Japan’s official Cup Noodle X (formerly Twitter) account posted a promotional video for its Seafood Noodle flavor on July 6, 2026, that closely mirrors a well-known commercial for Shiromoto Clinic, a Japan-wide cosmetic surgery chain. The video quickly went viral, and Shiromoto Clinic’s own account responded warmly, thanking Cup Noodle for the tribute and joking that the clinic’s signature rolling motion had inspired the “gorogoro” (tumbling) seafood ingredients shown bouncing around in the ad.
The original Shiromoto Clinic commercial is instantly recognizable to many Japanese viewers for its distinctive visual style. Social media users also pointed out that the model featured in the real Shiromoto Clinic ad is the wife of Chunichi Dragons pitcher Yuya Yanagi, adding another layer of buzz to the story as fans tagged the ballplayer in their reactions.
The story took an unexpected turn when Hideaki Ogawa (小川英朗), the clinic’s executive director, posted on his personal X account that if Cup Noodle’s original video reached 30,000 likes, he would personally put on the seafood-themed costume from the ad and film himself rolling around, framing it as “a responsible act as executive director.” The post amused followers, many of whom joined in with further suggestions, including calling for wrestler Saori Yoshida — who has appeared in real Shiromoto Clinic advertising campaigns — to take part as well.
Who is the Shiromoto Clinic Director?
Hideaki Ogawa is the executive director of Shiromoto Clinic, a long-running cosmetic and plastic surgery clinic group with locations across Japan. The clinic is known in Japan for its distinctive, often talked-about television commercials, which have occasionally gone viral online for their unusual visual style. Ogawa maintains an active personal X account under the handle @shiromotoogawa, where he engages directly with fans and internet trends involving his company, describing his account bio as being dedicated to opposing unethical practices in the cosmetic surgery industry.
As of this report, Cup Noodle’s original post had drawn a strong response online, though it remained unclear whether it had crossed the 30,000-like threshold Ogawa set. Fans are watching closely to see whether the executive director will follow through on his lighthearted promise.
