For real German bread in Japan, Brot Hügel has got your back. Here you will find heavy sourdough rye breads, hearty wholegrain loaves, soft pretzels, and some French-style breads like baguettes. During the Christmas season, Brot Hügel bakes lebkuchen (German-style spice cookies), stollen, and fruit bread, and at times you may be able to get your hands on a loaf of real pumpernickel bread (yep, the kind that has been baked at super low temperatures for 24 hours!). Other breads incorporate fruits, nuts, and spices. Besides the German breads, you can also pick up snacky breads like cheese-filled buns or sweet rolls.
The owners grow their own rye in their field and use it for baking many of the German loaves. They also have a wood-burning bread oven and make their own sourdough starter from rye flour and wild grapes.
During Golden Week and the summer Obon holiday, they run a little cafe up in Norikura Highlands where everything is baked in a wood-burning stone oven.