JTB Publishing to Host Lunch Fair Featuring Traditional 'Handa Okabe no Men' from Tsurugi-cho, Tokushima

JTB Publishing will offer a limited-time lunch menu at its restaurant 'editor’s fav Rurubu Kitchen' from Tuesday, June 2, to Monday, June 29, 2026, using 'Handa Okabe no Men' (Handa somen) from Okabe Co., Ltd., based in Tsurugi-cho, Tokushima Prefecture.

'Rurubu Kitchen' is a retail media store where 'Rurubu' editors deliver the 'delicious' discoveries they find while traveling across Japan. In addition to serving dishes as a restaurant, the store discovers authentic ingredients made in various regions across Japan and shares their value and charm with consumers through original cuisine.

This limited-time fair focuses on 'Handa somen,' a traditional taste that has continued for about 300 years in the Handa area of Tsurugi-cho, Tokushima. Handa somen is characterized by its unique thickness—thicker than standard somen standards and thinner than udon—and is known for its firm texture and smooth swallowing. For this fair, the restaurant uses 'Handa Okabe no Men,' known for producing 18 noodle layers through a unique process of 'twisting, training, and stretching' to create a smooth, strong texture. The noodles are served with a ratatouille made with plenty of seasonal summer vegetables, perfect for the humid rainy season.

Menu item: Chilled Handa Somen with Summer Vegetable Ratatouille - 1,280 yen (tax included).

Store Overview: Basement floor, Kinokuniya Building, 3-17-7 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. Business Hours: Lunch 11:30 - 14:30, Dinner 17:00 - 22:00.