World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Malatang’s popularity grows as restaurants and products spread across Japan
The Chinese soup dish malatang is gaining popularity across Japan, with specialty restaurants opening beyond the biggest cities.
Malatang is a spicy soup, and diners often choose their own ingredients; at Cheepao Malatang, toppings include vegetables, mushrooms and fish cakes.
Japan saw 273 new specialty restaurants open from January to June 2026, more than in all of last year.
The trend has spread beyond restaurants: a cup-noodle-style product has sold over 23 million portions, and Pizza Hut Japan has offered limited-time malatang pizzas.
Companies are turning the dish into a wider range of products, including soup porridge and a free browser game.
The growing interest matters to food businesses, which are using restaurants and new products to reach customers; one company says it hopes to gather feedback at its outlets, but no further plans are specified.
Malatang, a Chinese soup dish, is gaining popularity in Japan as specialty restaurants open beyond major metropolitan areas.
A total of 273 new malatang specialty restaurants opened in Japan between January and June 2026, surpassing last year's figure.
Cheepao Malatang operates nearly 80 outlets across Japan and offers more than 50 topping varieties.
A cup-noodle-style malatang product launched in 2024 has sold more than 23 million portions.
Companies are also bringing malatang to pizzas, soup porridge and a free browser game.
- Who
- Malatang restaurants and product makers in Japan, including Cheepao Malatang, are expanding offerings as customers embrace the dish.
- What
- Malatang is growing in popularity, with more specialty restaurants and related products appearing across Japan.
- When
- The article was published on November 3, 2026; it reports restaurant openings in January–June 2026 and other developments in 2024 and October.
- Where
- Japan, including Tokyo.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ishokudogen.com Co. released a cup-noodle-style malatang product.
Japan saw 273 new malatang specialty restaurant openings, according to Review Inc.
Ishokudogen.com Co. entered the restaurant business by opening a store in Tokyo.
Pizza Hut Japan began offering three limited-time malatang pizzas.
Families and groups of women crowded a Cheepao Malatang store in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward.
- New restaurant openings
- 273 between January and June 2026
- Cheepao Malatang outlets
- Nearly 80 across Japan
- Cheepao toppings
- More than 50 varieties
- Chukabo Malatang sales
- Over 23 million portions
- Nihondo soup porridge price
- 529 yen ($3)
What people are saying
I eat (malatang) two or three times a month. One of the enjoyable things is being able to choose the toppings myself.
The number of stores has been increasing, and when a new outlet opens, lines of more than 100 people sometimes form
We hope to promote malatang culture by gathering feedback from customers through our restaurants