Sōmen is a traditional Japanese noodle dish made from wheat flour, known for its thin, delicate noodles—thinner than udon or ramen.
Thanks to its light, refreshing texture, somen is especially popular in summer when appetites tend to drop due to the heat. It’s considered one of Japan’s classic seasonal dishes.
Recently, more and more creative takes on somen have emerged, with unique dipping sauces and soups that add exciting variety to this simple dish.
One spot where you can experience the cutting edge of somen innovation is “Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu,” located inside the Shibuya Hikarie commercial complex directly connected to Shibuya Station.
Based on the concept of “researching new ways to eat somen,” this stylish, minimalist restaurant space resembles a laboratory (kenkyūshitsu in Japanese), where guests can enjoy a wide variety of somen dishes year-round.
Exterior of Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu
The traditional style of somen in Japan involves chilling the noodles in cold water and serving them with a soy sauce-based dipping broth called mentsuyu.
It’s a light, cooling dish perfect for beating the summer heat.
Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu uses “Shima no Hikari,” a brand of hand-stretched somen from Shōdo Island in Kagawa Prefecture—one of Japan’s top three somen-producing regions.
This premium somen boasts over 400 years of history. Crafted by artisans using select flour, salt, and sesame oil, it’s known for its firm texture and smooth slurp.
Explore the fun of customizing your own somen!
At Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu, you can create your own custom somen dish by choosing the type of noodles, portion size, base seasoning, and toppings—including both seasonings and ingredients. Interestingly, the shop refers to this process of customizing your own bowl as “conducting research.”
Your somen “research” begins with selecting the type and amount of noodles.
There are three types of noodles to choose from: “Red Label” with a smooth, slippery texture, “Black Label” known for its rich aroma, and the premium “Gold Label” with a delightfully chewy bite. The standard portion is 1.5 bundles, but you can choose anywhere from 0.5 to 3 bundles.
(from the left, all in 1.5 bundles）”金帯,” Gold Label 220 JPY “黒帯,” Black Label 198 JPY “赤帯,” Red Label 165 JPY (all tax included)
Next, choose your base flavoring. Your choice here will determine how the somen is served—whether it’s hot or cold, and in what style.
There are three main types of base flavorings: soup-based, mixed-noodle, and dipping-style.
Soup-based flavors include six varieties such as “Dashi,” “Curry,” and “Cream.” These are enjoyed like ramen, with the somen immersed in a warm or cold broth.
If you opt for the mixed-noodle type, a paste-like seasoning is blended with the somen, similar to pasta. Flavors include options like “Ume (plum) Paste,” “Tomato Paste,” and “Garlic Oil Paste”—six types in total.
Dipping-style somen is eaten by dipping the noodles into a separate sauce. Choices include the classic “Mentsuyu,” “Sesame Soy Milk,” and “Tomato.”
With so many tempting options, it’s hard to choose just one!
A total of 15 base flavors to choose from—6 soup styles, 6 mixed-noodle styles, and 3 dipping styles
After selecting your base, pick your condiments—like sesame oil, olive oil, nam pla (fish sauce), dashi soy sauce, or truffle oil.
Then comes the final step: toppings. There are over 50 ingredients to choose from, including meats, seafood, vegetables, pickles, and fried items.
(top left) “明太子,” Mentaiko (cod roe) 330 JPY (top right) “えび,” Shrimp 330 JPY (center) “ソーキ,” Sōki (pork spare ribs in Okinawan dialect) 220 JPY (bottom left) “ナス天ぷら,” Eggplant Tempura 110 JPY (bottom right) “山利しらす,” Yamari Whitebait 220 JPY (tax included)
The final price of each dish depends on your choices of noodle type, base flavor, and toppings.
Seasonings and toppings are served separately on a small plate, so you can add them as you like and enjoy changing up the flavor as you eat. Feel free to go all out and customize it as much as you want!
Can’t decide? Try a recommended somen combo!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options, we recommend starting with one of the classic somen sets that feature tried-and-true ingredients.
The first recommendation is the “Chilled Somen with Lemon and Whitebait”—a refreshing dish perfect for hot days.
“レモンとしらすの冷製素麺,” Chilled Somen with Lemon and Whitebait 1,320 JPY (tax included)
This dish features a refreshing, sherbet-like broth made with the shop’s special katsuo (bonito) dashi and a punch of lemon. IIt’s generously topped with aromatic ingredients, including premium Yamari shirasu (whitebait), myōga (Japanese ginger), kaiware daikon (radish sprouts), and ōba (shiso leaves).
With your first bite, the zesty lemon tang and fragrant dashi hit your nose, followed by the rich umami of the whitebait and the bright, herbal notes of myoga and shiso that come together in perfect harmony.
The icy texture of the lemon dashi sherbet, combined with its refreshing yet rich flavor, makes it the perfect dish for a hot day.
For those who want to dive deeper into uniquely Japanese flavors, we recommend trying the classic “Neba-toro Somen.”
“ネバトロそうめん,” Neba-toro Somen 1,320 JPY (tax included)
The base seasoning is a classic, house-made bonito dashi. Toppings include a variety of ingredients like nattō (fermented soybeans), slippery green okra, iburigakko (smoked pickled daikon), cucumber, bonito flakes, and myoga.
In Japan, natto and okra are a well-loved pairing, known for their sticky texture and distinctive aroma that many find addictively delicious.
The recommended way to enjoy it is to break the egg yolk in the center and mix everything together thoroughly.
A rich combination of textures, aromas, and flavors unfolds across the palate, offering a layered taste experience that keeps each bite exciting until the very end.
Hot “Nyūmen” somen, snacks, and drinks
While chilled somen is the standard, warm sōmen—commonly known as nyūmen—is also widely enjoyed.
One of the most popular hot somen dishes at Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu is the “Pork, Fried Tofu, Cheese, and Kujo Green Onion Curry Somen.”
“豚とおあげとチーズ 九条ネギカレーそうめん,” Pork, Fried Tofu, Cheese, and Kujo Green Onion Curry Somen 1,342 JPY (tax included)
The base of the soup is a curry broth infused with dashi and aromatic spices.
Each bite delivers rich, layered flavor as the sliced pork belly, savory cheese, fragrant Kujo green onions from Kyoto, and fried tofu meld perfectly with the broth.
At Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu, you’ll also find more than just noodles—there’s a full menu of rice bowls, appetizers, fried dishes, meat and seafood plates, and vegetable-based dishes that make perfect pairings with alcohol.
The drink menu is equally diverse, featuring beer, sake, and natural wines, along with shochu, whisky, and even customized cocktails. For the cocktails, you choose your base spirit and mix it with your favorite soft drink—served in a beaker-style glass for a fun, lab-themed twist.
Start with drinks and nibbles, then finish your meal with a custom somen bowl—this is the signature dining experience at Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu.
Why not explore the possibilities of somen and discover new flavor combinations, right in the heart of Shibuya?
Information
| Store name | そうめん そそそ 研究室 Somen Sososo Kenkyushitsu |
|---|---|
| Address | Shibuya Hikarie 6F, 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Shibuya Station（SBY） Short walk from Exit 15
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| Phone number | 03-6450-6795 |
| Reservations | Accepted Phone, Tabelog, Hot Pepper Gourmet not accepted during August |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | 11:00-21:15 |
| Closed | No holidays excluding Shibuya Hikarie official holidays |
| Seating | 30 seats 8 counter seats, 22 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://so-mensososo.com/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of August 2025.
