Hokkaido’s Beloved Bakery Takes on the Train Station: Penguin Bakery Coco Opens First-Ever Ekichika Store, Bringing Hokkaido’s Flavors to Commuters

kawaii Goods & Daily Items
2025.11.28

Store Details and Grand Opening Special

The new Penguin Bakery Coco Hankyu Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station East Exit store is located at 20-1 Sakaemachi, Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture, just outside the Hankyu Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station East Ticket Gate. Operating hours are from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, though it will close once all bread for the day is sold out.

To celebrate its grand opening, the store is offering a special promotion from December 5th (Friday) to 7th (Sunday). Customers who spend 500 yen (tax included) or more will receive a special 100-yen ticket for MoriHico Coffee, a renowned coffee shop from Hokkaido. This ticket allows customers to enjoy MoriHico’s blend coffee at a special price of 100 yen (tax included) and is valid from December 8th (Monday) to 21st (Sunday), 2025. This offer is limited to 400 tickets per day and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

MoriHico Coffee 100 yen ticket promotion

Featured Products: From Signature Loaf to Award-Winning Curry Buns

Penguin Bakery Coco prides itself on a diverse selection of Hokkaido wheat breads, including their signature “Tobenai Shokupan” (Untouchable Bread). This plain loaf, available in 1-loaf (380 yen) and 2-loaf (720 yen) sizes, is crafted using 100% “Yumechikara” Hokkaido wheat. Notably, it is free of eggs, dairy products, honey, butter, and margarine, making it a safe choice for children and those with allergies, embodying a commitment to both taste and quality.

Tobenai Shokupan loaf bread

The bakery also boasts a lineup of three award-winning curry buns, each having received the highest gold prize at the Curry Pan Grand Prix®:

  • Curry Pan Fondue (300 yen, 2021 highest gold prize): A crispy fried bun with a mochi-like Hokkaido wheat dough, featuring a special curry roux and melted cheese fondue inside.

  • Shrimp Curry Pan Fondue (380 yen, 2020 & 2022 highest gold prize): This variant adds sweet shrimp oil to the curry roux and includes whole plump shrimp.

  • Hokkaido Beef Curry Pan Fondue (380 yen, 2024 & 2025 highest gold prize): A luxurious bun filled with slowly simmered, tender Hokkaido beef.

These curry buns exemplify the bakery’s dedication to creating unique and flavorful offerings that have been recognized as Japan’s best.

Award-winning curry buns

The Perfect Pairing: Bread and MoriHico Coffee

The new store offers a special pairing of bread with coffee from MoriHico, a Hokkaido-based coffee shop established in 1996. MoriHico is known for its commitment to in-house roasting and blends rooted in Hokkaido’s climate and lifestyle, characterized by a rich and satisfying flavor profile that resonates with northern regions. Customers can enjoy MoriHico’s French Blend (deep roast) and Mild Blend (medium roast) for 350 yen each. Both take-out and in-store dining options are available, allowing guests to savor this unique Hokkaido-born pairing.

Coffee and bread pairing

MoriHico has grown from a small old house in Sapporo’s Maruyama alley to 12 cafes across Hokkaido, captivating many with its distinctive aesthetic and spatial design, alongside its carefully crafted coffee.

Penguin Bakery Coco: A New Chapter for Hokkaido Wheat

Penguin Bakery Coco is a satellite brand launched with the vision of making delicious Hokkaido wheat bread accessible to more people. While Penguin Bakery traditionally operated suburban bakeries, Coco aims to expand into various locations, focusing specifically on sales. The name “Coco” (ココ), meaning “here” in Japanese and also referencing a cute animal’s child in Hokkaido dialect, embodies the hope that this place will be a happy meeting point for many customers and delicious bread.

Penguin Bakery Coco brand logo

Penguin Bakery Coco is deeply committed to Hokkaido wheat, using it to create a wide variety of breads. This dedication extends to offering these high-quality products at affordable prices. The stores aim to provide an exciting selection of approximately 60 types of bread daily, with new products continuously added to the lineup. This approach fosters a sense of discovery and ensures that customers will likely find a new favorite with each visit.

Commitment to Hokkaido wheat

Diverse bread selection

This expansion into an “Ekichika” location signifies a broader trend in Japan, where train stations are evolving beyond mere transit hubs into vibrant centers for shopping and gourmet experiences. Penguin Bakery Coco’s new store will surely bring a slice of Hokkaido’s culinary charm to the daily lives of countless individuals, perhaps even inspiring a wider global appreciation for Japan’s regional food culture and the delightful convenience of its “Ekichika” lifestyle. The brand’s journey, starting from a small step, promises to spread the taste of Hokkaido wheat bread across Japan and potentially beyond.

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