Shota Nagao

For this new series of neighbourhood guides, Time Out Tokyo is collaborating with Hoshino Resorts’ Omo hotels to inspire you to get out and explore our beloved cities across Japan. Here you’ll find cafés, restaurants, bars and attractions recommended by each property’s Omo rangers, who are familiar and passionate about the neighbourhood which the hotel calls home.  For the first instalment, we are kicking things off in the quaint neighbourhood of Otsuka in Toshima ward. Otsuka is just one stop away from the bustling Ikebukuro Station on the Yamanote Line, but it still retains a retro Showa-era streetscape, with the tram running through its centre. Otsuka is peppered with old-fashioned, independent shops with close ties to the town, making it an appealing locale for an Omo hotel, which actively seeks out unique addresses within the city that have lots of understated or unexpected charm. This list will introduce you to hidden gems such as a public bathhouse that will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary, a restaurant where you can enjoy French can-can dance, as well as newly opened stores.

One of the most iconic summer festivals in Tokyo, Bon Odori is a communal dance performed in public spaces. It's a Buddhist custom that dates back 500 years, held as part of the Obon period, where locals honour the spirits of their ancestors. Bon Odori festivals are always a fun, joyous affair. A makeshift stage known as a yagura will be set up in the middle, acting as the focal point of the event. It houses the lead dancers and musicians who set the pace and choreography for the dance while participants gather around it and dance along in circles. It's a perfect way to spend a summer evening and soak up the good vibes. So put on a yukata and come join us at one of Tokyo's most exciting Bon Odori festivals this summer. RECOMMENDED: 10 best fireworks festivals in and near Tokyo this summer

The birthplace of Wajima-nuri lacquerware, Wajima city in Ishikawa prefecture was severely damaged by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1. Taya Shikkiten, a Wajima-nuri lacquerware store and specialist with a history of over 200 years, was badly affected. The shop is well-known for its Wajima-nuri coffee cup and ballpoint pen, which Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gifted to the President of the United States Joe Biden earlier this year. To shed light on the region’s recovery efforts, Into The Bright Kyoto is organising an excursion to Wajima City on Friday August 30. With the Discover and Support Noto Peninsula tour, you can witness first-hand the city’s strength and resilience and its rebuilding efforts. You’ll also visit the Taya Lacquerware Store and learn from its representative, Koudai Taya, about his experience of the disaster and his hope for the region. The tour will be conducted by an English-speaking guide. 2024年1月の朝市付近の様子（Photo: Akiko Toyo） This visit to Wajima promises to be a special experience as it offers a glimpse into Japan’s traditional crafts and the country’s modern post-disaster recovery efforts. Here you’ll meet craftspeople who have overcome the disaster and are now focussing on reviving their crafts. This is a chance to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and discover the delicate beauty of traditional crafts. More importantly, you'll learn about the spirit of kanyo, a Japanese philosophy that has helped generations to overcome challenges and fi

Fireworks are an essential part of the summer festivities in Tokyo. All across the city, you can enjoy spectacular displays that light up Tokyo's warm summer nights, and that's not counting the other fireworks happening in nearby prefectures. In 2024, you can look forward to a particularly vibrant summer, as many of Tokyo's top fireworks festivals are confirmed to take place again this year. This includes the highly anticipated Sumida River Fireworks Festival (July 27) and the sensational Edogawa Fireworks Festival (August 24). As mentioned, there are more equally impressive fireworks just outside Tokyo in Chiba, Shizuoka and Yamanashi. So dust off your yukata, arrive early to secure the best viewing spot, and enjoy the colourful fireworks while snacking on some tasty festival grub. RECOMMENDED: Best observation decks in Tokyo for incredible views of the city skyline

What Tokyo lacks in space, it makes up for with ingenious high-rise solutions. So the next time you're looking to retreat from the crowds, look up – you might just find a secret garden tucked away on the roof of a shopping mall. Relax and unwind on a green patch or under a shade while taking in a bird's eye view of the cityscape. These rooftop gardens are free to enter, making them a worthwhile alternative to the city's observation decks if you're on a budget. RECOMMENDED: Prefer a view with a drink instead? Head to these rooftop bars in Tokyo

