The Joy of Rakukenji Bread with Akiko

Join us for a hands-on workshop where we explore a uniquely wholesome Japanese baking tradition: Rakukenji Bread — soft, fluffy bread made using a natural yeast starter from blended fruits and vegetables like apple, carrot, and potato.

Originating from a temple in Nara Prefecture, this style of bread was shared by a monk as a way to bake with joy and well-being in mind.
In Japanese:
Raku = joyful & relaxed
Ken = healthy
Ji = temple

What Makes Rakukenji Bread Special?
Instead of commercial yeast, we’ll create our own natural ferment using fruit and vegetable smoothies — capturing the wild yeasts and nutrients from the produce to leaven our dough. The result? A deeply flavourful, soft, and long-lasting bread that feels as good to make as it does to eat.

What You’ll Learn

• How to make your own fruit & veggie yeast starter

• Mixing, fermenting, and shaping soft round bread rolls

• Tips for turning this versatile dough into burger buns, sweet rolls, savoury loaves, and more

• An easy, no-knead method suitable for everyday baking

What You’ll Take Home
— Your homemade yeast starter
— Freshly baked bread
— Dough you’ll prepare during class
— A full recipe + guide to continue baking at home

Why Bake with Natural Yeast?
— Rich, wheaty aroma and flavour from long fermentation
— Easier on digestion – low in gluten, naturally broken down
— Soft, moist texture that stays fresh for days
— A living process — no loaf is ever the same
— 100% additive-free
— Relaxed, flexible — fits into your daily rhythm

This is bread that rises gently, with time and care — just like good things should.