Japonaise is a super cute Asian bakery. They have a variety of traditional Asian breads, and you can customize the filling as well. read more

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I love Japonaise Bakery for their adorable anime- themed pastries! While their Totoro Bun is definitely the most popular, they also like to experiment with new flavors & characters. The display in the front with all the figurines and product samples is the cutest thing you will see all day. Although their Kuromi Bun had a nice (not too sweet) custard filling, the bread itself was a tad too dry. We also got their Shio Butter Bread which was the better choice. We happened to get a freshly baked one which was fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious! Also, it must be said that their service is A+. Their staff are truly such kind folks - always smiling and making friendly conversation with their customers. Turns out they were testing a new dough for the Shio Bread so they even gave us one on the house to try. The kind gesture was very sweet and much appreciated! read more

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Wow, wow, wow! If I could give you 10 stars, I would. The chocolate bun has me in a chokehold in a way no food has before. I dream about it, day in and day out, cursing the distance between us. Why must you be so far away? My heart breaks every time I see the traffic report keeping us apart. The chocolate on this bun was unlike anything I've had before, the smoothest, most delightful texture known to man. The cream, utter perfection, the perfect balance to the sharpness of the chocolate. I can't even begin to express how fondly I fell for this bun. I'm enraptured, infatuated, absolutely head over heels in love. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Chocolate Bun - 15 out of 10....so good! - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Located conveniently right across from Saint Mary's (C) station, Japonaise Bakery specializes in Japanese-style bread and French pastries with a Japanese palate. They have the cutest Studio Ghibli themed pastries that genuinely taste incredible (sorry Shirohige's, your cream puffs do not stand a chance against Japonaise's offerings). Their Totoro-pan ($5.50) has a luscious custard cream that is perfectly sweetened without being overly cloying, and its sweet dough is fluffy and light. I would definitely love to return to try their other breads and pastries. Highly recommend if you love eating delicious Japanese-French baked goods and supporting locally-owned, multigenerational businesses. read more

I always swing by Japonaise when I am in Boston. I got their new-ish peach croissant to try. It was buttery and flaky and a great treat. The chikuwa and the azuki almond croissant was yummmy like always. The service was quick and the staff is always nice. There's no seating inside, but I like walking to a nearby cafe for drinks. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - peach croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Stopped by on a Thursday afternoon (~1pm) to see if they had any Ichigo Cream pastries left. Scooped the last original ichigo cream, and a matcha ichigo cream. Also left with a box of assorted sandos (4 quarters of varying flavors). Ichigo pastries were very tasty, not too sweet, but still quite crunchy despite how late in the day we picked it up. It wasn't strawberry season, so strawberries weren't too sweet which is understandable. I enjoyed the matcha cream one more. Sandos were just meh, ~$9 for the 4. I believe it was tuna, egg salad, cucumber, and a ham & cheese. Not very filling, but will scratch the itch if you are craving a milk bread Japanese sando. Overall, great for pastries (especially cutesy Spirited Away-themed ones), but I'd pass on the pre-made sandos. No indoor tables, although there is a ledge that maybe can be used as temporary seating. Had outdoor tables and chairs, but stowed away in the corner, probably seasonal. read more

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Rating: 4.3 Stopped by this bakery on the way home from Boston. I've known the place for a while since I used to live in Boston. The place has been updated and decorated more since last i visited. It's local Japanese bakery that sells many Japanese pastries, drinks, sandwiches and little things like rice balls. Its a small shop on the side of the street and street parking is available. We got some Japanese pastries to go such as curry pan, matcha red bean cream pan, animated character pan and sesame pan. Overall they were pretty good. I particularly liked the matcha red bean cream pan. Light fluffy matcha cream paired well with sweetness of red beans. Service was good Overall it's a pretty good local Japanese bakery in the area and it's a good option if you want something different from Chinese or korean pastries. They also have cute Japanese animated character bread too which i don't see often outside of Japan. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Assortment of pastries we got - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Cute and DELICIOUS! Absolutely adorable bread designs with many ghibli characters and simple designs~ savory and sweet options. The shop has been around for a while and seems family owned~ there's a picture of a women near the door, and the staff members look like her family or relatives~ staff was so nice, gave us explanation on different fillings~ We took our delicious treats to go and had them in the morning with tea~ yes, they lasted and were still soft and fluffy the following morning~ I enjoyed how subtle and soft these treats were today. None of the fillings were over sweet and just a perfect, with the match filling, cream, fruit filling and chocolate filling were all soft and creamy and not too heavy or too sweet. I need to come back for more! This is definitely a stop to make when in Boston . read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

