Jiro 310, a bakery in Hiromote, Akita City, has been selling cream buns in the shape of “Ah-Man,” a local character featuring an Akita dog, since May 2023.
It all started when a store customer posted on Instagram that they wanted to try Ah-Man’s character bread. Bread production chief Shigemasa Tsuchida contacted the creators of Ah-Man and received approval to produce the bread.
Ah-Man’s characterization features a big head and an easygoing appearance. To emphasize the imbalance between the face and body, melon bread cookie dough was used for the face, and layers of dough were used to create the effects of a plump mouth.
“This is the first time a collaborative product has been created from fans’ voices. We can do our activities thanks to everyone’s support. I hope many people will buy the bread,” said Ah-Man. Mr. Tsuchida, also pleased with the sales, said, “This bread has brought people who didn’t know about the store to come here.”
The Ah-Man bread cost 200 yen, and the muscular “Mukimuki Ah-Man” bread cost 250 yen (tax not included), with reservations required for Mukimuki by the day before. Jiro 310 bakery will sell both unique pieces of bread until the end of July 2023. The store plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the Ah-Man bread to a crowdfunding campaign currently underway to create a plush Ah-Man doll.
