Located in the quiet neighborhood of Setagaya-Daita (and not far from Shimokita), the Totoro Café & Bakery seems to come straight out of Hayao Miyazaki’s fantasy world. Hidden in a backstreet, surrounded by trees, the two-story house includes both a café and bakery. And with a few tables outside, it is the perfect spot for a sweets break this spring.

The café area is located on the second floor of the house. Although it only has seven or eight tables, the large windows overlooking the courtyard give a feeling of openness to the room. They serve a range of homemade dishes such as fresh pasta, salad and a great selection of desserts. But there is one item on the menu that almost everyone is here for: Totoro Cream Puffs.

The Totoro-shaped cream puffs (¥440 – ¥485) are all hand-made onsite and come in two flavors: custard and fresh cream or chocolate cream. They also offer seasonal flavors including strawberry cream, banana or chocolate in spring, matcha or peach cream in summer and Japanese chestnut or raspberry cream cheese in fall and winter.

Pair them with a matcha latte (hot or cold – ¥460) or a black tea for the perfect pairing.

The Totoro cream puffs are so incredibly kawaii that you might find it hard dig in initially. Luckily, they are all available for take-out from the bakery shop downstairs. The cafe also sell a range of cookie sets in the form of Totoro and his Ghibli friends, as well as bespoke celebration cakes—simply irresistible.

They make great omiyage (souvenirs) for your friends or colleagues or just a nice souvenir from your visit to the wonderful world of Totoro.

The café & bakery is very popular amongst both locals and Totoro fans, so it is recommended to make a reservation beforehand—especially if you are planning to go on the weekend. Otherwise, you may need to put your name down and go for a stroll through the neighborhood’s pretty streets, not a bad option either.

Whether you are a fan of Studio Ghibli or simply have a sweet tooth, the Totoro Café & Bakery is made for you. Prepare yourself for serious cuteness overload and make sure to document these Instagram-worthy treats.

Check out more photos of Totoro cream puffs and other great shots of Japan at Laura’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/monti_thefrenchsushi/

TOLO COFFEE & BAKERY
Address: 5-3-1 Daita Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 10.30am-7pm (closed Tuesday & Public Holidays)
Tel: 03-5787-6221
Website: http://www.shiro-hige.com
Nearest station: Setagaya Daita (3 minute walk)