Thanks to the abundance of natural hot springs in Japan, bathing is an important part of Japanese culture. In fact, there are over 3,000 hot spring resorts across the country. While it’s easy to find an onsen in Tokyo, almost all of them are indoors, and instead of gorgeous scenery, the view you get is a mural of Mt Fuji. However, take a trip away from the city and you’ll find spectacular outdoor onsen with views so stunning you won’t want to get out of the bath. Moreover, in recent years, outdoor baths have evolved to become infinity onsen facing the ocean or surrounding greenery. For a rejuvenating stay with views that will make your jaw drop, here are some of the best resorts with infinity onsen in Japan. Consider your next holiday sorted. Recommended: Staying in Tokyo? Check out these multi-facility super sento instead

Money may not be able to buy you happiness, but in Tokyo at least, it could buy you some luck or protection. Sold at almost any shrine and temple across Japan, these ubiquitous omamori lucky charms are said to be able to protect you from evil harm, get you into good schools, help you find love, and even save a troubled marriage. Whether these claims can be substantiated remains to be seen, but at least they make cute and unique mementos from Tokyo. Recommended: Looking for foodstuff instead? Here are the best shops to buy Japanese condiments in Tokyo

What a wonderful time to be in Tokyo! After a short delay, Tokyo's cherry blossoms are now blooming and they have hit full bloom as of Friday April 5 2024. To keep you up to date on how the blossoms are doing, we've done the legwork, visited different sakura spots in Tokyo, so you can check up on the blooming cycle before heading out. RECOMMENDED: Make this your best sakura season yet with our ultimate guide to cherry blossoms in Tokyo

UPDATE, August 30: Due to the approaching typhoon Shanshan, the event is cancelled. *** Takeshiba Pier is hosting a summer festival with outdoor music performances, Bon Odori dancing and a craft beer event – all against the scenic backdrop of Tokyo Bay at night. Held across three venues over three days, the event offers all the classic summer festivities. From August 28 to 30, the stage at the Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal central plaza will put on special jazz performances by local artists such as Ricky with FSP (August 28, 8.10pm), M&K with Takayuki Emori (August 29, 6pm and 7pm) and Tokuta Yuichiro Ralyzzdig (August 30, 6pm), just to name a few.  On Friday and Saturday, expect to hear the rhythmic beat of taiko drums coming from the nearby Tokyo Port City Takeshiba shopping complex’s first-floor plaza, as there will be a Bon Odori festival happening at 6pm (2pm on Saturday), with plenty of outdoor food stalls and games for kids to enjoy. The organisers will be playing over 40 tracks including Doraemon theme song, Bon Odori classics such as the local Takeshiba Emaki song and even Western and anime tunes, making this a fun and inclusive experience for everyone.  After taking part in the communal dance, quench your thirst at the nearby craft beer festival. Taking place on Saturday and Sunday from 5pm and 2pm respectively, the nearby Waters Takeshiba will be serving up a variety of unique brews at the outdoor grass field. Here you can sample eight local beers while learnin

Heralding the arrival of the summer farming season, the Narita Gion Festival has been a key celebration of Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple in Chiba prefecture's Narita City for over 300 years. Taking place near the Narita International Airport, this event is held annually to pray for prosperity and good harvest while seeking the blessing of the temple’s main deity, Fudo Myoo.  On all three days, ten beautifully carved and decorated floats plus one mikoshi (portable shrine) will be taken on a vibrant parade on the city streets, including the area surrounding JR Narita Station and the main road leading to Naritasan Shinsho-ji temple. The festivities begin on Friday July 5 with an opening dance ritual at Naritasan Main Hall at 1.30pm to pray for the safe proceedings of the festival. From there, the floats will begin their procession around town, with each having its own designated route.  The festival highlights include a large-scale traditional dance performance involving all the floats, set to happen in front of the JR Narita Station on Saturday July 6 at 9am. This event effectively kicks off the festival’s second-day festivities.  Be sure to stay until the evening on the last day, Sunday July 7, as the festival will reach its climax with floats reconvening on Omotesando road for an energetic race up the town’s main thoroughfare towards Naritasan Shinsho-ji. For this night procession, the floats will be illuminated with lanterns, giving them an even more awe-inspiring and mystical

