, without the slightest sense of incongruity, are authentic, long-fermented breads, meticulously made cakes, and baked goods. Even the illustrations on the in-store notices exude a gentle, warm atmosphere.

Yogi, who previously worked in the apparel industry, trained at reputable Tokyo establishments such as DONQ in Aoyama, Naif in Nakameguro, Angelina in Nerima, and Peltier in Akasaka. He opened Nuku Muku in August 2006 in Nakamura-bashi, his wife's hometown. Today, his wife works as the patissier, creating the sweets, while her mother handles sales, embodying a family effort to realize "a warm shop environment." The shop's name, Nuku Muku, was inspired by the word 'nukumori' (warmth).

The shop offers a wide variety of breads and sweets, including croissants that take four days to make using a liquid starter (tane) for dough maturation, long-fermented baguettes, German rye bread made with a homemade rye sourdough starter (70% rye), cream buns generously filled with homemade custard, sandwiches, and their popular cheesecake and pudding. Naturally, the ingredients are also carefully selected, featuring domestic wheat, Okinawan brown sugar, sun-dried salt from Okinawa, and fresh cream.

When asked about his "dedication," Chef Yogi replied, "Making delicious bread is a given for a bakery, but it extends to everything else." "First, I wanted to create a shop that offered more than just bread, a place with a variety of items. Also, I didn't want anything rough or sharp-edged in the shop, not even a cardboard box..."

Now that he mentions it, one can see that even the boxes on the shelves in the back and the cloths covering the tables have all been chosen with careful consideration for their design. It also makes sense that many of the breads, like the croissants and cream buns, have an endearing, rounded shape.

The croissant in the top photo is the plumpest I've encountered in all the bakeries I've visited, including for interviews. It takes four days from creating the liquid starter to fully maturing the dough and baking. Made with fermented butter and sour cream, it contains no eggs. It has a rich buttery aroma, a crisp texture, and a subtle sweetness.

The German rye bread, made with a homemade rye sourdough starter, is also popular. Despite being 70% rye, it has a chewy texture. Its flavor deepens and matures with each passing day. Several varieties, such as walnut and raisin, or chocolate and hazelnut, are baked daily. The "baked cheesecake," made by the patissier wife, is accented with rum raisins. It's a homemade style, moist and smooth with a gentle flavor.

At Nuku Muku, soft, fluffy breads and delicate items are packed separately to prevent crushing into gusseted paper bags (stamped with a charming illustration of a bread). This attention to how the bread is carried home, filled with care and affection, is a thoughtful touch that customers truly appreciate.

Of course, it's not just their charming appearance; the solid baking techniques, meticulous craftsmanship, and daily dedication are what underpin Nuku Muku's popularity. It's a clear demonstration of what it means to have one's own shop and "express what you want to do" in "your own way" with "conviction." Above all, the smile of Chef Yogi, who says, "I enjoy every day," is truly memorable.