Okayama Kobo was founded by Tsunetaka Kawakami in 1986. Lacking the funds to pursue a university education, Kawakami supported himself by working at a chain of small bakeries, laboring and practicing until eventually his skill matched that of his supervisor. Kawakami went on to build his own self-run business with the opening of his first bakery, Okayama Kobo Liaison, and later his second bakery location, Okayama Kobo Kunitomi.

Springboarded by the success of both locations, Kawakami established a consulting business, and through this helped open over 200 bakery locations across Japan and all over the world.