Mikadukiya Tenjin Area

How long would you wait on line for a buttery-rich, crispy croissant? "As long as it takes," say the many people waiting in the daily queue at Mikadukiya, a croissant specialty bakery in Yakuin, Fukuoka. Owner Yamaguchi and his partner spent half a year developing a secret machine-intensive process used to prepare the dough before baking on location at their first shop in Kokura, and now in Yakuin (since August 2006). Next year Yamaguchi will open a new shop in Tokyo. Like a traditional French croissant, the outer crust is light and flaky, but unlike the Parisian pedigrees, the insides are richer, denser, and stuffed with Japanese fillings such as azuki (sweet bean paste), kinako (bean powder), and yomogi (Japanese herb). In all there are ten varieties including plain, maple syrup, cinnamon, chocolate, and sesame. They may not be orthodox, but they are delicious and make for a wonderful omiyage (present). Orders are limited to ten per customer. On weekends arrive before noon if you hope to get a reservation ticket for later that day... believe us, it's worth the wait!

Last updated April 2008