Making Natural Yeast Bread Easier: Tomizawa Shoten Releases "Hokkaido Natural Yeast Flour" and Hosts Commemorative Bread Workshops

Tomizawa Shoten Co., Ltd., celebrating 106 years as one of Japan's largest specialty retailers for confectionery and baking ingredients and tools, has released a new product: "Hokkaido Natural Yeast Flour," specifically designed for making natural yeast bread.

"Hokkaido Natural Yeast Flour" is a bread flour made from Hokkaido-grown wheat, engineered to draw out the maximum potential of natural yeast. It allows you to bake bread that is fluffy, soft, and has a chewy texture, all while utilizing the unique flavor profile that only natural yeast can provide. You can enjoy baking bread with a gentle sweetness that fits perfectly into your daily meals.

It is available in two sizes: 1kg and 2.5kg, making it suitable for a wide range of uses, from home baking to professional bread classrooms.

Product Overview

Product Name: Hokkaido Natural Yeast Flour Specifications: 1kg / 2.5kg Release Date: March 24, 2026 Available at: Tomizawa Shoten physical stores and the official online shop

Product Description: A specialized flour made from Hokkaido wheat, ideal for making natural yeast bread. It utilizes the flavor of natural yeast to finish with a fluffy, soft, and chewy texture.

About the Commemorative Special Bread Workshop Event

To commemorate the launch of this product, we will hold a special bread workshop event at the Tomizawa Shoten studio. We have invited instructors from the "Sala Bread Classroom" to lead the event, where you can experience simple and gentle bread-making using "Hokkaido Natural Yeast Flour" and Shirakami Kodama Yeast.

The lessons are themed around "bread-making that you want to eat every day like rice," focusing on methods that do not require unnecessary ingredients. Participants will make and take home five small buns. There will also be a tasting session comparing bread baked by the instructors using the Natural Yeast Flour against bread made with other flours like "Haruyokoi."

This event is being held as a special project to mark the milestone of Tomizawa Shoten celebrating its 107th anniversary on April 1, 2026.

Event Overview

Simple and Gentle Bread Workshop: Making Bread with Natural Yeast Flour & Shirakami Kodama Yeast (Perfect for Beginners)

Content: A bread-making event commemorating the release of the Natural Yeast Flour. You can experience simple and gentle bread-making through lessons led by instructors from the Sala Bread Classroom. Participants will take home the small buns they baked during the lesson. The tasting portion will include comparisons between the instructor-baked Natural Yeast Flour bread and bread made with other wheat flours such as Haruyokoi.

Experience Details: - Making 5 small buns (to take home) - Tasting of bread baked by the instructor, and more.

Venues and Dates: [Sogo Yokohama TCS] April 5 (Sun) / April 14 (Tue) / April 29 (Wed)

[Shibuya Tokyu Food Show TCS] April 12 (Sun) / April 17 (Fri) / April 27 (Mon) Event Time: 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM each day (approx. 3.5 hours) Eligibility: 18 years of age and older Capacity: 4 people per session (Advance reservation required) *Please note that we kindly ask that only participants attend; observers are not permitted. Participation Fee: Free (In honor of Tomizawa Shoten's 107th anniversary) What to Bring: Apron, hand towel, shopping bag for taking home your bread How to Reserve: In-store or by phone at the participating locations [Sogo Yokohama TCS]: 045-441-1622 [Shibuya Tokyu Food Show TCS]: 03-3477-4266 How to Cancel: Please call the store within business hours at least 2 days before the event.

About Sala Bread Classroom A bread classroom operated by "Sala Akita Shirakami," which was established with the goal of popularizing Shirakami Kodama Yeast. Based on their unique concept of "subtractive bread-making," they propose methods that make the most of the appeal of Shirakami Kodama Yeast, sharing their techniques with many students nationwide.

About Shirakami Kodama Yeast Shirakami Kodama Yeast is a yeast discovered in the humus of the World Natural Heritage site, the Shirakami Mountains, which straddle the border of Akita and Aomori Prefectures. It was selected from various microorganisms based on characteristics such as fermentation power and aroma, and was developed as a baking yeast.

Features: - Good compatibility with domestic Japanese wheat, creating a moist texture. The gas generation speed is moderately slow, so the dough's network is not easily broken, resulting in bread with a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. - Natural sweetness and deep flavor. It contains plenty of trehalose, characterized by a natural sweetness even with minimal added sugar. The more you chew, the more the sweetness spreads. - Strong fermentation power and easy to handle. It does not require a "starter" and can be baked in about 2.5 to 3 hours, just like regular yeast.