Why Food Experts Are Buzzing About Japan’s Next-Gen Málàtàng Movement

The mala tang boom has entered a new dimension

Centered around Gen Z, the wildly popular mala tang boom has now entered a new phase.

Leading the trend are the Japanese-born Shippō Mala Tang, known for its signature medicinal herb–infused broth, and the Chinese giant Yang Guo Fu, which operates more than 6,000 stores worldwide.

In 2025, the market continues to expand as domestic restaurant chains, independent shops, and even new players from China join the fray. Japan’s mala tang scene has truly entered its own warring states era.

Amid this fierce competition, each shop is striving to stand out by adding creative twists and original touches, giving rise to a wave of evolved mala tang dishes.

Here are three standout versions that are especially worth your attention.

Limited-time Japan Original: “Chen Mapo Tofu Mala Tang”

With 12 locations across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Nagoya, Chen Mapo Tofu is a renowned restaurant whose main branch in Sichuan, China, is credited as the birthplace of mapo tofu. Beginning in October 2025, the chain has launched a limited-time “Chen Mapo Tofu Mala Tang”, a truly Japan-original creation.

While both mapo tofu and mala tang originated in Sichuan, locals there rarely combine the two dishes—making this hybrid bowl a distinctly Japanese evolution of Sichuan cuisine.

According to Mr. Takano, head of the restaurant’s external affairs division,

“With the mala tang boom growing in Japan, we wanted to see if we could combine our signature dish, mapo tofu, with mala tang. That’s how this product was born.”

Naturally, this menu item can’t even be found at the original restaurant in Sichuan—it’s available only in Japan.

Priced at ¥1,380, the Chen Mapo Tofu Mala Tang lets diners choose between Chinese noodles or glass noodles, and for an extra ¥110, you can upgrade to the “Authentic Version” (Seisō-ban) with a separate serving of Sichuan pepper (huājiāo).

The bowl is generously topped with chewy bunmoja (Korean sweet potato noodles), fish balls, fried yuba, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, and a hearty serving of the restaurant’s signature mapo tofu poured over the top.

The soup itself delivers a perfect balance of spice and herbal depth, with the rich umami of the mapo tofu gradually building as you eat—offering the best of both worlds in a single dish.

Choosing between noodles and glass noodles changes the experience entirely:

The glass noodle version emphasizes the herbal and mala spice profile first, followed by the deep flavor of the mapo tofu.

The Chinese noodle version, meanwhile, starts with the bold, savory heat of mapo tofu, before the mala tang spices come through later — a fascinating shift in the dish’s main character depending on your choice of base.

“We refined the recipe over and over to get the perfect balance between the mala tang soup and the mapo tofu’s heat,” Takano explained.

This limited-edition item will be available only until the end of November — so if you want to experience this one-of-a-kind fusion of Sichuan classics, it’s best to visit soon.

Coconut and shrimp umami in perfect harmony, “Mala Tang–Style Singapore Laksa” from Pc’s Laksa (Kanda)

When it comes to mala tang, one of its biggest draws is the freedom to choose your favorite ingredients—from meats and vegetables to glass noodles. Bringing that signature style into the world of Singaporean laksa is Pc’s Laksa, which opened in July 2025 between Kanda and Awajichō in Tokyo.

Recently, many mala tang specialty shops have begun offering creative twists beyond the classic málà broth — introducing tomato-based, pickled mustard greens (suāncài), and even tom yum–style soups. At this point, some might question whether these dishes can still be called mala tang at all—but they represent a broader evolution of the genre, a wide-definition mala tang. That’s exactly where Pc’s Laksa fits in.

Ordering works much like at Shippō Mala Tang: a self-service topping system. The base price is ¥690 for noodles and soup, and you fill your bowl with vegetables, tofu, dumplings, and other ingredients, which are priced by weight at ¥3.1 per gram. At the counter, the bowl is weighed, and you choose your noodle type—rice noodles, Chinese noodles, or glass noodles—and your preferred spice level. Meat and seafood toppings can also be added for an extra ¥150.

Visually, it looks just like mala tang, but once it arrives, the aroma of shrimp immediately fills the air—a clear sign that the broth base is Singaporean laksa. The soup is rich with the concentrated flavors of coconut milk and shrimp, making it irresistibly drinkable.

Being able to customize your ingredients mala tang–style while enjoying them in a creamy, umami-packed laksa broth feels like a concept that should have existed long ago — a brilliant fusion of two beloved Southeast Asian comfort foods.

A beloved dish in China: “Dry Mala Tang” — Málà Xiāngguō from Mala Workshop (Takadanobaba)

As new mala tang restaurants like Yang Guo Fu and Shippō Mala Tang continue to pop up across Japan, many tend to serve similar soup bases. For those starting to feel a bit of mala tang fatigue, there’s a bold alternative worth trying — the dry mala tang, known as Málà Xiāngguō.

Just like mala tang, you start by choosing your own ingredients, but instead of being served in soup, málà xiāngguō is stir-fried in a spicy, aromatic sauce packed with numbing Sichuan pepper and chili heat. In China, restaurants that serve mala tang almost always offer málà xiāngguō as well, and fans tend to divide into two passionate camps — mala tang lovers and málà xiāngguō devotees.

In Japan, it’s often available at mala tang specialty shops, and one standout is Mala Workshop (麻辣工房) in Takadanobaba. The Korean mala tang chain opened its first Japan branch there in December 2024, followed by a second location in Ōizumigakuen.

Initially focused on mala tang, the restaurant began offering málà xiāngguō in March 2025, after its huge success at locations in Korea. The ordering style is identical to mala tang — fill your bowl with your favorite ingredients, then simply tell the staff, “Málà xiāngguō, please.” Like mala tang, pricing is by weight, but at ¥5 per gram compared to ¥4 per gram for mala tang.

Flavor-wise, málà xiāngguō delivers a more intense heat and numbing kick, making it the perfect match with a bowl of white rice.

According to the restaurant’s owner, Mr. Kim:

“We use our own house-made hotpot seasoning for the flavor base. To suit Japanese tastes, we reduced the amount of medicinal spices slightly while enhancing the málà (spicy–numbing) punch, so it’s ideal for those who love strong, fiery flavors.”

When you order málà xiāngguō, white rice is available for half price (¥150) — a must-add, since you’ll likely finish it in no time.

Because the vegetables shrink as they’re stir-fried, it’s a great idea to load up on greens like bok choy or lettuce for a satisfying balance.

Beyond Mala Workshop, málà xiāngguō is also offered at several other spots, including Li Xiaoqi Mala Tang in Shin-Ōkubo and Shibuya. As the next generation of mala tang, it’s a must-try for anyone looking to explore the evolving world of spicy Sichuan cuisine in Japan.

This time, we introduced three evolved mala tang dishes: the Chen Mapo Tofu Mala Tang, the Mala Tang–Style Singapore Laksa, and the dry mala tang known as Málà Xiāngguō.

But the evolution doesn’t stop there — chains like Bamiyan now offer a Tantan Mala Tang, while Li Xiaoqi Mala Tangserves an innovative version topped with mashed potatoes. The creative reinvention of mala tang continues to accelerate.

Originally a Sichuan-born dish, mala tang spread throughout China after a milder version emerged in the country’s northeast, leading to the nationwide popularity of brands like Yang Guo Fu. Judging by its growing popularity in Japan, it’s only a matter of time before even more unique and localized mala tang variations appear.

The evolution of mala tang in Japan is far from over — and it’ll be fascinating to see where it goes next.

All prices in this article include tax. Information is current as of early October 2025.

Check out Asho’s blog, “Eating Chinese Food in Tokyo,” here.