Is it possible to be vegan in japan

Well-known chains like Mos Burger, Royal Host, Coco Ichibanya, and Ramen Kagetsu Arashi have all released animal-ingredient-free options in recent weeks or months in preparation for the postponed Olympics. With the Olympics delayed and the planned number of tourists not materializing, purchasing these items is a great way to encourage these sorts of things to be more widely available on the market in the future.

Sign it to show how much need there is for more vegan options and labeling. Consider supporting small organizations working hands-on in the field. It works on creating and labeling vegan options and works in cooperation with companies, shops, and schools.

Following its Instagram account is a great way to find out the newest products that have its vegan label. Japan may not be the easiest place in the world to be vegan, but the scene is booming compared to a few years before, and with preparation, you can enjoy visiting or living here and trying a lot of delicious foods as well! Save money and reduce stress by renting a garden plot in Tokyo.

Sit with us and learn how to find one near you and what By Melanie Barnes. By Hilary Keyes. If we've learned anything from watching Studio Ghibli films, it's that forests are enchanting, peaceful places full of magic and natural wonder But did you By Christy Anne Jones. As Meiji Shrine prepares to celebrate its th anniversary, we look at how this city oasis was born out of marshes and farmland.

By Kirsty Kawano. By Rachael Lucas July 31, Lifestyle. Vegans and vegetarians are not an insignificant part of North American and European culture, it would be a shame to deny your host this chance to learn about who you really are.

I really do not feel that I compromised my ideals, I am still a vegetarian, but rather I was being realistic given the culture and the available foods. Having enough in many Russian households is still an issue, so I did not want to put an extra strain on my host.

But as far as an exchange program being a two way street, I understand that. I did let my host learn more about me while I was there though food and by talking to her. I actually cooked a number of vegetable dishes for her while I was there and let her know how much I appreciated what she made for me. I don't think I would feel able to stick to my principles in a culture where food is hard to obtain either.

Thankfully, Japan isn't one of those countries. I appreciate that my alternative opinion to yours is one born out of mutual luxury, both for the host and the guest.

I was just rooting around for places to eat in this area and found this reasonably priced Vegan option just like most places, it's cheaper at lunch times than in the evenings - lunch set is yen or 1,yen on Saturdays. I'm too fond of pigs to eat the usual kind of gyoza, but this place make meat free alternatives. Also of interest to me are the vegan mabo dofu offerings, a Chinese inspired dish which is very popular in Japan. I've yet to try it.

I'm definitely going to visit! It is difficult to survive as a vegetarian, not to mention being a vegan. I would definitely go with the macro route. I was at a Japanese temple and had a wonderful meal that was mainly tofu-based. I would definitely stick with the rice, some seaweed vegetables not marinated in soy or red bean dessert : Go for tororo zaru soba, just don't dip the sauce. Great article and a wonderful resource. I will definitely ues this when we visit Japan!

Found you from serious eats I ate with a fork for the first time since leaving America. I drank coffee at a cafe that wasn't Starbucks. I indulged on things I haven't had since leaving my home country and thoroughly enjoyed everything.

It was incredible. I am vegan, and though I've been pretty much unable to eat out at all here in Nagasaki, I don't mind cooking my own meals. I spend a little more money than the other students from America but that's because they are living off of incredibly unhealthy prepackaged foods. I really love experimenting with all the new and exciting vegetables and other things here.

I recently found a small store called "vegetarian" [that actually sells meat.. I can't wait to try it. It's a great meal for any time of the day.

I like to stir fry, make curries out of kabocha squash, cauliflower and red lentils [that my lovely boyo brought me from america- thank goodness for lentils!!! At first I ate the same boring mix of bean sprouts and carrots but thankfully have branched way, way out.

Don't forget to try all the different kinds of mushrooms and greens!! I could live off kabocha squash- it's THAT good. I recently found pure organic soy milk and there's organic tofu here that is super, super cheap.

I like unsweetened ankou [azuki bean paste] on brown rice cakes and soy milk with fruit and brown rice flakes found in the organic section of one of the supermarkets I visit. I'm rambling now, but I hope you get the jist of this entirely too long comment of me slowly adjusting to what's available here.

I think my visit to Tokyo [and enjoying things like sakura muffins and vegan tempeh sandwiches] will hold me over until August. Thank you Maki for the awesome sites and post. I love all of your sites- especially hungry for words! Keep up the great work [and thanks for the email back about the bread! Asha, thank you for that very detailed followup!