This September 21–23 three-day weekend marks the end of this year’s Silver Week holidays. And while it’s not as jam-packed as the blockbuster weekend we just had, there are still some fun things to do in various parts of Tokyo including Shibuya. The selection is pretty varied, so you’ll have no problem finding something that strikes your fancy.   Photo: Supplied Nakanobu Nebuta Festival September 21 With its illuminated ornate floats, the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (and its various regional siblings) is one of Japan's most instantly recognisable festivals. Less well-known is this Tokyo spin-off, held every two years in a sleepy neighbourhood just a few stops from Shinagawa. The Nakanobu Nebuta Matsuri is actually twinned with the festival held in Kuroishi, Aomori prefecture, and this year it will be hosting six of those eye-catching floats. There will be stalls selling street food and drinks from noon to 4pm, accompanied by local school brass bands and belly-dancing performances. The highlight, which is the float parade, starts at 5pm and ends just before 8pm.  Photo: Supplied Chofu Fireworks September 21 Chofu is hosting its annual hanabi (fireworks) festival by the banks of the Tama River with massive fireworks (including starmines) synchronised to music. It sees around 10,000 rockets launched over the course of an hour starting at 6.15pm, with some fireworks being choreographed to pop songs using computer-controlled audio and launch systems. Tickets for reserved seating at

UPDATE, September 17: While the festival is scheduled to kick off as planned on September 18, the unusually hot weather at this time of the year has delayed the growth of the spider lilies. The flowers are now expected to bloom in late September or early October. *** Kinchakuda Manjushage Park in Saitama prefecture’s Hidaka city is one of the best places near Tokyo to see red spider lilies, also known as higanbana or manjushage in Japanese. With about five million of these unique flowers expected to bloom between September 18 and October 2 2024, the sprawling Saitama park will be bringing back its annual autumn flower festival. Photo: Kinchakuda Manjushage Park Aside from fields of beautiful scarlet red spider lilies, you’ll also find booths at the festival selling a variety of local food and drinks as well as souvenirs. Photo: Hidaka city As this is one of Japan's largest concentrations of red spider lilies, the organisers are expecting large crowds, especially on these dates: September 21-22 and September 28-29. As parking is limited, we recommend taking the train instead. It takes about 90 minutes from Ikebukuro Station to Koma Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro line; from there, it’s a 15-minute walk to the park.  Kinchakuda Manjushage Park is open from 9am to 4.30pm. Entry costs ¥500 per person (free for junior high school students and younger children). To all photographers and Instagrammers who’re planning to shoot photos and videos, note that you’re not allowed to set

世界一交通量の多い交差点の「渋谷スクランブル交差点」があるのだから、言うまでもなく渋谷は人が多い。世界的に有名なバー、多彩なレストラン、活気ある居酒屋、さらに数え切れないほどのショップなど、国際都市に求められるものが全て揃っている。 2024年9月13日（金）から16日（月・祝）にかけて、その渋谷で2つの日本の祭りが同時に開催される。東京で最もにぎやかな週末になりそうだ。晩夏の陽気に酔いしれ、渋谷のユニークな祭りを写真に収めたいなら、今がベストシーズンだ。  渋谷ねぶたまつり Photo: Nuvisage/DreamstimeAn undated photo of a previous nebuta festival  昨年9年ぶりに復活した「渋谷のねぶた祭り」が、井の頭通りと渋谷センター街をジャックする。 期間中は、ねぶた作家の塚本利佳が青森で手作りした大きな山車が、井の頭通りに展示。最大の見どころは、14日（土）17時30分からセンター街を練り歩く「ねぶた」だ。 色とりどりにライトアップされたねぶたが、地元の有志によって担がれ、踊り手や囃子方（はやしかた）の大行列とともに練り歩く光景は、圧巻だろう。 ※9月12～14日／渋谷センター街／入場は無料 渋谷金王八幡宮例大祭 画像提供：金王八幡宮大祭 渋谷最大の祭りが「金王八幡宮」とその周辺地域で開催。五穀豊穣（ほうじょう）、商売繁盛、子どもの健康を祈願する神道の伝統行事で、数百年前から毎年行われている。 今年は、神社の神楽舞台でインドのオディッシー舞踊、日本の民族舞踊、フランスのシャンソン歌唱など、幅広いパフォーマンスを披露。さらに、こだわりのグルメが人気の「高丸電気」によるフードや、創業100年を超える老舗銭湯の「改良湯」の人気ドリンク、「旬八青果」のかき氷などの屋台も見逃せない。 この祭りの最大の目玉は、15日（日）の正午から行われる巨大な「神輿パレード」だ。渋谷のさまざまな地区から14基のみこしが集結。みこしは青山を出発して渋谷スクランブル交差点をゆっくりと練り歩き、14時ごろに「渋谷（SHIBUYA）109」前の広場に到着する。 カルチャーの中心である渋谷で、日本の伝統文化に触れよう。 ※9月14・15日／11～20時／金王八幡宮／入場は無料 関連記事 『東京、9月12〜16日に開催される国際フェスティバル4選』 『東京、9月に開催されるアートフェスティバル4選』 『9月に行くべき音楽フェスティバル5選』 『東京、9月に開催される注目のジャズイベント5選』 『2024年、下半期見逃せない芸術祭』  東京の最新情報をタイムアウト東京のメールマガジンでチェックしよう。登録はこちら

