
Mm, bagels. The quintessential morning staple, best hot and crunchy out of the toaster with a generous slathering of cream cheese and a nice hot cuppa.
Thankfully Japan is no stranger to these bread-y rings of goodness, so it isn’t difficult to get one’s bagel fix should the craving strike. The well-known chain BAGEL & BAGEL has been serving up the good stuff since their first store opened in Shinjuku in 1997, and now has about 70 locations open throughout Japan.
While foreign cuisine can be found in abundance here nowadays, from pizza and pasta to Indian curry and naan, creative chefs in Japan will often take these foods and make it uniquely their own. (Potato-and-mayo pizza, anyone?) Bagels are no exception, and starting December 26, BAGEL & BAGEL will be rolling out a line of very Japanese-style bagels, including such “Wa” (Japanese) ingredients as seaweed and edamame.
▲ Look at all the choices we have! Let’s take a closer look.
1. Mochi bagel
This one is made with rice flour and glutinous rice to give it a springy, chewy texture similar to sticky mochi rice cakes. The simplest of the bunch, this bagel is recommended to be eaten with sweetened soy sauce for dipping.
2. Nori bagel
Nori is a type of edible seaweed, most often sold dried and pressed into sheets used for making sushi rolls.
3. Shiitake Sesame bagel
Made with dried shiitake mushrooms and black sesame seeds. This one ought to be good!
4. Wasabi bagel
Want a little spicy kick to your bagel? Can’t go wrong with wasabi. Cream cheese would pair nicely with this one.
5. Hijiki Edamame bagel
Definitely an inventive flavor combo for this one. Hijiki is a dark seaweed that’s often eaten as a side dish, boiled with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin to give it flavor. Combine the iron- and calcium-rich hijiki with protein-packed edamame soy beans, and you’ve got yourself a pretty powerful bagel!
6. Kinako White Chocolate bagel
Kinako is a kind of soybean flour that has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. This one should definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.
In addition to these six new flavors, BAGEL & BAGEL will also be offering two different bagel sandwiches. And we all know bagels make some pretty bomb sandwiches.
Keeping with the Japanese-style theme, on the left we have marinated tuna with wasabi mayo, and on the right, tofu hamburg patty with grated daikon radish and ponzu (a sauce made with soy sauce and citrus juice).
The bagels range in price from 180-200 yen (about US$1.49-$1.66), and the sandwiches from 490-580 yen ($4-$4.80). These scrumptious creations will only be on sale for a limited time – until January 25, 2015, or until supplies run out, whichever comes first. So if you have a BAGEL & BAGEL near you, don’t wait!
Source and images: entabe



Wasabi and sashimi bagels on sale now in Japan! We buy some and invent the Japanese dip sandwich
New line of super-Japanese chocolates comes infused with wasabi, sake, and even seaweed
Donuts with seaweed and soy sauce — Is Japan’s Mister Donut idea too Japanese for its own good?
Doritos soy sauce wasabi and octopus dumpling sauce flavors come to Japan and Taiwan
10 vegetarian foods you can order at almost any Japanese restaurant
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
Japan’s double-decker portable rice cooker/bento maker is better than ever with new version
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Wait, some Shinkansen trains already have private booths that only cost 1,500 yen for an hour?
Hiker needs to be rescued from Mt. Fuji two times in two days, but system is working as intended
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Around Japan in 47 rice balls: Mr. Sato buys each prefecture’s musubi all from one Tokyo shop
Japanese burger chain Freshness Burger completely ignores tsukimi season in favor of…mushrooms?
My oh maitake! Japan’s oldest hamburger chain’s new mushroom burger is like eating a forest
Is katsudon a dish best served cold? Trying out the new Hiyashi Dashi Katsudon in Tokyo【Taste test】
Japan’s new frozen sushi DIY kit – Great foodie fun, or cold-hearted abomination?【Taste test】
Tokyo Station’s perfect breakfast spot might just be this izakaya Japanese-style pub
Lawson Store 100 sells two new simple, inexpensive bento showcasing popular Japanese side dishes
Holy mackerel! Two new seasonal rice burgers for Japanese food fans
Don’t drink alone! Nine Japanese snacks to accompany sake that you’ve probably never tried
We try the new Sushitozzo: A fishy Japanese take on an Italian sweet