An 8-meter drop, 20 meters of track, and one of Japan’s most unexpected seasonal traditions
A stream of chilled somen—thin Japanese wheat noodles traditionally eaten during the summer—now plunges from the height of a three-story building before racing down a 20-meter slide in the forests of Hyogo.
The giant setup is part of a new summer-only attraction at Wood Design Park Yoi, a glamping resort in Shiso City. Called the “Giant Nagashi Somen Slider,” the experience takes one of Japan’s most familiar seasonal traditions and scales it up to almost absurd proportions.
Nagashi somen is a summertime custom in which chilled noodles flow through channels of running water, with diners catching them using chopsticks before they disappear downstream. At Wood Design Park Yoi, that simple ritual becomes something closer to a spectator sport, as noodles cascade from a platform roughly eight meters above the ground and speed through a 20-meter course.
The noodles used are Ibonoito (揖保乃糸), a brand synonymous with somen in the Banshu region and a fixture of Japanese summer dining. Because Shiso is part of the area known for producing the famous noodles, the attraction also offers a playful glimpse into the region’s food culture.
Visitors can book the experience as an optional add-on to overnight stays or day-use plans. One set, designed for around two to four people, costs ¥2,500, with extra servings available for anyone eager to keep the noodles flowing.
The attraction joins a long Japanese tradition of reinventing seasonal customs in increasingly elaborate ways. Here, a simple bowl of summer noodles arrives with the scale and drama of a theme-park ride.
When: Summer 2026 (limited-time event)
Where: Wood Design Park Yoi, 66-3 Yoi, Yamasaki-cho, Shiso, Hyogo
Price: ¥2,500 per set (2–4 people)
Reservations (Japanese only): https://reserve.489ban.net/client/wdp-shiso/0/plan
