Introducing Nicopain

Hello, travelers!
This is Gussan, a writer for Sarukuma.

Recently, I had the chance to visit Yatsushiro for the first time in a while, so I searched for nearby shops and discovered the most adorable bakery — and I went there immediately!

The bakery is called Nicopain, located in Midorimachi, Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
The name alone (“nico” means “smile” in Japanese) had me hooked from the start! 😊
Right in front of Nicopain, there’s a parking area with space for about 5 cars — very convenient if you’re driving.
As soon as the automatic door slides open, you’re greeted by the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread!

I visited in the late afternoon, so quite a few items were already sold out — but the golden, beautifully baked breads still on display looked absolutely irresistible.
Pain de Lodève — 400 yen / Half size 200 yen
Pain de Lodève (walnut and raisin) — 450 yen / Half size 225 yen
Petit Bâtard — 180 yen
Pain au Chocolat — 220 yen
Edamame Épi — 240 yen
Noix Raisin — 200 yen
Galette Bretonne — 150 yen
Croissant — 200 yen
Canelé de Bordeaux — 180 yen
Chocolate Melon Bread — 220 yen
and many more!
Right beside the bread display, there’s a drinks corner where you can pick up a beverage to enjoy with your bread — a nice touch!

Nicopain’s Recommended Menu

This time I picked up four different breads.
From the upper right: Edamame Épi, Pain au Chocolat, Pain de Lodève (Cheese) Half Size, and Petit Pain.
Pain au Chocolat is one of those items I just can’t resist at any bakery — I always grab one!
The Edamame Épi was packed with bacon and edamame beans, much more filling than it looks.
When my husband came home from work and spotted the bread on the table, here’s how it went:
Husband: “Wow! Bread! Where’s it from?”
Me: “Nicopain in Yatsushiro.”
A few moments of munching later…
Husband: “Can I ask again? Where did you say this was from? This is incredibly delicious!”
He asked the name of the shop twice — that’s how good the Pain de Lodève was.
I’m honestly kicking myself for only buying the half size — I want to drive back to Yatsushiro right now!
The fluffy Petit Pain is the perfect size for a child’s breakfast.
At just 80 yen, it’s wonderfully affordable, generously filled with chocolate — a guaranteed smile to start the morning!

A great service to know about: at the time of purchase, you can request to have any bread sliced or cut for you. It saves you from washing a cutting board and knife at home — super convenient!
If you feel shy about asking, don’t worry — the friendly owner of Nicopain kindly asks “Would you like this sliced?” first, so there’s no need to hesitate.

By the way, Nicopain also accepts orders for “Issho-pan” — a special celebration bread used to mark a baby’s first birthday in Japan, perfect as a gift. It requires advance reservation, so check their Instagram for details if you’re interested!

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and opening hours may change. Please check before visiting.