Deadline Approaching on July 15! Presented by the Great Tsukemen Festival Entries Now Being Accepted for “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026” Visitors will vote to determine the “Next-Generation Ramen King” through a tasting event featuring bowls starting at 800 yen each

The Great Tsukemen Festival Executive Committee is currently accepting entries from restaurants wishing to participate in the “Great Tsukemen Festival Presents Rā 1 Grand Prix 2026,” which will be held from Saturday, October 10, 2026, through Sunday, November 15, 2026, at theKabukicho’s Okubo Park special venue. Entries are currently being accepted from restaurants wishing to participate. The entry deadline is Wednesday, July 15, 2026.Eligibility for the Grand Prix division is limited to restaurants that serve ramen and have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less.

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Renowned restaurants that have been in business for more than 15 years are not eligible for the Grand Prix voting but will participate in the event as “Legend” shops. They are scheduled to appear as figures who will watch over the challenges of the next generation and help energize the entire venue.

The true stars of this event are the new-generation shops that will shape the future of the ramen world.

To date, the Great Tsukemen Festival has introduced ramen fans to renowned shops from across the country, popular spots with long lines, talented regional shops, and the latest trending bowls. There have been shops that became known to Tokyo ramen fans through the event, shops that gained attention on social media and through word of mouth after serving a bowl at the venue, and shops that spread their names from regional areas to the entire country.

The Great Tsukemen Festival has never been merely an event that simply gathers famous shops; it has also been a place where ramen fans and shops meet, and where new star shops are discovered.

With this year’s “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026,” we aim to further evolve this role by spotlighting shops that have been in business for 15 years or less under their current name, with the goal of discovering the “next-generation star shops” that will lead the future of the ramen world.

■ Key Points of This Press Release

1. Entries from participating shops are accepted until Wednesday, July 15, 2026

2. Shops that have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less are eligible for the Grand Prix vote

3. Renowned shops that have been in business for more than 15 years will participate in the event as “Legend Shops”

4. For the first time in the history of the Great Tsukemen Festival, “tasting-size” portions will be fully introduced

5. Tasting-size bowls start at 800 yen each. This offers a new way to enjoy the event by easily visiting multiple shops

6. The grand prize is 5 million yen. This fan-participation Grand Prix will determine the first-ever champion

<Deadline: July 15. Registration for the “Challenge for the First-Ever Champion” slot will close soon>

Entries for “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026” are being accepted until Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

Entries are open to ramen specialty shops, of course, as well as neighborhood Chinese restaurants, diners, izakayas, pop-up shops, food trucks, and other establishments that serve ramen—provided the business has been operating under its current name for 15 years or less. Shops from all over Japan are eligible to enter.

The question is: Will that single bowl leave a lasting impression on people?

The Ramen No. 1 Grand Prix is not a competition decided solely by the size of a shop’s sign.

It’s a competition where visitors actually eat, compare, cheer on the participants, and cast their votes.

It’s not just the well-known shops that take center stage.

Even shops that haven’t yet been discovered nationwide have a chance to reach ramen fans.

The title of “First Champion” can only be awarded once.

Entries for the first tournament close on Wednesday, July 15.

Great Tsukemen Expo 2026_Entry

<New-generation shops established within the last 15 years take center stage. The battle to crown the next-generation ramen champion>

The “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026” is a competition to determine the next generation of ramen shops.

Eligible participants are shops that have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less.

This rule is designed to shine a spotlight on the new talent that will shape the future of the ramen world.

Shops that are wildly popular locally.

Shops that are gradually gaining attention on social media.

Shops that haven’t yet appeared in major media but have strong confidence in the quality of their ramen.

New-generation shops that have been in business for 15 years or less and are looking to make a name for themselves nationwide.

Shops that simmer their broth, select their noodles, and prepare their toppings every day—constantly dedicated to each bowl of ramen to earn their customers’ praise that it’s “delicious.”

The “Ramen Grand Prix 2026” is a competition that shines a spotlight on these shops and works with ramen fans to discover new star establishments.

Unfamiliar bowls of ramen will be discovered at the event, spread through social media, and evaluated through voting. From this fervor, the next generation of star shops will emerge.

<Legendary shops are not eligible for voting. They participate as observers of the next generation’s challenges.>

Renowned shops that have been in business for over 15 years are not eligible for the Grand Prix vote.

These renowned shops—which have long supported the ramen world and been beloved by ramen fans nationwide—will participate in the event as “Legend Shops,” helping to energize the venue.

It is precisely because of these Legend Shops that the challenges faced by the next generation of shops stand out even more.

With the legacy of these renowned shops as their inspiration, the new generation of shops will aim to become the first-ever champion.

“Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026” is an event where the present and future of the ramen world come together under one roof. Within this event, the shops selected through voting will be the next generation set to lead the future of the ramen world.

<A First for the Great Tsukemen Festival: Introducing “Tasting-Size” Portions That Go Beyond a Single Bowl>

A major highlight of this event is the full-scale introduction of “tasting-size” portions—a first for the Grand Tsukemen Festival.

The price is 800 yen per bowl.

This isn’t just a smaller portion.

It’s a new serving style designed to let visitors explore multiple shops and sample more varieties.

At previous ramen events, we’ve heard comments like this from visitors:

“There are so many shops I’m interested in, but I get full after just one bowl.”

