I’m donut? first opened its doors in Nakameguro in 2022. Since then, it has increasingly become a pretty well-known doughnut chain in Japan, rivalling big names like Mister Donut and Krispy Kreme. Just in the first few years of business, I’m donut now has stores in Nakameguro, Harajuku, and Fukuoka, showing how there is something special about this place.
Nowhere is this more clear than at the Harajuku branch. The store there has gained a reputation for always having a line filled with both locals and tourists waiting for their daily sugar fix.
So what is it about I’m donut? that everyone is going crazy for? We are here to find out!
What's the Hype About?
One thing is that I’m donut? has an impressive selection of 80 types of savoury and sweet doughnuts, all made fresh and ready to go. This includes ones that are fried and the famous nama doughnut, a type of doughnut popular in Japan for its fluffy and chewy texture. There are even some more interesting doughnuts in the mix, including one with prosciutto ham on top.
The company behind I’m donut? is also known for its sustainability efforts, selling imperfect doughnuts to decrease food waste, and prioritising healthy recipes that still taste good.
At the Harajuku branch, there is also a cafe upstairs where you can sit and enjoy your doughnut. However, most people tend to line up downstairs and take their doughnuts home.
How it Works
Given that this doughnut shop has become a viral success, you won’t be surprised to hear that the queue gets long very quickly. Some eager customers even line up before 10 a.m. to get their hands on the first batch of doughnuts. Although it isn’t necessary to line up before opening time, it is worth trying to go within the first few hours of opening. This is because these doughnuts easily sell out. Some of them even become unavailable by mid-afternoon.
When we visited, we went along at around 10:30 a.m. on a weekday. Amazingly, there was already quite a long line outside the small shop front. Once we got into line, a staff member handed us a paper version of the menu. Each doughnut had an English name but was described in Japanese on the menu.
After having spent a few moments browsing the menu and still feeling indecisive, we asked a staff member for his recommendation. He explained that the most popular choices were the original I’m donut?, Pistachio, and then the Harajuku exclusives I’m donut? and glazed doughnuts. The prices vary between ¥220 for the plainer flavours and ¥490 for the fancy flavours like fig and custard cream.
In the end, we opt for the Harajuku I’m donut?. We wrote down the number of doughnuts we wanted to order and our name, then gave the piece of paper back to the staff member. We were then asked to stay in line and wait to pick up our order at the main counter. Luckily, we only had to wait around 10 minutes or so to pick up our order from the counter.
Taste Test
It was time for the moment of truth. Was this doughnut worth the hype? From an aesthetic point of view, we can see why people love I’m donut so much. The branding is so simple but impactful, and we loved the yellow box that the doughnut came in; it was a nice touch.
The doughnut itself also looked pretty good. This Harajuku I’m donut? was coated in a lot of sugar and looked like a cake.
One of the first things we noticed was how warm the doughnut was. You could tell that it had just been freshly made. When taking a bite, we noticed how chewy it was. It really did taste like sweet bread. This is most likely due to the fact this particular doughnut has pumpkin mixed into it. Although coated in a lot of sugar, the doughnut wasn’t overly sweet or sickly.
The description of this doughnut was quite vague, so we didn’t really know what to expect. However, we soon noticed that there was no filling inside. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but we feel that adding something like cream or jam inside could have balanced out the textures more. Yet, the thick texture of this doughnut meant that it was fairly filling.
Our Review
So, what are our final thoughts? There is no doubt that these doughnuts do have a unique quality to them and that they are made fresh with love and care. It is easy to see why they have gone viral on Instagram, given the way they look visually and the distinctive flavors on offer. Although the doughnut looked kind of small at first, its doughy texture meant that it was pretty filling and thus definitely worth the ¥259 we paid.
That said, on our visit, we didn’t have to line up for a super long time and wonder, if we did, if our opinion would be different. Our opinion is that if you are only able to go on the weekend or another busy time and are willing to wait for these doughnuts, you should at least try to buy three or four different ones. This means you can get a more exciting tasting experience and feel as though it was worth standing in line for.
Will you be heading to the Harajuku I’m donut? anytime soon?
Key Information
- I'm donut? Harajuku
- 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−14−24 1F・2F
- 1 minute walk from Harajuku Station
- Mon - Sun: 10am - 8pm
- Cash, Card and Electronic Payments
- @i.m.donut
- official website
