“Nagashi Somen” Appears on Kyoto Station Building's Grand Staircase, Kenji Moriwaki Joins the Fun, Sparking SNS Buzz!

An extraordinary “nagashi somen” (flowing noodles) event, staged on the iconic grand staircase of the Kyoto Station Building, a gateway to Kyoto, has generated significant buzz on social media. Despite the deepening autumn, the refreshing sight of somen noodles flowing swiftly delighted visitors and drew a large crowd.

The event featured a magnificent nagashi somen apparatus crafted by the “World Nagashi Somen Association,” astounding attendees with its scale. Furthermore, celebrity Kenji Moriwaki made a special guest appearance, further energizing the venue. Moriwaki interacted with visitors through activities like a rock-paper-scissors tournament, and his comments, such as “The fusion of youth and local charm is so emotional,” were posted on social media, enhancing the event’s appeal.

This unique project was held as part of the Kyoto Station Building Art Festival “GEIJUTSU NO EKI 2025,” leading to comments that “the station building is evolving into a city theater.” The Kyoto Station Building is also known as a pilgrimage site for the popular anime “The Quintessential Quintuplets,” drawing attention from anime fans.

Beyond nagashi somen, the Kyoto Station Building hosts a variety of other events and campaigns. These include the installation of Expo stamps, a point lottery campaign using Mobile ICOCA and Wesmo!, and premium common gift certificates offering great value, set to go on sale from October 14th – a lineup of exciting plans for visitors. A cosplay event “acosta!” is also scheduled, reinforcing its role as a multi-faceted cultural hub.

For both tourists and local residents, the Kyoto Station Building continues to evolve into something more than just a transportation hub. This nagashi somen event served as an opportunity to reaffirm its diverse appeal, raising expectations for future activities at the Kyoto Station Building.

The context

Nagashi Somen: A traditional Japanese summer activity where somen noodles are sent down a long bamboo flume filled with flowing cold water. Participants catch the noodles with chopsticks and dip them in tsuyu (dipping sauce). While typically a summer event, its appearance in autumn at Kyoto Station made it particularly unique.

Kyoto Station Building: Kyoto's main railway station, famous for its grand, futuristic architecture, including a towering 15-story structure and a striking grand staircase. It serves as a major transportation hub, a shopping complex, a hotel, and an event space, often hosting spectacular light shows and public gatherings.

Kenji Moriwaki: A prominent Japanese comedian and TV personality known for his energetic and often self-deprecating humor. He frequently appears in variety shows and public events, connecting well with audiences.

“The Quintessential Quintuplets” (Gotoubun no Hanayome): A popular Japanese manga and anime series. A “holy site” (聖地, seichi) in this context refers to a real-world location that is depicted in an anime, manga, or video game, which fans often visit as a form of pilgrimage.