An ideal travel morning spent at a bakery frequented by locals.

　When I visit another prefecture for travel or business, I like to get up a little early the morning after staying overnight and take a walk to soak up the atmosphere of the town. If I can find a coffee shop or bakery that locals frequent, I like to have breakfast there. This kind of time is my ideal morning on a trip.

　Pandore, located in front of Toyama Station, is a place that fulfills the simple wishes of travelers who think like this. There are two seats for eating in. Coffee is 100 yen a cup and is self-service style. In the refrigerator you'll find "Cowhee," the coffee milk from Toyama Alpine Dairy, a familiar name in Toyama. On the table are an Aladdin toaster for warming up bread and a morning newspaper. Everything you need to spend your morning is here.

　The shop is neatly arranged with sandwiches and savory breads, ready for its 7 AM opening. Early customers seem to already know which breads they want. Upon entering the shop, they place several loaves on a tray without hesitation and head straight to the cashier. This efficient shopping method, taking the shortest route and the shortest time, is a typical morning scene.

　Actually, for over a quarter of a century, my go-to purchase at Pandore has remained the same: the "Black Sandwich." It consists of two slices each of scrambled eggs, potato salad, and spicy ham sandwiched on a loaf of bread that smells of brown sugar. For me, who used to work in front of Toyama Station, the "Black Sandwich" was a lifesaver on mornings when I overslept and had to leave the house early. So even after quitting my job and no longer commuting to Toyama Station, I still pick up a "Black Sandwich" whenever I visit the shop. If the "Black Sandwich" is sold out, I get the "Grape Bread Sandwich." Every time I eat one of these, memories of those days come flooding back, and I feel a little embarrassed.

　To begin with, I love Pandore's bread. I love everything about it: the flavor of the flour, the chewy texture, the fine grain, the perfect crust hardness, and its beautiful whiteness. That's why I can immediately tell that the Ogura toast served at the cafe in front of Toyama Station is made with Pandore's bread. When I recommend Pandore to friends and acquaintances, I have them try the "special sandwich," which is bread with jam and butter. When they say, "It's delicious!", it makes me feel like I've been complimented.
　In the corner of the store, you'll find breadcrumbs left over from slicing the bread. You can take up to two bags home with you after making a purchase. Just using these luxurious breadcrumbs will make your homemade hamburgers taste so much better.

　When I used to frequent the shop, the owner, Seiichi Yamazaki, was primarily in charge of baking the bread, but now his son, Tatsuya, has joined him. Tatsuya's role is to devise new products and improve existing breads to make them even more delicious. Having studied Russian at university and studied abroad in the United States during his time there, Tatsuya continues to learn by reading French bread books translated into English. As a result, the shop has added more hard-crusted breads, introduced pita bread, and now offers daily pizzas. Tatsuya, who lives with a standard poodle, also bakes dog bread on Tuesdays only. While continuing these new ventures, the "Pandor" essence that long-time customers envision is carefully preserved.

　For me, the fact that Pandore continues to be open in front of Toyama Station is something I'm incredibly grateful for. It feels like home to me now. I eat bread from many different bakeries, but perhaps that's only possible because I have a place I can always return to with peace of mind. (T)