I'm going to feature it in a post of its own so people don't miss it! I was at the library last week and picked up a wonderful recipe book called "Good Food from a Japanese Temple". I'm half way through it. It's a really old book, published in , so not many photos but enough to guide you. Definitely check it out for the vegan recipes; they also adapted the ingredients for what's available outside of Japan. I'm surprised that sho-jin ryouri cuisine costs so much. Most of the recipes in the book have simple ingredients and not time-consuming desserts are the time-consuming ones.

Isn't that wonderful? I'll report back after some "taste tests. Desperate Baker. Does anyone know of a place where you can get cheap whole wheat flour in Tokyo? So far I am paying an arm and a leg from an international supermarket. None of the four local supermarkets I have been to have whol wheat flour.

I was a vegan and raw foodist when I lived in Tokyo last year. I found it pretty easy to get by, but I did make exceptions to my usual diet while traveling or eating out with friends, because I believe that people and the connections I make with them are more important than food. For shopping, I relied on a farmer's market in Kiba for most of my produce, which was inexpensive and from local farms in Ibaraki.

National Azabu in Hiroo has a good selection of organic produce and imported specialty items, and there is a similar, but smaller, store called Nissin World Delicatessen by Azabu-Juban eki. Crayon House in Omotesando has a tiny health food store that carries organic vegetables and a wide selection of whole grains. I agree with the others who suggest macrobiotic restaurants, but keep in mind that some macrobiotic dishes include fish the macrobiotic restaurants I went to had well marked English menus.

Finally, if you're in the Tokyo area and eating strictly vegan is important to you, and you want to go out and have a good time with other people, I suggest that you check out some of the veggie groups on meetup.

I went to several raw food potlucks and had a great time. Vegan Japan Info. What about using the great vegan restaurant resource at Vege-navi. There is also a mainly English resource starting up at VeganJapan. One of the great things about Japan is the variety of new and seasonal foods that are available for vegans, if you are willing to step outside of the major cities and look out for local markets.

The variety of sweets is in another world compared to the West. The truth is, of course, the "problem" is really down to the language. Best to ask a friend to write a cheatsheet in Japanese and show it to staff. Folks are polite and helpful, service is wonderful. If you are looking for organic and vegan foods try my company's home delivery service: www. We have a big selection of Costco and other imported foods and have a lot hard to find items.

Many thanks!! Best of luck to you with your adventures in Japan! Thank you so much! Do get in touch afterwards and let me know how it goes! Thank you so much for all your help! Bon voyage! Excellent article, The options and number of restaurants gets better here all the time. Thanks for pointing that out, Jim. Dashi is definitely one of the trickiest things about being vegetarian or vegan in Japan. You could try asking for the dashi to be made just with kombu seaweed and not with bonito dried fish flakes , but the language barrier might make this difficult.

Dashi is not made on the spot, lol. So asking them to only use kombu is not a solution. Thanks for that input, Susan. I can relate with this post, I am also struggling as a Muslim to find Halal but for vegan I would recommend Indian and other Asian restaurant they have plenty of options for you. Thanks for sharing your advice, Sumiya! Our main hope is to spend a couple of months walking in the mountains, linking up a few of the monastic trails etc.

Do you have any idea if that would be possible? Hi Deborah, That sounds like an amazing trip! From what I know about Japanese cuisine, my guess is that the monastic trails would be the easiest place in Japan to find vegan food. Is udon vegan? And is tempura vegan? Do they put eggs in the batter?

And are there vegan options in the food markets ie takashimaya where people grab food to go to eat on the train? Hi Yasmin, Those are all good questions. When are you going to Japan? I will be there myself this November and will be able to give you solid answers then. She is vegan and lives in Kyoto. This is a great article! Travelling with young kids and a meaty hubby, with no Japanese language skills has been challenging. I almost felt disrespectful asking to remove the meat or is they could make anything!

I have just been trying to look for things that looked like veggies and hoping for the best! Glad to know I am not alone! Traveling with non-vegans definitely makes it more challenging.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and site URL in my browser for next time I post a comment. Hi, I'm Wendy. I'm an intrepid traveler, vegan foodie and animal lover. I travel all over the world countries and counting! Read more on my About page. Looking for Something? Share Tweet Pin. Guest article by Hui Liang. Table of Contents. Japan Travel Guides. Is it possible to be vegan in Japan — the land of sushi?

Vegan in Osaka To be fair, I was only in Osaka for a day, but I found it quite difficult to be vegan in this bustling city. Vegan in Tokyo Our third and last stop in Japan was Tokyo. Tips for Being Vegan in Japan. Pin It!

Hui Liang. About Wendy Werneth Intrepid traveler, vegan foodie and animal lover. I uncover vegan treasures all around the world, so you can be vegan anywhere and spread compassion everywhere. Taylor Dohner March 22, at am.

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