Japan’s love for Chinese noodles; AI’s Year of the Horse forecasts: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From AI’s predictions for the Year of the Horse to an ‘unlucky’ chocolate mahjong set, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting

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Tantanmen noodles at Szechuan Tantanmen Aun in Tokyo. The noodle dish, which has its roots in China’s Sichuan province, is found on many menus in Japan, but how did it become so popular in a country known for food with light flavours? Photo: Phoebe Amoroso

Published: 3:30pm, 29 Jan 2026Updated: 5:11pm, 29 Jan 2026

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1. How did China’s dan dan mian noodle dish become so popular in Japan?

It seems an unlikely match. Japanese cuisine traditionally venerates light, clean flavours and the essence of each ingredient. So how did the country end up having such a spicy love affair with the dish?

2. Is the Year of the Snake’s 12th month lucky for you? Forecasts for all signs

How’s your luck in the Year of the Snake’s 12th month? Feng shui master Andrew Kwan gives his predictions for all 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs. Photo: Shutterstock

What do the stars have in store for each of the 12 zodiac animal signs in the last month of the Year of the Snake?

Japan’s love for Chinese noodles; AI’s Year of the Horse forecasts: 7 Lifestyle highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From AI’s predictions for the Year of the Horse to an ‘unlucky’ chocolate mahjong set, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting

1. How did China’s dan dan mian noodle dish become so popular in Japan?

2. Is the Year of the Snake’s 12th month lucky for you? Forecasts for all signs

3. 3 of Hong Kong martial arts legend Alexander Fu Sheng’s more unusual movies

From AI’s predictions for the Year of the Horse to an ‘unlucky’ chocolate mahjong set, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting