Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]

Marugame Seimen branch in downtown Tokyo transforms into an anime eatery with awesome artwork inside and out.

One of Japan’s most popular udon noodle restaurant chains is named Marugame Seimen, with the Marugame part meaning “circle turtle.” For anime fans, though, the combination of “circle” and “turtle” might also have them thinking of Dragon Ball, since hero Goku and the other disciples of Master Roshi, a.k.a. the Turtle Sage, wear uniforms bearing the kanji character for “turtle,” 亀, inside a circle.

Marugame and Dragon Ball have taken this as a sign that they were destined to join forces, and this week the restaurant added edible Dragon Balls and tempura Senzu Beans to its menu (which you can read our taste-test impressions of right here). While these anime-inspired delicacies are available at all of Marugame’s 800-plus branches across Japan, there’s one location that’s particularly appropriate to head to, the Marugame Seimen Dragon Ball Z branch in downtown Tokyo!

This is a temporary rebranding of Marugame’s Shinjuku Gyoen-mae branch, located not far from Shinjuku Station and very close to Shinjuku Gyoen, one of the city’s most popular parks.

There’s really no missing the place, what with the giant banner of wish-granting dragon Shenron and multiple other pieces of anime artwork adorning the exterior of the building.

The theming continues on the inside, with pretty much every vertical surface plastered with Dragon Ball artwork.

▼ Shenron stretches across three walls of the place.

With so many members of the cast represented, it’s a safe bet that your personal favorite will be present, so you’ll want to pick a seat where you can get the feeling of dining together with them, or at least gazing at them in admiration as you enjoy your meal.

Even the staff has gotten into the spirit, as they’re outfitted with special Marugame/Dragon Ball crossover T-shirts during the collaboration.

▼ Sadly, there’s been no announcement of the shirts going on sale to the general public yet.

If you’re a fan, you probably recognized that the staff member in the above photo is striking the Spirit Bomb pose. That’s not just a bit of fan service, but also a reference to the Spirit Bomb Rice Balls that Marugame has created for the collaboration, a rice ball with a soft-boiled egg at the center that’s coated with tempura batter and fried to make it extra-decadent and satisfying.

▼ You can eat the Spirit Bomb Rice Ball as-is, but since it also qualifies as a piece of tempura, you can also dip it into the broth of any udon noodles you’re ordering at the same time.

We actually got to try the Spirit Bomb Rice Ball as part of a special sneak-peek for the press, as it doesn’t officially go on sale until March 17. The Dragon Ball Marugame branch is welcoming customers right now, though, and it’s theming is scheduled to continue until April 6.

Location information
Marugame Seimen (Shinjuku Gyoen-mae branch) / 丸亀製麺（新宿御苑前店）
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 1-4-13
東京都新宿区新宿1-4-13
Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Credit: