Why Takuma Asano, a member of Japan’s national soccer team with seven siblings, runs a bakery

Manager Shohei was originally a soccer goalkeeper, so he was confident in his physical strength. He wakes up early in the morning to prepare the food. He is also good at kneading bread, and now says, “The bread is soft, fluffy, and sweet, even the ears (of the bread) are soft, and it goes well with morning coffee, which is a characteristic of ‘Asa-narashi’ bread. I hope our fans all over the country will discover this taste as well.”

The brothers are separated by a time difference from Bochum, Germany, where Asano continues to play, so they are unable to confirm the taste of their bread online, but they sell an average of 100 loaves a day through their strong teamwork, which is unique to brothers who communicate constantly. However, the recent sharp rise in the price of flour and other raw materials is a headache. As the store manager, he continues his efforts to spread the taste without raising the price.

In addition to maintaining the popularity of the flavor, he has been putting effort into online sales and actively holding events to promote their presence. When the owner, Mr. Asano, temporarily returned to Japan from Germany, the store was visited by fans from all over the country. Although soccer players’ time off is short and they may only be able to stay at their parents’ home for a limited period of time, Asano is willing to go the extra mile if it is for the benefit of his family.

Since the opening of Asa no Rashisa in 2020, warm bread has been on the table in the Asano household. His father, Tomoyuki (56), is busy as an active truck driver, and Asano’s one younger brother, Yuya, the fourth son, follows Asano in playing for J1 Hiroshima. The brothers are active in Japan and abroad, and Shohei and Asano are the only ones involved with Asano’s Bakery, but Shohei is happy that his mother, Aneko Miyako, is now able to enjoy the freshly baked bread as well. Manager Shohei reveals, “I’m very happy that my mother, Miyako, can now enjoy freshly baked bread.

Whenever I have time between jobs, I often see my mother on the phone with Takuma [in Germany]. It seems that Takuma is the one who calls her. It seems that he always calls her before a game.”

It is not clear what they are talking about, but for Asano, it may be a “wish” to play well in the games. This is Asano’s sixth year playing overseas. He was not a member of Japan’s national team for the last World Cup in 2018 and was forced to accompany the team as a reserve team member. It is Asano’s long-cherished wish to play in the World Cup in Qatar this November. Asano has never lost heart because of the love of his family, which is deeply engraved in his body from his upbringing in a family of nine members.

Asano-no-Rassa
Address: 3-5-33 Hinaga-Nishi, Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture
Phone: 059-327-7127
Business hours: 10:00-19:00, open year-round