There’s no other way to put it: Shibuya is crowded. After all, it is home to the namesake Shibuya Crossing, the world’s busiest intersection. But we also can’t deny that there’s a liveliness to Shibuya that’s alluring, especially since it has everything we look for in a cosmopolitan city: world-famous bars, diverse restaurants and vibrant izakaya, plus an endless myriad of shops. Just as this September 13 through 16 is shaping up to be Tokyo’s most jam-packed weekend yet, Shibuya is about to get a whole lot more exciting, too – with two Japanese festivals happening at the same time. So if you’re looking to partake in some late-summer merriment, and take photos of some of the city’s unique festivals, this is the best time to visit Shibuya.   Photo: Lim Chee Wah Shibuya Nebuta Festival September 12-14 Shibuya’s very own Nebuta Festival, which was revived last year after a nine-year hiatus, is taking over Inokashira and Center-gai shopping streets.  For the duration of the festival, a large float handcrafted in Aomori by Nebuta artist Rika Tsukamoto will be exhibited on Inokashira-dori near Ikea Shibuya. However, the main highlight is the Nebuta float parade along Center-gai (‘basketball street’) at 5.30pm on Saturday September 14. The elaborate float will be lit up and carried around by local volunteers, accompanied by a large procession of dancers and musicians. 画像提供：金王八幡宮大祭 Shibuya Matsuri September 14-15 Shibuya’s biggest festival is happening at Konno Hachimangu shrine

Japan may have issued its first autumn leaves forecast of the year, but Tokyo is still very much in summer mode – more so this weekend as the city is gearing up to host a whole lot of festivals. With Monday September 16 being a public holiday (Respect for the Aged Day), there’s just so much to do in Tokyo over the long weekend that there’s no need to even get out of the city for day trips. If you’re looking for traditional shrine events, check out the Fukagawa Jugoya Moon Viewing Festival, Nezu Shrine Grand Festival and Kichijoji Autumn Festival. For something more unique, we’ve picked five festivals where you can watch sumo wrestling and horseback archery, see a realistic giant moon up-close, marvel at huge lantern floats from Aomori, and catch a Brazilian Samba carnival right in front of Sensoji Temple.   Photo: Nuvisage/DreamstimeAn undated photo of a previous nebuta festival Shibuya Nebuta Festival September 12-14 Shibuya’s very own Nebuta Festival, which was revived last year after a nine-year hiatus, is taking over Inokashira and Center-gai shopping streets.  For the duration of the festival, large floats handcrafted in Aomori by Nebuta artist Rika Tsukamoto will be exhibited on Inokashira-dori near Ikea Shibuya. However, the main highlight is the Nebuta float parade along Center-gai (‘basketball street’) at 5.30pm on Saturday September 14. Expect to see elaborate floats lit up in vibrant colours as they are carried around by local volunteers, accompanied by a large p

Featuring an overwhelming selection of 290 shops offering deep discounts, Gotemba Premium Outlets in Shizuoka prefecture offers a spectacular view of Mt Fuji on a clear day. Now that there are direct buses from Shibuya, it’s even easier for you to make this a day trip from Tokyo. And you'll want to do just that on a Saturday between July 27 and August 31 to catch the special fireworks. Photo: Mitsubishi Estate・Simon Co., Ltd. Called Gotemba Night 2024, the event’s free five-minute hanabi (fireworks display) takes place after closing time at 8.10pm on July 27 as well as August 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. Each show, which is synchronised to music, will launch 500 shells of fireworks.  Photo: Gotemba Premium Outlets You’ll be able to enjoy the hanabi from anywhere within the outlet mall grounds. However, since the fireworks are launched from the valley between Yume no Ohashi and Kibo no Ohashi bridges, we recommend watching the show from the elevated Hill Side area. (In case of rain or strong winds, the fireworks show will be postponed to Sunday.)  Photo: Mitsubishi Estate・Simon Co., Ltd. Fitting with the summer matsuri theme, you can rent a yukata for ¥5,000 at the Hill Side Welcome Centre. Yukata dressing services are also available if you bring your own for ¥2,500. Rentals and dressing services are available from 10am to 8.30pm on days when fireworks are held. Photo: Mitsubishi Estate・Simon Co., Ltd. On days of the fireworks, you’ll find food trucks at the East Zone Food Ba

