Chigiri pan is a bun that is making the rounds on social media, and is very popular in Japan, presentation :
Chigiri pan, popular bun in Japan
Chigiri pan ちぎりパン is a sweet or savory bun that is eaten by tearing part of the bun by hand. Its name comes from the same verb “chigiru” which means to tear off. It could be translated as, the bread to tear off… Very convivial, the bun is composed of several “balls” of bread that you share. The chigiri pan can be crown-shaped, in rows, squared or in 3D. The ingredients are quite simple (water, milk, sugar, salt, butter, flour, baker’s yeast) but its particularity is the fact that the Japanese make it a very cute“kawaii” bun and for that, they compete with ingenuity.
The Japanese like to transform simple products into cute characters like the characters of the Ghibli universe, Disney, Rilakkuma… We find the same principle with its cousin the melon pan for example. The social networks, especially Instagram, have made it a very popular product because these buns are adorable! Isn’t it?
The recipe of chigiri pan
While waiting for our recipe, we recommend you the one of Bento&monsters in English of Chigiri pan Totoro. Or if you prefer in video in English the one of bonobos25, chigiri pan in the shape of chocolate bear:
The principle is to make several balls of brioche and to let them inflate side by side so that they stick together. For the decoration, we will use different colors of icing, and for the color of cocoa, matcha green tea, honey ect.
In Japan
In Japan, these buns are very popular with children because they are not only nice but also slightly sweet. You can see them in Japanese bakeries. An artisan baker umi うみ, or @ umi0407 has taken part in this trend and created chigiri pan in the shape of very realistic plush toys. They are good and chewy! You will see some looking like Snoopy, Garlfied, Winnie the Pooh.. 
Salty version
Another amazing thing about these buns is that you can turn them into perfect little sandwiches. You can fill them independently from each other and they will look great on the table for an aperitif or snack with friends. 
The chigiri pan is really typical Japanese in its realization. Combine taste, aesthetics and this in small portions to share. And it works! They always look good on the table whether it is with adults or children! On top of that, it doesn’t take long to make.
