What’s cute, sweet, soft and golden brown? Why, Hello Kitty bread, of course! Yes, we’ve seen the internationally famous cat transform into numerous forms, including many delectably edible ones, and once again, we get to be treated to another example of Ms. Kitty doing a bit of business while filling our stomachs with sweet goodness.
Now, we know Hello Kitty’s been busy with her 40th anniversary celebrations, coming up with collaborative products like the special edition Super Alloy Kitty and even helping out with charity, but we always love to see her transformed into tasty treats, whatever the occasion. Let’s take a look at what she has in store for us this time!
The beautiful and savory-looking breads from the Hello Kitty bakery “Kitty’s Promenade” (Kitty no Sanpomichi) are currently available in just two locations in Japan. One is the main shop in the city of Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture, not too far from Tokyo. The second shop, which we’re mainly focusing on today, opened last month in the Solaria Stage Specialty Shops Arcade in Fukuoka Prefecture, making it the first and only Kitty’s Promenade in western Japan, and it’s also a temporary shop that will be open for a limited time until August 18.
The Solaria Stage shop features a variety of original sweet and non-sweet breads, as well as baked confections that can only be bought there. And believe us, the creations are enough to make any Hello Kitty fan (or non-fan, for that matter) squirm with delight!
▼They naturally had to have melon bread, one of the most popular types of breads in Japan. This “Hello Kitty Dreamy and Melty Melon Bread” (Hello Kitty no Mero-mero Melon Pan) , priced at 378 yen (US$3.70) has a soft and nostalgic look that is reminiscent of an earlier version of Hello Kitty. 
▼The “Hello Kitty Happy Cookie” (Hello Kitty no Tanoshii Cookie), sold for 324 yen ($3.17) has more of a “modern” look.
▼And this beautiful golden-brown offering is the “Awesome Hello Kitty Bread” (Hello Kitty no Tottemo Sugoi Pan) , available in the three flavors of custard cream, chocolate and read bean paste, for 378 yen each. Mmm …. all three flavors sound yummy, we’d have a hard time choosing just one. 
Not only are these edible Hello Kitty treats adorable to look at, they’re created with tremendous care. Ingredients containing the least possible additives are carefully chosen to make the breads. Further, according to the top executive of Puntouno, the company that operates Kitty’s Promenade, they select only the best-looking products to be sold at the shop and as a result, only 40% of the baked goods they create end up actually being offered . Yes, they apparently take this Kitty business very seriously.
And as can be expected, customers have responded enthusiastically with the products selling extremely well — so well, in fact, that although the Solaria Stage shop has only been open since May 13, some of the breads have already sold out completely.
Unfortunately, from the information we’ve seen on-line, the main shop in Kanagawa Prefecture is scheduled to close at the end of this month, which means from the beginning of next month until August 13, the Solaria Stage shop will be the only Hello Kitty’s Promenade in all of Japan, and after that period, there will no longer be any Promenade shops. So, if you want to get your hands on these special baked goodies, you’ll want to hurry to the Solaria Stage soon for a chance to try them before they’re gone for good!
▼Here’s one last look at the shop full of baked Hello Kitties.
Shop Info
Address: Solaria Stage Building B1, 2-11-3 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka
(0 min from the Nishitestu Tenjin Omuta Line Nishitetsu Fukuoka Tenjin Station)
Open: Everyday from 10am to 8pm from May 13 to August 18
Report and original article by: sweetsholic (c)Pouch
Source: Puntouno, Hello Kitty’s Promenade
Photos courtesy of: Puntouno, SANRIO (c) 1976, 2014 SANRIO CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN
[ Read in Japanese ]