Kyoto’s Kiyamachi neighbourhood, located just a few hops away from the bustling Kawaramachi shopping street, recently welcomed a new music lounge. The brainchild of Tomoyuki Tanaka, who goes by his DJ name ‘Fantastic Plastic Machine’, Ful calls itself a ‘sound forest’, as it offers music as well as food and drinks in a lush plant-filled setting. 画像提供：フル With a trendy interior designed by Hiroyuki Matsunaka, this laidback dining bar mixes natural materials with industrial chic concrete structures, and features vintage furniture from renowned designers. With 78 seats divided into three sections – a sofa lounge, a counter bar and a dining area – Ful is an unusually spacious hangout by Kyoto standards. 画像提供：フル More impressively, the space resembles a forest filled with succulents and tropical plants, arranged around three massive teak trees that serve as the interior design’s focal points. Several florists as well as professional ‘plant hunters’ were tasked with achieving this indoor ‘jungle’ environment. As for the top-notch sound system, Ful utilises ten ceiling-mounted speakers from premium audio brand 1 Sound to create an immersive yet conversation-friendly atmosphere. While the music policy here spans various genres, the focus is mainly on down-tempo, chill tunes that promote relaxation. 画像提供：フル The drinks menu features inventive cocktails created by famed bartender Keita Saito of Liquid Works. The concoctions are made with Japanese ingredients to express different the

A difficult conundrum for sure, but the hottest time of the year in Tokyo, when you just want to stay indoors under air-conditioning, is also the liveliest time to be out and about in the city. There’s so much happening in Tokyo this July 26-28 weekend that it’s hard not to be swept up by intense fomo. For starters, there are three fireworks festivals happening across the city this Saturday July 27, with the one in Sumida being the biggest and grandest (also the most crowded) of them all. On top of that, you’ll find the classic summer Bon Odori festival taking place outside Ebisu and Tokyo stations. And if you’re in Shinjuku, the Eisa dancers will be parading down the streets from 1pm to 7pm. So stock up on cooling products and slap on some sunblock – because we are definitely going all out this weekend. Photo: Mitsubishi Jisho Property ManagementBon Odori scene from 2019 Marunouchi Summer Festival When: Friday–Saturday, July 26–27Where: Gyoko Street opposite Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi exit This fun-filled event revolves around a Bon Odori yagura stage equipped with a cooling mist fan (thanks goodness!). Everyone is welcome to join the communal Bon Odori dance against the striking backdrop of Tokyo Station, and the best part is, the cold mist will surely feel like a treat. Moreover, on Saturday starting at 6pm, DJ Tomono will be spinning city pop and disco tracks from the yagura, transforming the bustling plaza into a party zone. At the festival site, expect to see food tru

Tokyo-based British DJ and radio broadcaster Guy Perryman hosts his eponymous show on InterFM 89.7 every Friday from 7am to 10.35am. With the theme ‘Positive People and the Power of Music’, The Guy Perryman Show (or ‘GPS’ for short) features a mix of music from around the world, entertainment news and inspiring interviews. GUY PERRYMAN Since July 5, the show now includes a new short segment called ‘Transmission Tokyo with Time Out Tokyo’. For about 5 minutes at around 10.10am, Perryman will highlight interesting news curated from Time Out Tokyo’s English website, with a focus on useful weekend updates and unmissable events. Moreover, once a month, a member of our editorial team will make an appearance on the show to talk about timely topics concerning our beloved city. So for quick weekly updates on Tokyo, tune in to ‘Transmission Tokyo with Time Out Tokyo’ on InterFM 89.7 at around 10.10am. See InterFM’s website for more information. More from Time Out Tokyo Thousands of lanterns will be floating on the Chidorigafuchi Moat at this festivalThe Boyfriend on Netflix is Japan’s first same-sex dating reality show Enoshima island is hosting a free projection mapping event this summer Check these websites daily for heatstroke warnings in Tokyo Hakone is hosting a week-long fireworks festival this summer Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.

