
When it comes to consuming whole grain baked goods in Japan, you have two choices. You can buy tiny slices (about 1/2 the size of a regular piece of bread) in 3-slice packs that cost more than 8 huge slices of white bread or you can make it yourself. Of course, making it yourself means paying a pretty penny for whole wheat flour and going to some trouble. Brown bread just isn't a priority for the Japanese baked goods market. There is beautiful white bread everywhere and lots of great European-style bakeries, but nothing for the person who wants more whole grain in their diet.
I won't miss the lack of reasonably priced, readily available whole grain bread.