We visited this charming local bakery in need of some good coffee. They had great locally roasted beans for their cold brew (dark roast) which was delicious, but what we loved even more was their beautiful assortment of Japanese pastries. The azuki cream is wonderful with a lot of cream and a thin layer of red bean paste - not traditional but not too sweet and delicious. The Totoro shaped cream pans were adorable and very good. The service was lovely. They had made a mistake ringing us up for our order, and when we pointed it out they refunded us for the extra pastry and still asked us to enjoy it, which we did. Such a nice way to start our Saturday. We will be back! read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I have been wanting to check out this bakery for a long time now and finally made the trek today to try their famous Totoro bread and was not disappointed! The pastry display in front of the entrance was absolutely adorable and had some Japanese classics like melon pan, curry pan, and different types of anpan. The ladies at the register were very friendly and swift in retrieving your order. I ordered the Totoro bread with the chocolate custard and the konbu filling onigiri and both were very delicious! The Totoro bread was very fluffy and the white parts were perfectly crusty and sweet. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Totoro bread - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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Having lived across this bakery for the past year, I felt it's time for me to write an honest review. This is one of the only Japanese bakeries in the area, and has very cute looking baked goods. Price is often slightly overpriced. most importantly, I do not feel that the baked goods were that fresh at all. The service is excellent and the cashier is very knowledgeable, but it does not override the fact that baked goods were only mediocre at best. I feel that the cutesy nature of the shape of some of these baked goods have captured people's attention, without realizing their inferior quality and taste. I would rather go to Chinatown for more authentic bakeries. It is a fine option if u want the convenience. read more

Stopped by to pick up a few items. The Totoro bread was fresh and still warm when we got it. It's so cute and the bread was so nice and soft. Can't wait to go back to try other items. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Amazing Japanese bakery with so many treats. The tried the Boston Cream filled puff and scones. So many treats to try with a Japanese twist. Must drop by and check this out. read more

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YUMYUMYUM!!!! Such a delicious bakery spot, I wanted to try everything here. I decided to get the matcha puff with strawberries and it was what I dream of when I sleep. The croissant was flaky and delicious and the matcha cream paired perfectly with the strawberries. read more

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Huge fan of Japonaise! Their chicken katsu and potato sandwiches are delicious. The sandwich bread is so soft and buttery. I especially like the potato sandwich which was nicely seasoned and had a great sauce with it. I wish they could have heated up the sandwiches to take it to the next level. Their pastries are also top notch. Less sweet like most Asian baked goods but the matcha and cream fillings had nice flavoring without being too rich. Not to mention many of them are shaped as cute characters. There is no seating inside which makes it tricky to enjoy your food on a cold day when you don't want to eat outside. If you see a line don't worry - it moves fast. Love, love this place. Definitely worth a stop. read more

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DELICIOUS! I cannot get enough of how cute everything is. Not to mention the amazing smell when stepped inside. The bakery is family-owned and is only opens 4 days a week. That is saying something where shop is located. Service is perfect, they are there to help and recommend different pastries when decision is hard. The selection ranges from sweet to savory, not to mention there are drinks as well. Perfect place to start the morning when visiting. read more

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I love the milk bread and the service is amazing and my favorite is the cinnamon twist melt in your mouth

Always a line here but they have the pastries displayed up front and they try to be efficient. Custard filled Jiji was $5 and the perfect little afternoon snack read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Jiji bun - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I love Japonaise! The pastries and breads are unique and very cute. I've bought multiple items from them before and my favorite is the azuki cream. It's a delicious red bean paste pastry with whipped cream covered in a light croissant like crust. This place is always packed with lines out the door, but the service is quick. The owners are also so sweet! I always see them running around in the back or taking orders. read more

This review is for the sandwiches. This is a cute, small, clean bakery. They don't have too many options, but a great place to grab a small bite to eat. I grabbed: - chicken katsu sandwich - egg salad sandwich - day-old donut (they price these at $1 off) Everything was good and well made. The sandwiches are on the very small side, and cost more than I would normally pay for. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - egg salad + chicken katsu sandwiches - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Items ordered: Spicy tuna onigiri, cold brew Value: Prices were reasonable! Service: Great! Staff were very kind and informative. The Review: I was so exciting to get to Japonaise for their gluten free options that I'd heard so much about. Unfortunately, they did not have anything sweet for me. I was able to pull through with an onigiri. They do use canned tuna and it was surprisingly very delicious. I would absolutely eat again! I got the cold brew with a splash of milk and it was really good. Would totally come back here again and hopefully they'll have more GF stuff and earn their 5th star. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Cold brew - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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We love stopping by this cafe when getting groceries at hmart, their pastries are too good to pass up! I especially enjoy their curry pan, so savory and crisp, but not so filling that I could eat it as a snack. Their sweets are also really yummy, of course not too sweet and always light and fluffy! For their sweets I really love their strawberry puff cream pastry, it looks too good to eat but tastes amazing once you bite into it. The shop is small, but the line moved quickly and the staff are friendly and prompt with orders. Stop by if you are passing through! read more