The awe-inspiring Lake Ashi Summer Festival Week in the mountain onsen town of Hakone is happening this year from July 31 to August 5. As it’s held in conjunction with Hakone Shrine’s annual Reitaisai festival, you can expect a series of events as well as some jaw-dropping fireworks. This year's fireworks will be bigger than those in 2023, so be sure to mark these dates in your calendar. Kosui Matsuri Fireworks Festival, July 31 About 5,000 shells of fireworks will be launched at 8pm from Moto-Hakone Bay. The festival is held to worship Kutouryu Myojin, the guardian deity of the lake. 1267 Taisai Hoshuku Fireworks Festival, August 1 This fireworks display is held to commemorate the 1,267th anniversary of Hakone Shrine. Around 2,500 shells of fireworks will be set off from Moto-Hakone Bay at 8pm. Photo: Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide Inc Hakone-en Summer Night Festival, August 2 & 3 The Hakone-en Resort Complex – a 30-minute walk from Moto-Hakone area – is celebrating summer with fireworks at 8pm. About 2,500 shells will be launched from Hakone-en Bay, with star mines and Niagara sparklers synchronised to music. Visitors can submit well-wishes and messages, which will be read out during the fireworks show. You’ll also find food stalls selling street eats.            Kojiri Ryujin Festival Fireworks, August 4 About 2,500 shells of fireworks will be launched at 8pm from Kojiri Bay on the northern shore of Lake Ashi. Photo: Hakone Tourist Association Torii-yaki Festival F

Summer is well underway as we enter Tokyo's unusually late rainy season. While there are a host of fireworks festivals confirmed happening in Tokyo proper this year, you should also check out these three events in nearby Saitama, especially if you’re looking for a quintessential Japanese summer experience but minus the crowd. Photo: genki/PixtaPhoto of Fireworks at Owada Park Saitama City Fireworks at Owada Park The first of the three Saitama city-run fireworks festivals will be held at Owada Park on Sunday July 28 at 7.30pm. Roughly an hour away from Shinjuku Station, the spacious venue offers uninterrupted views of the fireworks regardless of where you are in the park. However, paid seating with the best views is available at the adjacent baseball stadium and pool parking lot. Tickets for these go on sale July 2. Photo: terkey/PixtaStock photo of fireworks Saitama City Fireworks at Omagi Park The second venue, located just seven minutes on foot from the nearby Higashi-Urawa Station (and under 50 minutes by train from Shinjuku Station), Omagi Park will host a fireworks display on Saturday August 10 at 7.30pm. Details of this year's event are yet to be announced. However, to give you an idea of what to expect, last year saw over 5,000 shells of fireworks being launched over one hour. Photo: Tachibana Shashinkan/PixtaStock photo of starmines Saitama City Fireworks at Iwatsuki Culture Park Expect gigantic starmines and other large fireworks at Iwatsuki Culture Park, set t

Shoyu ramen purveyor Iida Shoten in Yugawara, an onsen town in Tokyo’s neighbouring prefecture Kanagawa, is one of the most popular noodle restaurants in this region. It’s consistently ranked as the top ramen restaurant on Tablelog.  The good news is, you now don’t have to travel more than two hours from Tokyo to sample Iida Shoten’s crowd-pleasing ramen. The restaurant will be offering its cold tantanmen at chain diner Denny’s for a limited time this summer from June 18 to July 22. A popular style of ramen originating from China’s Szechuan province, the hot and spicy tantanmen is characterised by its distinctive use of sesame seeds. Unlike the original Chinese creation, the Japanese adaptation of the dish is made less spicy with the addition of a creamy soup base. Photo: Seven & i Food Systems Co.,Ltd While Japanese tantanmen comes in several variations, Iida Shoten’s take on the noodles stands out for the use of chilled soymilk and black vinegar to create a mildly tart and cooling broth that’s light, refreshing and not too heavy on the stomach. The spice mix, which includes Szechuan peppers, cumin, coriander and nuts such as macadamia, cashews, almonds and walnuts of various sizes, has just the right amount of kick to elevate the refined broth.  With its immense popularity, Iida Shoten only accepts diners with reservations – even then, it’s not easy to score a seat. But as Denny’s has over 100 outlets across Tokyo, this summer collaboration serves up a good and easy oppor