The aroma of freshly baked bread draws locals in the know to Iwanamike, a popular bakery a former newspaper photographer runs out of a 100-plus-year-old kominka Japanese-style house in Aizu-Misato, Fukushima Prefecture.
　Satoko Iwanami, 42, who relocated to the town 2½ years ago, said she feels the warmth of the locals every day and wants to have a bakery that works in concert with the community.

　築１００年超の会津美里町の古民家に、焼きたてパンの香りが漂う。２年半前に移住してきた岩波聡子さん（４２）が営む「いわなみ家」は、知る人ぞ知る人気のパン店だ。岩波さんは元報道カメラマンという異色の経歴の持ち主で「毎日のように町の温かさを感じている。地域と生きるパン店にしたい」と語り、美里の人情に支えられながら、多くの人に喜ばれるパン作りに汗を流す。

　Iwanami handed out a basket to each of her customers as she greeted them recently one morning, the scent of fresh bread and bagels permeating the shop as they lined the engawa porch.
　"Good morning. Your favorite bread is ready," Iwanami told one of them.
　Iwanamike opens at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Sundays. Some customers travel to the shop from far away, and the bread sells out in very little time, sometimes in less than 30 minutes.
　The shop closes its doors once the goods run out.

　「おはようございます。いつものパン焼けてますよ」。岩波さんは客に籠を手渡し、一人一人に声を掛ける。いわなみ家が開店するのは、毎週火、日曜日の午前１０時３０分。古民家の縁側に、食パンやベーグルなどが並ぶ。遠くから足を運ぶファンもいて、早いときには３０分もしないうちに完売してしまう。

　Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Iwanami was involved in the news industry as a photographer for a national newspaper. Although she found the job rewarding, her desire to work closely with people grew.
　With the hope of "filling the stomachs of the people around me and making them smile," Iwanami decided to quit the newspaper and turn her bread making hobby into her next career.

　岩波さんは福岡県出身で、全国紙のカメラマンとして報道に携わってきた。仕事にやりがいを感じる日々だったが、人と直接関わる仕事がしたいという思いが強まった。「目の前にいる人のおなかを満たして笑顔になってもらいたい」。趣味のパン作りを仕事にしようと、新聞社を退社した。

　She subsequently moved to Fukushima when her husband, a photographer who also worked at the newspaper, was transferred there.
　A turning point in their lives came when her husband transitioned to freelance work. She decided to seek a place where she could experience all four seasons in a rich natural environment that allows her child to grow and flourish.
　As she searched for the ideal place to live, she came down to Aizu-Misato. When shown this kominka house with its red roof and its history of more than 100 years, Iwanami said she "felt a bit of excitement."
　She moved to Aizu-Misato with her family in 2019 to turn the old house into a home and her bakery.

　その後、同僚カメラマンだった夫の転勤で福島市に引っ越した。ここで転機が訪れる。夫がフリーに転身し「四季が感じられる豊かな自然の中で、伸び伸びと子育てができる場所」を探すことになった。理想の場所を探し回る中、会津美里町にたどり着いた。町から紹介された赤い屋根の古民家を見た時「ときめきを感じた」という。古民家を住宅兼店舗としようと、２０１９年に移住した。

　Iwanami uses homemade natural yeast to make her bread. Although it takes more than three times longer to ferment than ordinary yeast, baking with natural yeast is said to make the bread fluffy but gives it a slightly chewy texture.
　Shortly after she opened Iwanamike in December 2019, customers began flocking to get in, even though she did not advertise. She soon learned that news spread by word of mouth that her bread was delicious.
　"I got the sense that this is a warm-hearted town with a culture of sharing," Iwanami said.

　岩波さんのパンは、自家製の天然酵母を使う。市販のパンに使われるイースト菌に比べて発酵に３倍以上の時間がかかるが、ふっくら、もっちりした食感になる。１９年１２月に開店すると、広告を出さないのに行列ができるようになった。聞いてみると「知人にもらっておいしかったから買いに来た」と言われた。「お裾分けの文化が根付く温かい町だと思った」と振り返る。

　Iwanamike's reputation picked up on social media and the business really took off, but problems followed as customers often parked their cars on the street because the bakery had no parking lot.
　Not to worry, though. A neighborhood resident who learned about the problem quickly came to the rescue to rent a plot of land.
　"Whenever I verbalize issues I have, the people here reach out to help," Iwanami said.
　A farmer in the town's Niitsuru district also supplied her with some "overripe grapes," with which Iwanami was able to make natural yeast.

　会員制交流サイト（ＳＮＳ）でも評判は広がって店は繁盛したが、駐車場がないため客の路上駐車が悩みとなった。それを知った近隣住民が土地を貸してくれることになった。「困っていることを口にすると、周囲の方たちが助けてくれるんです」。新鶴地区の農家から「熟れすぎた」とブドウを分けてもらい、天然酵母に使ったこともあった。

　"Selling bread in this town for me is absolute bliss. I hope I can be helpful to the community as well," said Iwanami, who plans to resume a bread-making class that was popular in the past once the coronavirus has subsided.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　「この町でパンを売るのは、本当に幸せな仕事。私も地域の力になれたら」。新型コロナが落ち着いたら、かつて好評だったパン教室を再開する予定だ

　【　２０２１年９月７日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】