Cream Box A Snow White Local Bread Born in Koriyama

Cream box is a local bread born in Koriyama City, Fukushima. A thick slice of bread generously spread with snow white milk cream, it is an adorable looking soul food.

Highlights

The star is a gently sweet, milk flavored cream. It pairs wonderfully with the soft bread, and a single bite brings a comforting, homey taste. It is said to have been created at a city bakery in 1976, and today many bakeries across Koriyama make their own distinctive versions. Sold not only at bakeries but at supermarkets, convenience stores, and high school shops, it is woven into daily life for locals. In fiscal 2021 it was certified as a 100 Year Food by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, gaining wide recognition as a food culture representing the region.

Enjoying the Seasons

It is an easy snack bread to enjoy year round, perfect with breakfast or coffee. Because each shop varies the cream blend and the thickness of the bread, comparing them is part of the fun.

Access and Basic Information

It can be bought at bakeries around JR Koriyama Station and throughout the city. Most cost around a hundred yen. Since it does not keep long, enjoy it the same day. It hardly circulates outside Koriyama, so it is a treat best had on the spot.

Practical Travel Notes

• Where to buy: Bakeries around JR Koriyama Station, as well as supermarkets and convenience stores. Rarely found outside the city
• Budget: Around a hundred yen per piece is a rough guide, an affordable price
• Takeaway: It does not keep, so enjoy the same day. Touring a few shops to compare is a favorite pastime
• Variations: Some shops offer different creams such as chocolate or strawberry

A Quick Tip

Some shops offer cream variations such as chocolate or strawberry. Hopping between a few shops to find your favorite cream box is a Koriyama pleasure.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Where it is mainly sold: within Koriyama City. It is certified under the Agency for Cultural Affairs' 100-Year Food program (fiscal year Reiwa 3, in the Future 100-Year Food category; the applicant was the Koriyama Cream Box Gakudan), and today more than 20 bakeries in the city sell it as a standard item.
• Budget: the Koriyama City Tourism Association states that it costs "roughly 100 to 200 yen at bakeries around the city" and that "the taste and shape differ from shop to shop."
• Getting information: the Koriyama City Tourist Information Center (195 Hiuchida, Koriyama City, on the second floor of JR Koriyama Station / 024-924-0012) is open all year round (except over the New Year period) and can provide sightseeing and gourmet information for the city. Opening hours vary by season, so check in advance.

* Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: the Agency for Cultural Affairs' 100-Year Food list for Fukushima Prefecture, and the Cream Box and Tourist Information Center pages of the official Koriyama City Tourism Association website)

📚 Sources

This article is compiled from the tourism information published by Koriyama City and Fukushima Prefecture and from information published by each shop. Prices and product details may change, so please check the official information from each shop for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: affordable, from around 100 yen and up per piece
• Where to eat it: bakeries and bread shops around Koriyama City
• Best time of day: morning to midday, freshly baked and eaten the same day
• Avoiding the crowds: popular shops can sell out, so the morning is the time to aim for
• Worth enjoying alongside: a walk around Koriyama, with a coffee or a glass of milk