Tokyo dining, your way
We hunt down Tokyo’s most worthwhile tables — a hushed ten-seat Edomae sushi counter, a vegan ramen that fools carnivores, charcoal wagyu that melts on the tongue — taste them ourselves, and bring back the verdict: real links to book, an honest word on what you can eat, and the story behind every bowl.
Vegan, vegetarian, halal, gluten-free or pescatarian — tap your diet and see every place we’ve confirmed.
Plant-based & planet-friendly
Eating plant-based in Japan, made joyful: where to eat, what to buy, the festivals to find your people — and a warm look at the good your choices do for the planet.
Explore Vegan JapanPhrasebook
Pick your diet and hold your phone up to the staff. The exact Japanese to say what you can’t eat — plus the hidden traps (dashi, mirin, wheat in the soy) that catch first-timers.
Show this to staffThe places our editors are sending friends to right now.
Vegan kara-age (plant-based 'fried chicken') and vegan gyoza
A fully plant-based izakaya in the basement of Shibuya PARCO serving vegan 'fried chicken', gyoza and lemon sours, with no meat, fish, eggs, dairy or honey, so the fish-dashi trap does not apply. It is not gluten-free, as the mock-meat batters and soy sauce contain wheat.
Plant-based nigiri and sushi sets using vegetable alternatives to fish
A sit-down plant-based sushi restaurant in Shoto (near Shibuya) where every piece is made without seafood or animal products, so there is no fish dashi to worry about. It is not gluten-free (soy sauce and some components contain wheat); reservations are recommended and the venue opened its permanent location in late 2025.
Falafel pita sandwich with hummus
Fully plant-based, build-your-own falafel pitas and hummus bowls inside Shibuya PARCO — a fast, affordable vegan refuel between the neighbourhood's shopping and nightlife.
Good news
So much of Japan's everyday food is plant-based by nature. A joyful list of things that are usually vegan — plus the one or two quick checks that keep it stress-free.
Before you fly
Five calm steps that turn 'will I be able to eat?' into excitement — phrases, apps, the one trap to learn, and how to plan a trip you'll love.
The basics
A clear, kind explainer of what each word means, how they differ in Japan, and why the whole spectrum is something to feel good about.
Can I eat it?
Short answer: most ramen isn't vegan — but Japan now has wonderful vegan ramen, and knowing one phrase changes everything.
Thrive
A well-planned vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian diet is healthful at every life stage — say the dietitians. The few nutrients worth planning (yes, B12), and why Japan is one of the easiest places to thrive.
Connection
Family dinners, sceptical friends, the well-meant 'where do you get your protein?'. Calm, evidence-based ways to lower friction, keep relationships warm, and grow like-minded people worldwide — by attraction, not argument.
