As Japan’s gateway port, Yokohama has long been a symbol of openness and innovation. It played a crucial role in the country’s transition from an isolationist nation to global trade. This rich history of embracing new ideas and fostering progress is reflected in the city’s vibrant culture and dynamic economy.
It’s no surprise, then, that our featured maker this month, Gâteaux de Voyage, exemplifies these qualities through their mission and high-quality products. We spoke to the company’s Representative Director, Mr. Mikio Yoshida (吉田), and his team to learn more about the company’s journey in the industry of confectionery and pastries.
Introduction: “Travel Sweets” with a Purpose
It is an honour to have you with us, Mr. Yoshida. Could you start by telling us the history of your brand, as well as what “Gâteaux de Voyage” means and how it relates to your company’s philosophy?
Our company was established in July 1995 in Yokohama, and the brand Gâteaux de Voyage was launched in 1997 as a specialty store focusing on baked goods and confectionery.
“Gâteaux de Voyage” is French for “travel sweets”. Travel sweets are snacks that are designed to last, making them perfect for travel. Our focus is on creating baked goods and semi-perishable confectionery and sweets with longer shelf lives.
We believe that by extending the shelf life of our products, we can contribute to reducing food waste significantly.
Vegan-Friendly and Halal-Certified: “Guilt-Free” Sweets
That’s fascinating! What is the core principle behind your product development? We noticed that some of your signature products are vegan-friendly and halal-certified!
Our most important principle is creating “guilt-free” sweets. This concept stems from our commitment to protecting the environment. For example, our vegan products do not use dairy, which helps reduce methane emissions from cows and promotes a healthier diet for people. Our “Vegan Polvoron” (ビーガンポルボローネ) has been praised even by non-vegans.
Similarly, our halal-certified products aim to bridge cultural and religious divides, contributing to social peace. These include some of Gâteaux de Voyage’s signature products, such as the adorable horseshoe-shaped “Bashamichi Horseshoe Pie” (馬車道馬蹄パイ), and the buttery melts-in-your-mouth “Bashamichi Millefeuille” (馬車道ミルフイユ).
Introduced in this month’s Omiyage Snack Box, the Bashamichi Millefeuille is a 144-layer folded pie, made with the finest domestic Japanese “Shiroganetsuru” (白金鶴) wheat from Gunma Prefecture. Sandwiched within this delicate shell of folded butter are three layers of incredibly smooth cream, melting harmoniously on your tongue for a truly unforgettable treat from Yokohama.
Our emergency sweets are another highlight, designed to be allergen-free and long-lasting.
Making Use of Local Ingredients
It’s impressive how your products contribute to both environmental sustainability and cultural sensitivity! Can you tell us more about the ingredients you use?
We prioritise using local ingredients—our wheat comes from Gunma Prefecture, our butter is fermented and sourced from Hokkaido, and our fruits are from Kanagawa Prefecture. We focus on organic and low-pesticide or pesticide-free ingredients to ensure safety and quality for our customers.
We believe in supporting local farmers and ensuring that our customers receive the highest quality products.
One of the local farmers we frequently collaborate with is Natural Farm Akisawa (ナチュラルファーム秋澤), a fruit farm in nearby Odawara that has been in operation for over 300 years.
The farm primarily grows mandarin oranges without pesticides and also produces Shonan Gold, blueberries, kiwis, onions, rice, honey, and more. Visitors can also enjoy activities like mikan-picking.
Emergency Food with a Sweet Twist
You mentioned “emergency sweets” earlier. What are they, and why are they significant?
Our emergency sweets are essentially snacks that are suitable for disaster-prevention situations and stockpiling emergencies. They are allergen-free and have a shelf life of five years. Designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions, they are even vegan with zero trans fats. These sweets are currently stocked by Hayama Town, Yokohama City, and the Cabinet Office.
This year, we are also awaiting certification from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to make them available as space food. As space travel becomes accessible to the everyday person in the future, our sweets will serve as a ray of hope for allergy-prone consumers.
Gâteaux de Voyage’s Hopeful Future
Space food? How exciting! Any other plans for the future in terms of distribution and sustainability, including sales to other countries?
Our revolutionary frozen cakes challenge traditional notions of fresh cakes. Currently, there is no substitute for freshly-made cakes from individual bakeries, and some of the issues we face daily are the cost of daily delivery, quality deterioration over time, and food wastage. Our freezing system solves all of these problems, ensuring that the cakes taste fresh upon thawing. The biggest advantage here is this helps eliminate food waste.
We are also exploring drone delivery from our factory directly to customers’ homes to address energy concerns and labour shortages in the delivery industry.
While we do not currently export directly, we have participated in international exhibitions in Hong Kong and Los Angeles, receiving a significant number of inquiries. Starting this year, we will begin supplying high-end supermarkets in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing our products to a larger international audience in the future.
Message from Gâteaux de Voyage
It’s clear that Gâteaux de Voyage is committed to quality and sustainability while thinking about the future, and we truly cannot wait to see what’s in store for Gâteaux de Voyage! Do you have any final messages for our readers?
Our mission at Gâteaux de Voyage is to create and innovate confectionery and sweets that bring joy to people while also being mindful of our environmental responsibilities. We are dedicated to collaborating with earnest producers to create safe and delicious sweets using the many unique Japanese ingredients available.
Currently, we also produce fresh confectioneries and have our main store in Bashamichi, Yokohama. We also operate a directly-managed store with a factory in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and have 32 stores across the Kanto Region. Additionally, we supply to over 150 stores nationwide, including Aeon, York Benimaru Group, and local department stores.
Please enjoy our products as souvenirs for you and your loved ones, and we hope to welcome you to Japan again!
This March 2025, JAPAN RAIL CLUB is proud to introduce Gâteaux de Voyage’s Bashamichi Millefeuille as part of the exciting snack line-up in our “All About Her” Omiyage Snack Box! As we dedicate this month to the women in our lives, treat yourself or your loved ones to tantalising treats from Japan, delivered to your doorstep.
Subscribe today with promo code “HINAMATSURI10” to enjoy delicious savings as you embark on your new Omiyage Snack Box subscription journey!
