How the free coupon works
The campaign is called Tomato Matsuri (トマト祭), or Tomato Festival. The chain holds it once a year around October 10, which is Tomato Day in Japan. This year it runs on Friday October 9, Saturday October 10 and Sunday October 11, 2026.
The deal is simple. Order any ramen and eat it in the shop, and the staff hand you a Taiyo no Ramen free coupon (太陽のラーメン無料券). Bring it back on a later visit and it covers a bowl. You get one coupon per bowl you order.
Weekend coupons like this are worth stacking with other short promos. If you’re in the mood for more, see the Lawson and FamilyMart buy-one-get-one-free coupons running until October 12.
What doesn’t count, and the fine print
A few rules are easy to miss, so check them before you go:
- Eat-in only. Takeaway ramen, frozen ramen and delivery orders don’t earn a coupon.
- No free extra cheese during the event. The free extra-cheese service is paused from October 9 to 11.
- One person per coupon. Each coupon can be used by one diner only.
- No combining. You can’t use it together with other service tickets or discounts.
- A free bowl doesn’t earn another coupon. If you pay with a free coupon during the event, you won’t get a new one for that bowl.
- Check the expiry date. It’s printed on the back of the coupon. Reports put it at November 30, 2026, but go by what’s on your coupon.
All 16 participating shops
Every shop in Japan takes part. Opening hours aren’t listed in the announcement, so check the official store list before you head out.
| Prefecture | Shop | Japanese name |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Kinshicho Main Store | 錦糸町本店 |
| Tokyo | Otsuka Kitaguchi | 大塚北口支店 |
| Tokyo | Honjo Azumabashi Skytree | 本所吾妻橋スカイツリー支店 |
| Tokyo | Ueno Hirokoji | 上野広小路支店 |
| Tokyo | Toyosu | 豊洲店 |
| Tokyo | Meets Kokubunji | ミーツ国分寺店 |
| Tokyo | Aoyama Oval Building | 青山オーバルビル店 |
| Tokyo | Harumi Triton | 晴海トリトン店 |
| Kanagawa | Motosumiyoshi | 元住吉支店 |
| Kanagawa | Kawasaki Azalea | 川崎アゼリア店 |
| Saitama | AEON Mall Kitatoda | イオンモール北戸田店 |
| Osaka | Fukushima Ekimae | 福島駅前支店 |
| Osaka | AEON Mall Dainichi | イオンモール大日店 |
| Osaka | AEON Mall Hineno | イオンモール日根野店 |
| Kyoto | AEON Mall Takanohara | イオンモール高の原店 |
| Nara | AEON Mall Kashihara | イオンモール橿原店 |
English shop names are our own renderings. Use the Japanese name when searching on a map app.
The online sale running alongside it
Not near a shop? The official online store runs its own Tomato Day Sale (年に一度のトマト祭TOMATO DAY SALE) from Friday October 9 at 0:00 to Friday October 23 at 11:59, with discounts of up to 50% on frozen ramen. It’s operated by Nine Block, a group company that sells frozen food online. Note that frozen ramen doesn’t earn a free coupon at the shops.
Two items were highlighted in the announcement:
- Limited-time cheddar tomato ramen with chewy tteok (single pack): regular price 1,550 yen including tax, sale price 775 yen including tax (50% off)
- 20th-anniversary customer appreciation lucky bag, free shipping: regular price 9,310 yen including tax, sale price 7,448 yen including tax (20% off)
What makes this ramen different
Taiyo no Tomato Men started out as a mix of Italian cooking and ramen. The soup is a light chicken stock blended with tomato, and the noodles are fresh, smooth noodles made with soy milk. The greens on top are edo-na, a leafy vegetable bred to need less than half the usual amount of pesticide.
The company says a single bowl holds the nutrients of about three tomatoes, including lycopene, vitamins A and C, potassium and magnesium. Cheese is a popular pairing, though the free extra cheese won’t be on offer during the festival weekend.
More details and menus are on the official website and the chain’s Instagram. The full announcement is on PR TIMES.
Want to save even more on food? You can also earn points on what you spend. Our guide to credit cards in Japan for foreigners covers where to start, and the beginner’s guide to point sites explains how to earn on top of that. For another free meal, try the One Karubi app quiz worth 2,000 points.
FAQ
- Q. When can I get the free ramen coupon?
- From Friday October 9 to Sunday October 11, 2026. Order a bowl of ramen and eat it in the shop to get one coupon.
- Q. Do takeaway or delivery orders count?
- No. Takeaway ramen, frozen ramen and delivery are not included. Only eat-in orders earn a coupon.
- Q. How long is the coupon valid?
- The expiry date is printed on the back of the coupon. Reports say November 30, 2026, but check your coupon to be sure.
- Q. Can I use the coupon with other discounts?
- No. It can’t be combined with other service tickets or discounts, and each coupon is for one person.
- Q. If I use a free coupon during the festival, do I get another one?
- No. Bowls paid for with a free coupon don’t earn a new coupon.