Being Vegan in Japan: The Ultimate Guide to an Impossible Life

Is it difficult being vegan in Japan?

So I have good news, and bad news.^. Which would you like first? Fine, I’ll start with the bad news. The bad news is that yes, it is difficult being vegan in Japan.

Is Japan OK for vegans?

If you are living in Japan permanently or for a long period of time, you are in for a wild ride whenever you eat out. If you are visiting for a holiday and plan on eating vegan in Tokyo, there is enough vegan food in Tokyo in the popular tourist areas to keep you well fed for your visit. Here I will discuss practical tips, vegan snacks in Japan, helpful resources, and the best traditional restaurants where you can try Japanese food!

What you will find here…

Here you’ll find some really handy tips that helped me survive being vegan in Japan. I’ll also share some of my favourite spots to get vegan eats, and some great resources to help you continue your education into the wonderfully weird world of veganism in Japan. If you’re interested in learning more about trips to and around Japan, check out my Japan travel blogs.

How To Overcome The Challenges of Being Vegan in Japan

Equip Yourself With the right tools

The first thing you might realise about Japan is that your usual go-to vegan-friendly foods are not, in fact, vegan-friendly. You might be used to heading out to Mcdonald’s for some fries or grabbing a pack of oreos to tie you over during a long day of playing tourist, but you will be horrified to find out that both of these options are not vegan-friendly in Japan.

So what is a girl to do? Well, the first thing you need to do is equip yourself with an understanding of the food in Japan. Luckily I have a list of some great websites and apps to keep up to date with all the ingredient lists, vegan cafes, and new food items coming out in supermarkets. 

Is It Vegan? Japan – this is a great website that lists everything known to humankind that is vegan in Japan, with pictures!

Vegan Facebook Group Japan – this group is the perfect spot to reach out and ask questions, meet other vegans in Japan, and keep up to date with any gossip about new vegan options about to hit the shop floors.

Happy Cow Japan – this is a global website (free) and app (you will need to pay for this) listing vegan restaurants and cafes, it is the most relevant and updated app for the Japanese vegan market so I highly recommend it.

Know which convenience stores are actually convenient

Not all convenience stores are created equal when it comes to vegan food. Some of the best vegan products in Japan are from convenience stores, you just need to find where to look. My favourite convenience store for vegan products in Japan is called Natural Lawson, a special version of the Lawson brand of convenience stores.

What is special about Natural Lawson is that they have a range of their own vegan snacks as well as some imported vegan treats you might know from home. I would get all my lunches and skincare products like Sukin at Natural Lawson which saved me in the first few years eating vegan in Tokyo. At Natural Lawson you’ll find Japanese brands like Beyond Tofu, Chaya Macrobiotics, and T’s Vegan Noodles. You will also find great international brands like Alpro.

If you’re in the inaka (countryside) and can’t find a Natural Lawson, you can also find vegan food in Japan 7 Eleven (7-11). Grab Japan’s 7 Eleven (7-11) hash potato and fries from the heated takeaway cabinet at the counter

Double Check, Triple Check

Being vegan in Japan means that you also need to be an excellent investigator. One night, while travelling in Hakuba, the hotel waiter advised me they had a vegan dish for me. After reassuring me it was vegan, I kept persisting, asking about every animal derived ingredient I could think of. Finally, the hotel waiter replied with “it has just a little meat broth”. This is why it is so important to check. The word vegan is not widely known in Japan, and animal welfare is not yet a familiar conversation in Japanese society.

Therefore my best recommendation is to ensure you know some basic questions to ask. The biggest hurdle you will come across is dashi, bonito flakes, and consommé. Dashi is a broth made from fish and consomme is made from ground meat. You’ll find these as part of most rice, noodle, and soup dishes. Bonito flakes are fish flakes used as toppings on most tapa style foods you will find at an izakaya.

2024 update: I’ve seen a lot of travel bloggers saying that they found Japan super easy to be vegan in Japan because there are plenty of veggie sushi such as Inarizushi (inari sushi) or noodle dishes such as soba. I hate to break it to them but… that food probably wasn’t vegan (especially the sauces!). If having small amounts of meat such as fish or pork in your food matters to you, I urge you to check and triple check ingredients or ask using the phrases below. Also make sure to stick to sauces you know such as soy sauce.

Helpful Japanese phrases for vegans

Instead of asking “is this vegan?” I find it easier to ask what food contains. Try this:

Does this contain ____? これは ____ が入っていますか？(Kore wa ____ ga haitte imasu ka?)

Here are the most common ingredients:

• Meat 肉（にく Niku）
• Fish 魚（さかな / Sakana）
• Bonito flakes (かつお節 Katsuobushi)
• Fish broth (だし Dashi)
• Meat broth (コンソメ Consommé)
• Eggs 卵（たまご Tamago）
• Dairy/milk products 乳製品（にゅうせいひん Nyuuseihin）
• Honey 蜂蜜（はちみつ  Hachimitsu)

Go Traditional

You might be surprised to learn that Japan has a long history of traditional Buddhist cuisine. This food, known as shojin ryori, is typically vegan as it adheres to the tenets of Buddhism. This is a great option if you are looking for a really authentic Japanese experience. In my personal opinion I find this too bland to eat on a regular day to day basis so if you are living in Japan permanently this might not be a long-term solution.

Visit Vegan restaurants and cafes in Japan

If you’ve had your fill of vegan snacks in Japan and you’re looking for something a little bit more substantial, you might want to check out some of the vegan restaurants and cafes that Japan has to offer. Eating vegan in Tokyo is definitely more vegan-friendly than the rest of Japan. You’ll find areas that are popular with expats and tourists such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Minato are easier to locate vegan restaurants and cafes. 

If you’re outside of Tokyo, the best way to find anywhere that is safe to eat is through Happycow Japan. You can also hit one of the country’s fast food chains like Mos Burger or Coco Curry (Coco Ichibanya), which both have vegan options. Coco Curry’s CoCoICHI vegetarian curry and Vegetable Soup Curry as well as Mos Burger’s Green Burger and Variety Pack A (onion rings & fries) are my go-to options when travelling through Japan.

Being Vegan in Japan means You’ll Have to Cook Most Of your own food

If you’re living in Japan long term then learning how to navigate the supermarkets as a vegan is a must. Vegan products in Japan are hard to come by. However, supermarkets in Japan are stocked full of cheap, fresh fruit and vegetables. If you’re looking for pre-made vegan snacks in Japan or something like vegan chocolate in Japan, then the best option is to head to an international food store. Vegan stores in Tokyo don’t really exist, but international supermarkets like Nissin World Delicatessen and National Azabu (both located in Minato-ku, Tokyo) have a great selection of international brands of vegan meats, vegan chocolate, and vegan snacks.

If you’re outside of Tokyo, Alishan‘s Tengu Natural Foodstore and Amazon Japan are great ways to shop online and have vegan pantry items delivered to your door. Alishan Organics also has a store located in Saitama, and they deliver deli items either frozen or cold.