On August 27, 2025, the French toast specialty shop "Creative French Toast in Tokachi" opened its doors in Memuro, a town in Hokkaido's Tokachi region. This shop is infused with two key ingredients: the rich bounty of Tokachi's land, and a heartfelt desire to create a place where everyone feels they belong.

Exquisite French Toast Featuring the Best of Tokachi's Seasons

AN BUTTER (980 yen)

In addition to the simple "BUTTER" French toast (820 yen), the menu features popular toppings like "AN BUTTER" (980 yen) with red bean paste and "JAGA CHEESE" (1,350 yen) with potato and cheese. True to its name, "Creative French Toast in Tokachi" generously uses ingredients sourced from the Tokachi region.

MELT CHEESE (1,140 yen)

The dairy products essential for delicious French toast—milk, fresh cream, and butter—are all from Yotsuba Milk Products. The bread, a special order from the Asahiya bakery in Memuro, is made with Tokachi wheat, resulting in thick, fluffy, and chewy slices.

JAGA CHEESE (1,350 yen)

Other carefully selected local ingredients include "Tsunagu" cheese from Otomo Farm and free-range, fertilized eggs from Oakleaf. Even the potatoes are sourced from Memuro Town.

Takeout is also available

The French toast is carefully prepared with simple recipes to let the quality of the ingredients shine through, making each bite a luxurious taste of Tokachi's natural bounty. You can enjoy it in the cafe or get it to go.

A Strong Desire to 'Create a Place to Belong' Came Before the Shop Itself

Madoka Nozawa of "Creative French Toast in Tokachi"

Madoka Nozawa, the founder of "Creative French Toast in Tokachi," is a mother of two children, aged three and zero. A French toast lover herself, she felt it was the perfect menu item to showcase the wonderful ingredients of her hometown, Memuro, and the greater Tokachi area.

A comfortable interior for babies and mothers

However, she reveals that her desire to "create a place to belong" came even before her dream of opening a shop. Having experienced not attending school in her teens and feeling like she had no place, Madoka has since immersed herself in various environments—from volunteer work in the U.S. and planning music events to working in food service and welfare. Through it all, she held onto the dream of creating a space where anyone could be themselves. After becoming a mother, she also realized how few places were welcoming to people with young children.

A private nursing space for peace of mind

That's why the shop is equipped with a private nursing room and a diaper changing table—amenities she wished for based on her own parenting experience. She hopes to create a space where mothers of infants and toddlers can relax and feel at home. With this in mind, she has carefully designed the cafe's interior.

'Oyakonokoya': Another Warm Haven, Lighting Up the Night on Days Off

A warm and inviting interior

Madoka is now embarking on a new initiative using her shop's space. "Oyakonokoya" (Parent-Child Hut) is a nighttime sanctuary exclusively for women—a "nighttime place to belong" for mothers and babies. The plan is to open up the "Creative French Toast in Tokachi" space on the evenings of its regular closing days.

Having endured countless difficult and lonely nights while struggling with her first child's night crying, Madoka says, "I want to create the kind of place I desperately needed back then, for others who are going through the same parenting journey."

"Oyakonokoya" will be a women-only space for mothers, grandmothers, and sisters, equipped with play mats for babies to sleep safely, blackout curtains, and partitioned nursing and rest areas. It will be a place where you can nurse, change diapers, or do nothing at all—a place where you are welcome just to be.

A New Challenge for the Future of Mothers and Children, Nurtured with the Community

Creative French Toast in Tokachi

To make "Oyakonokoya" a reality, Madoka is currently running a crowdfunding campaign on CAMPFIRE. This project, which aims to start operations in October 2025, seeks supporters and is an effort to cultivate a "place for someone to belong" together with the community. The goal is 3,000,000 yen. Rewards include discounted meal vouchers for French toast, participation in operational meetings, and food and goods delivered to your home.

If you want to support Madoka's challenge, or even get involved, be sure to check out the crowdfunding site.

Another way to show your support is to visit "Creative French Toast in Tokachi" and enjoy their delicious French toast. Discovering the rich food of Tokachi and enjoying the local agriculture and food culture is a heartwarming step toward building a "place for someone to belong."

Interview cooperation and images provided by: Creative French Toast in Tokachi

Creative French Toast in Tokachi

■Address: 2-2-1 Higashi 1-jo, Memuro-cho
■Hours: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
■Closed: Sundays, Mondays, National Holidays
■Phone: 0155-65-0200
■Instagram: @creativefrenchtoastintokachi
Click here for details and map information for "Creative French Toast in Tokachi"