“I want to try shops I’ve never been to before, but it takes a bit of courage to choose just one bowl.”

“I’d really like to try two or three bowls to compare them.”

At the “Ramen Grand Prix 2026,” the introduction of tasting-size portions will allow visitors to explore not just one shop but multiple ones, offering an experience where they can discover what they consider “truly delicious.”

A bowl to support your favorite shop.

A bowl that introduces you to a shop you’ve never heard of before.

A bowl to share your thoughts on with friends and family.

And a bowl that counts as a vote to decide the next-generation Ramen King.

As the first “tasting-size” offering at the Great Tsukemen Festival, this is a new initiative that greatly expands the experiential value of ramen events.

Tasting Portion

<800 yen per bowl. A set of two bowls is 1,500 yen! Pricing designed to make it easy to try new bowls>

The tasting size will be available starting at 800 yen per bowl.

The 800-yen price at the Ramen Grand Prix isn’t just a marketing ploy.

It’s a pricing strategy designed to make it easier for visitors to sample dishes from more shops, discover new favorites, and participate in the event as “judges” themselves.

Because it’s 800 yen, you can have another bowl.

Because it’s 800 yen, it’s easy to try a shop you’ve never been to before.

Because it’s 800 yen, you can discover not just your favorite shop, but also a bowl you’ve never tried before.

Because it’s 800 yen, it’s easier for visitors to participate in the competition by voting.

The tasting-size portion doesn’t just expand visitors’ options.

For participating restaurants, it’s also a great opportunity to introduce their flavors to customers who haven’t heard of them before.

People don’t eat something just because it’s famous; they support it because it tasted good.

You don’t choose a shop just because you know its name; you vote because a single bowl moved you.

From these encounters, the next generation of star restaurants will emerge.

Plus, the two-bowl set is 1,500 yen—a 100-yen savings!

The regular size, for those who want a hearty meal, is 1,200 yen.

The “Taste Comparison” size will be available until 5:00 PM, regardless of the day of the week.

Menu Prices

<Toward the “M-1” of the Ramen World: Fans Eat, Compare, and Crown the First-Ever Champion>

The “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026” is a competition open to shops that have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less. The first-ever champion will be determined through online preliminaries, fan voting, and on-site tastings.

The planned prize money for the winner is 5 million yen.

The Great Tsukemen Festival aims to create a new grand prix—much like the “M-1” of the ramen world—where shops and fans come together to create a lively atmosphere.

Visitors will actually taste, compare, cheer, and vote.

Through this cumulative process, the next-generation Ramen King will be decided.

Even the most well-known competitions start with their first edition.

And the title of “First Champion” can only be awarded once.

Entries to compete on that inaugural stage are being accepted until Wednesday, July 15.

<5 million yen prize money. The 1st Annual Tournament for the title of First-Ever Champion>

At the “Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026,” the winning restaurant will receive a prize of 5 million yen.

However, the value of this tournament goes beyond just the prize money.

The venue is Shinjuku’s Okubo Park, a gathering place for many ramen fans.

The excitement of fan participation, starting with the online preliminaries.

The buzz spreading across social media platforms like X, Instagram, and YouTube.

And the title of “First-Ever Rā1 Grand Prix Champion.”

The title of “First Champion” can only be awarded once.

Just as the Great Tsukemen Festival has connected renowned restaurants with fans over the years, the Ramen No. 1 Grand Prix 2026 will serve as a meeting place for the next generation of star restaurants and ramen fans.

We invite all shops that have been in business for 15 years or less under their current name.

We look forward to your entries by Wednesday, July 15.

<Event Overview>

Event Name: Great Tsukemen Expo Presents Ramen No. 1 Grand Prix 2026

Dates: October 10 (Sat) – November 15 (Sun), 2026

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Venue: Special Event Site at Okubo Park, Kabukicho, Shinjuku

Event Details: A fan-participation ramen grand prix featuring shops

　　　　　　　　　　fan-participation ramen grand prix

Price: Tasting-size bowl: 800 yen per bowl

　　　　　　　　　　Tasting-size set (2 bowls): 1,500 yen

　　　　　　　　　　Regular size: 1,200 yen

Grand Prize: 5 million yen

Grand Prix Voting Eligibility: Shops that serve ramen and have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less

Legend Shops: Shops that have been in business for more than 15 years will participate as “Legend Shops” and are not eligible for voting

Entry Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Eligible Categories: Ramen, Tsukemen, Mazesoba, and others

Selection Process: Planned to include online preliminaries, fan voting, and on-site tasting evaluations

Organizer: Great Tsukemen Expo Executive Committee

<About Entries>

Ramen 1 Grand Prix 2026 is currently accepting entries from restaurants wishing to compete in the Grand Prix category.

The deadline is Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

Entries are open to ramen specialty shops, as well as neighborhood Chinese restaurants, diners, izakayas, pop-up shops, and food trucks—as long as they serve ramen and have been in business under their current name for 15 years or less.

Restaurants that have been in business for more than 15 years are not eligible for the Grand Prix vote but are scheduled to participate in the event as “Legend” establishments.

This is the only opportunity to enter the first-ever competition to crown the inaugural champion.

Restaurants wishing to enter should check the official website for details.

Official Website: https://dai-tsukemen-haku.com/

Official X: https://x.com/daitsukemenhaku

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daitsukemenhaku/