Japan sees malatang boom, but will the Chinese soup dish catch on for good?
TOKYO -- "We are opening a malatang restaurant in Japan and would like to hear honest opinions from Japanese people. Would you be willing to join a di
A 48-year-old food enthusiast recently invited a group discussion on Japan's growing trend of malatang, a Chinese soup dish. The bowl-based cuisine, made with Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and mixed vegetables, has been popular among Japanese women since 2024. Participants appreciated its healthy image, as glass noodles can replace the glass noodles, and the fun of selecting ingredients.
The trend has expanded across Japan, with new malatang restaurants opening rapidly this year. In response to the increasing demand, Malaysian Gu Jie Jie Malatang, a Chinese chain with 1,200 outlets in China, opened its first store in Japan near Kawasaki Station in September. The chain's head in Japan, Minghui Mu, emphasized the importance of quality and is preparing the soup from scratch.
While some remain skeptical, Mu believes the dish will become firmly established in Japan, provided restaurants focus on offering genuine quality.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