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Japanese bakery with French influence at its best. Great flakiness and flavor. Fresh ingredients. Made with such care and quality. They seem to be a bit understaffed... when I went there on a Thursday morning around 8:45am (they only open Thursday to Sunday 8am-8pm at the time of writing this review), quite a few of their offerings were not ready yet. I ended up with 3 kinds of bake goods or pastries that my family picked online. All tasted fantastic! No drinks in the morning by the way in case you are wondering. Again, not sure if it's due to staffing... but there's enough goodies and selections to keep you happy. No dine-in spaces. To-Go takeouts only. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Choco Totoro (Choco) - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Quite busy on a Saturday afternoon! Really enjoyed the melon pan and strawberry chino croissant The pastries don't taste good the next day as they lose their crisp and dry out so definitely recommend to only get what you can finish that day read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

The bakery looks cute. I like that they have a display section. I like the matcha ichigo cream. The matcha cream and strawberry inside the croissant is very good. I also got other cartoon looking bakeries with some custard/red bean filling. They are ok though. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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Love the filled character buns. Super cute and love the custard Totoro. Would go again, staff is friendly. Love discount on day old pastries read more

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Came here on Sunday morning, went to a few spots in Brookline as well, seems like they just recently renovated the place. It looks more concise now and modern, though it seems smaller to me. Pastries are good and freshly baked and not to mention cute characters as well. I got some totoro buns and they were so good. The custard was so nice and light, the bread was also fluffy. Would love to come back and try more flavors and other selections read more

What a cute little shop! A few doors from Hmart. Couldn't decide what to get so my local guide did the ordering! The matcha azuki with lots of matcha filling! Very soft and fluffy filling! Delicious treat! Can't wait to come back and try other goodies! read more

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Very solid pastries at a decent price! I had the an pan, Totoro chocolate custard pan, black sesame pan, and 2 onigiri. The black sesame was my favorite my far - the sesame taste was very potent, the topping was crunchy, and it was not too sweet! The Totoro bun was super cute but tasted average - probably wouldn't get again. I preferred the spicy tuna onigiri to the regular tuna onigiri but both were nice for a quick snack. Service was fast and very welcoming. The store is very cute inside but unfortunately there is no seating. Overall, I look forward to coming back to try more items! read more

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I try to go to Japonaise every Sunday, it's the highlight of my week! I've eaten through too much of their menu, but here are my favorites: SAVORY- * Shokupan: traditional Japanese soft white milk bread. Ideal to build a perfect grilled cheese or a Japanese egg salad sandwich with soft boiled eggs and Kewpie mayo. * Chicken katsu on butter roll: A generous, tender slice of chicken breast, breaded, fried, and slathered in tonkatsu sauce. This is the PERFECT snack, light lunch, or travel meal. * Korokke (potato croquette) on butter roll: A perfectly fluffy potato patty, breaded, fried, and slathered in tonkatsu sauce *Onigiri: I usually stick with my usual tuna or spicy tuna; I once got the kelp one and it was weirdly spicy (couldn't finish it) * Plain croissant: If you can get it when it's come right out of the oven, it's HEAVENLY. * Curry donut: This is on the heavier side, but so savory and full of umami. SWEET- * Azuki cream: A croissant shell filled with fresh whipped cream (the lightest, fluffiest cream you'll ever try!) and a layer of sweet red bean paste. I don't even like red bean paste, but I love this pastry. I've also tried the matcha version but I always come back to this one. It's their most popular item for a reason. * Blueberry croissant: Almost like a blueberry danish married a croissant, it's crispy, fruity, and rich. * Totoro: basically a custard bun, but in super cute rabbit form, and makes the perfect gift. * Black sesame melon pan: The contrast of the earthy, almost bitter crackly black sesame with the soft, pillowy roll and the custardy filling is so good. read more

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Excellent onigiri-several kinds! Very kind staff. The place was very clean and the onigiri is wrapped in a way that the seaweed stays crisp until you eat it. read more

