Kitakata Marugoto Fes in Tokyo: Free Ramen Stage in Shinjuku, Tasting Event in Shibuya

If you like ramen, here is a good weekend plan. Kitakata City (喜多方市) in Fukushima Prefecture is bringing its food to Tokyo for a city promotion event called Iine Mansai! Kitakata Marugoto Fes (いいね満彩！喜多方まるごとフェス). It runs over two consecutive days at two very different venues.

On Saturday, November 7, 2026, there is a free stage in the restaurant hall of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku, where you can order Kitakata ramen and local sake. On Sunday, November 8, there is a smaller ticketed event in Shibuya where you can eat as much ramen, soba and other local food as you like. The two days work quite differently, so it helps to know which one suits you before you go.

Image: Kitakata City Planning Coordination Division (from the PR TIMES press release)

Which day should you go?

Free food events in Tokyo tend to get crowded. If you liked the free ramen coupon festival at Taiyo no Tomato Men, Day 1 has a similar casual feel, although here you pay for the food itself.

Day 1: free stage in Shinjuku (Nov 7)

The first day takes place on the 2nd floor of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower. This busy food floor draws visitors from Japan and abroad, so the event is aimed at people who stop by for a meal or some shopping and decide to stay. This is the first time the festival has been held here.

What happens on stage: each stage introduces sightseeing, food and daily life in Kitakata, and includes a Kitakata quiz that anyone can join. Every stage is self-contained, so it does not matter which one you catch. A prize draw for local specialties is also held on stage, and only people who bought a collab menu item get a ticket for it. There is also a booth selling Kitakata ramen and other local products.

Collab menu at the hall restaurants (limited quantity, ends when sold out):

You can pre-order the collab menu on the reservation page. Reserving is free, and you pay at the restaurant on the day. Both pre-orders and same-day purchases come with a ticket for the prize draw. The announcement does not say which payment methods the restaurants accept, so check the reservation page if you plan to pay by card or QR code.

Day 2: ticketed tasting in Shibuya (Nov 8)

The second day is held at Tokyo Culture Culture in Shibuya. The festival has been held there before, and this will be its 5th time at this venue. It is a seated, two-hour event built around eating, and it suits people who want to try several Kitakata dishes in one sitting.

What is included:

• All-you-can-eat Kitakata specialties. The lineup listed includes Kitakata ramen, Shiokawa torimotsu (chicken giblets), Yamato soba (buckwheat noodles) and sake from breweries in the city.
• A PR session where city staff and local businesses talk about Kitakata today
• A Kitakata quiz for everyone in the room
• A prize draw for local specialties
• A local products sales corner

What makes Kitakata food special

Kitakata ramen, Shiokawa torimotsu and Yamato soba are all recognized as 100-Year Food (100年フード) by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, a label for food cultures that have been passed down in a region. These three dishes and sake from local breweries are the main features of the festival.

The city runs this festival in the Tokyo area to introduce people to Kitakata through tourism, local products and information about moving there. It hopes visitors will become fans and share what they enjoyed on social media.

If tasting a town’s food makes you want to support it, the hometown tax donation system is one way to do that from Tokyo. Our guide to the October changes to furusato nozei explains what donors should know now. Check the city’s official channels to see what Kitakata currently offers.

Tips before you go

• Pre-order the Day 1 ramen if you have your heart set on it. The collab menu is limited and ends when it sells out. Reserving costs nothing, and you still pay on the day.
• Day 1 stages do not need to be watched in order. Each one is complete in about 40 minutes, so pick whichever time fits your plans.
• Keep your draw ticket. On Day 1, only collab menu buyers can join the prize draw.
• Day 2 has only 80 seats. If you are coming as a group, book everyone at once.
• Arrive by 11:30 on Day 2. Doors open at 11:30 and the event runs for two hours from 12:00.
• Menu details may be updated. The city posts event details and menus on its city promotion website and social media accounts (X and Instagram @kitakata_promo, LINE @kitakata_city).

FAQ

Q. Is the Kitakata Marugoto Fes free?

Day 1 on November 7 in Shinjuku is free to enter, and anyone can watch the stages. Food is paid separately. Day 2 on November 8 in Shibuya requires a ¥4,000 ticket booked in advance.

Q. How much is the ramen on Day 1?

The Kabuki Yokocho special Kitakata ramen is ¥800, a choice of Kitakata sake is ¥500, and the ramen and sake set is ¥1,200. All are limited in quantity.

Q. Do I have to pre-order the Day 1 menu?

No. You can also buy on the day, but the menu ends when sold out, so pre-ordering is recommended. Reserving is free and you pay at the restaurant.

Q. Who can join the prize draw on Day 1?

People who buy a collab menu item, either by pre-order or on the day, get a draw ticket.

Q. What times are the Day 1 stages?

Stages start at 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00. Each runs about 40 minutes and is complete on its own.

Q. How many people can attend Day 2?

Day 2 is limited to 80 people, and tickets are sold in advance on Peatix.

Source: Kitakata City press release (PR TIMES, October 26, 2026). Details may change; please check the official website and the booking pages before you go.