About 20 minutes by car from Kanazawa city.

As soon as I step out of the car, I’m drawn in by the fragrant aroma of wheat.
This is NiOR, a boulangerie that’s become my personal power spot, a place I always visit when I’m in Kanazawa.

I hadn't been in a while, so I paid them a visit, also for a meeting, to discuss holding this year's event again, which was a huge success last October (so successful that I couldn't even buy anything myself).

The night before, I went to "comer", a Spanish restaurant, with Mr. Tanio, the owner of NiOR, and other seniors who have supported me in Kanazawa.
Apparently, the bread used here is from NiOR.
The taste when mixed with the sauce was excellent, it held its own even with the food, yet still played a strong supporting role.
It was a very interesting experience, a first for me to have a meal where the bread was so central.



The next morning, Mr. Tanio was completely different from the night before, he was in "ON mode".
The interview we did last year was online due to the circumstances, so this time, I was able to observe him working in the kitchen and immerse myself in the world of NiOR as we talked.

"When customers take a bite of bread, it's very important that they instinctively understand what they are eating."
This was the most memorable quote from this interview, and it felt like a fresh perspective on Mr. Tanio's approach to bread making.

In short, clarity is important.
For example, when you bite into a croissant, you want to taste the butter.
Or, if you're eating a sandwich, you want to feel like you're "eating ham."

"It's very important for the taste to have a lingering aftertaste," Mr. Tanio taught me.



I remember being impressed when I first toured NiOR's kitchen three or four years ago. The kitchen was wider than the sales floor, packed with equipment primarily from Europe, and his dedication to selecting ingredients for each type of bread (especially the richness of the French butter used for croissants was superb).
He used different ovens for different types of bread, and the philosophy behind each one became clearer.



On the other hand, I wondered, "Isn't baking a profession where you can entrust things to others once you have the best ingredients and a precise recipe?"
However, after hearing about "the lingering aftertaste" this time, it clicked.
Perhaps the sensory aspect is more important than precision.



Mr. Tanio is in the kitchen every day, and his routine is to sleep upstairs on the second floor when the shop is closed, rather than going home.

"I have to be in the kitchen, even if I have to crawl there."





Even while talking in the kitchen, Mr. Tanio moves around "intuitively," checking the oven's temperature by feel and judging the doneness by the color of the surface alone.
During this time, he also manages the flow of the sales floor and takes care of staff needs, all in a minute-by-minute fashion.
Indeed, this might be a realm that cannot be taught to others.

New recipes come to him while he's showering, and from there, he tackles the idea with pure "instinct."
And if it tastes good, he immediately puts it on the shelves.
His judgment is very organic, and that's why the presence of "Mr. Tanio" is so crucial.



Changing the subject, many of NiOR's loaves are square-shaped.
There's an interesting story behind this, unique to NiOR.
NiOR decorates its interior using mid-century furniture and fixtures purchased in Europe.



The 1960s Friso Kramer drafting table, which sits by the window, features a distinctive design with angular seats and angled legs. To make the bread look more beautiful when displayed on this drafting table, many of the loaves placed here are square.



Even when he talks about "instinct," I believe NiOR's bread-making clearly shows a deep philosophical and aesthetic approach.
As I was leaving, I looked for some bread to buy as a souvenir and naturally ended up with both arms full of loaves.
If you see NiOR's bread, you'll surely understand why.


NiOR and Rei Uchiyama "Two-Person Exhibition"

November 19 (Sat) - November 20 (Sun)
11am – 7pm

groundfloor Gallery, 1-8-1 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 2F

Contact: customer@undm.jp / 03-3794-4037

For event details, click here