Besides SALT and Clear Flour Bread, this is one of my all-time favorite bakeries in the Boston area. There's not one food item I've tried here that I don't like. Even though it's quite small and there can be a long lines at peak hours, it's always worth the wait. It's a really nice, welcoming environment on top of everything I already love about this place. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - 2 cake slices. They're as appealing to the eyes as they are to the palate. - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

This place never fails to have the BEST pastries i've ever had. The custard filled totoro is my favorite thing of all time- i get it every time i go. It is ALWAYS worth the wait, so if you see a long line- trust me and get in it! Everything we got in the assorted box in the picture was wonderful. The fillings are all amazing and the pastry itself couldn't be better. Soft, fresh, and heavenly creations all around. Even the savory one I got, the Smoked Chibi, was awesome. They recently renovated the place so it's beautiful inside as well now. When it comes to staff, they are all wonderful and truly care. We had a miscommunication and they gave me 4 chocolate filled pastries, so i came back in to buy 4 custard ones. They insisted I don't play for the 4 custard filled ones because they took responsibility for the mistake. I could not have been more grateful! They are incredibly kind humans. I'm from Chicago, but I WILL be back soon, as this place is a must-visit every time i'm in town. read more

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You have to try this bakery & cafe in Brookline that has the cutest pasteries! You can get their Jiji, Totoro, or Soot Sprite pasteries with either cream, chocolate, matcha, or orange/yuzu filling and enjoy their local dark roast or cold brew coffee. Although there is not any indoor or outdoor seating, this is definitely a spot for fans to enjoy some delicious Studio Ghibli inspired desserts! My favorite is their adzuki cream pastry! The red bean and cream have a subtle sweet and light flavor that I can't get enough of! Definitely want to come back and try more!! read more

Quite a large selection of pastries. Bakery is only open Thursday thru Sunday. It's in a great location close to other Asian businesses like ramen & matcha desserts. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - No face - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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It's been a while since the last time I was here. The deco inside looked a bit different. Quite dark to be honest. The quality of the buns and milk bread are excellent and tasted as good as I remembered. Got a day old milk bread, 8 pieces for $5. Fresh ones are $6. Totoro custard cream bun was tasty! Soft and pillowy!! $5.5. Twist donut with cinnamon sugar was delicious too! Soft and fresh! Spicy tuna onigiri was yummy!! And red bean mochi both white and green ones are delicious! Service is fast and friendly. read more

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Japonaise offers consistent and high quality food at reasonable (is anything reasonable nowadays?) prices. The Ichigo Cream, Azuki Cream, and Boston Crème are amazing! read more

Cute small family owned bakery with Japanese goods. The service depends on who your cashier is. The melon pan is good, not too sweet. If you've had a Chinese pineapple bun, this is like its shy younger cousin. Cream pan: very soft and really good, the custard is also good. Strawberries and cream: strawberries and cream in a pastry, not too sweet Spicy Tuna Onigiri: they have a decent amount of filling and are pretty good read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Melon pan, cream pan, strawberries and cream - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I've seen long lines outside of this cafe on most weekends, so I decided to give it a try today when the line was only a few people long...or so we thought. Though a few people were waiting outside, the inside was pretty packed, and we ended up waiting about 15-20 minutes until we were able to order. They didn't seem to have an official ticketing system in place - instead they had 3 front of house people who were rotating in and out, taking orders at the registers and then going back to pack up the orders themselves. It probably would have been a bit faster if one person was at the register and two were getting tickets and packing, but it wasn't too bad. The line is also not too bad because as you're making your way closer to the registers, they have a pretty nice display of all of their products and signs detailing what each item was and what ingredients they had. I ended up just getting the Matcha Azuki Cream bun, which was $6.00. It was really tasty, but the price did feel a little steep. The pastry itself was very flaky and buttery, and it tasted really high quality. The matcha cream itself didn't have very much sweetness, but there was a lot of it giving a pretty strong matcha flavor. Most of the sweetness came from the thin layer of red bean paste on the bottom, which was surprising, since I thought the cream would add sweetness, but it ended up being the perfect balance. I usually don't like red bean too much, but this was the perfect amount and the perfect amount of sweetness - when coupled with the more bitter matcha cream it had a great dessert balance. That being said, this 4 stars is probably more on the 3.5/5 side than the 4/5. The wait was pretty long and the price was pretty high, but the actual pastry itself was very, very good. I'd get this again for a special occasion, but it's probably a bit much for a casual cafe stop. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Matcha Azuki Cream - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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Interesting pastry. Cute. I do like the Azuki cream bun. Pastry was flaky, the red bean is a bit too sweet, possibly from can one. read more

Japonaise Bakery and Cafe - Totoro (Chocolate Custard Cream) - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts