Steamed buns are an absolute delicacy in Japan and cost as little as 150 yen! These are my top 5 picks for these delicious doughy treats:
1. Pizza Bun (Pizza Man)
By far the greatest Japanese steamed bun that you’ll find at just about any convenience store in Japan is the Pizza Man bun. This soft ball of dough is packed with stretchy cheese and tomato paste to recreate the taste of pizza in a bun!
2. Hokkaido Cheese Bun
A rather rare one that is hard to come by, the Hokkaido cheese bun is typically found in select vending machines across Japan (primarily the Hokkaido region). I was fortunate to come across such a vending machine at the Centurion Sauna Rest & Stay in Sapporo where I enjoyed the indulgence of this magnificently creamy cheese filling with a sweet honey topping.
3. Kobe Beef Bun
Another rarity in the world of Japanese steamed buns is the Kobe beef bun, typically found at street food markets or national festivals. I found a stall selling them near Fushimi Inari-Taisha and was very impressed with the quality of the meat and the texture of the bun, albeit a little more pricey than the typical steamed bun.
4. Curry Bun
An absolute classic and must-try is the curry bun, boasting an exotic flavor that is somewhat reminiscent of Indian cuisine, though more sweet than spicy. The bun itself is quite crunchy with a harder exterior as to keep the curry sauce from penetrating the walls. These buns tend to be quite seasonal, often sold during autumn and winter, though some stores may sell them all year round.
5. Curry Bun w/ Cheese
Last but not least is essentially the same thing but with an added ingredient – the curry bun with cheese! A slight improvement on its predecessor, this is one of my favorite steamed buns as it captures the cheesy goodness of the pizza bun but also maintains the exotic spices and sweetness of the curry bun and its crunchy shell.
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