Before you fly
Before you fly: the vegan traveller's Japan prep guide
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.
Dietary guides
Hand-gathered by our editors — stories, guides and the dishes worth seeking out.
13 places
Guides
The basics
Vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian? The difference — and why all are good
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?
Is ramen vegan in Japan? The honest answer (and where it is)
Short answer: most ramen isn't vegan — but Japan now has wonderful vegan ramen, and knowing one phrase changes everything.
Thrive
Thriving plant-based — staying healthy and confident, with Japan's soy advantage
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.
Dietary guide
Is udon vegan? What's really in the noodles and broth
The noodles are vegan — udon is just wheat flour, water and salt — but the dish usually is not. Standard udon broth (tsuyu) is made with bonito dashi and finished with soy sauce and mirin, and toppings like tempura, fish cake and egg add more. Vegan udon with kelp-shiitake broth exists at plant-based shops.
Dietary guide
Is miso soup vegan or vegetarian in Japan?
Usually not. Miso paste itself is plant-based, but almost all miso soup in Japan is made with bonito-and-sardine dashi, so the standard bowl is neither vegan nor vegetarian. Versions made with kombu (kelp) or shiitake dashi — common at temple and vegan restaurants — are fully plant-based.
Dietary guide
Is dashi vegan? Japan's foundational stock, explained
Most dashi is not vegan. The everyday Japanese stock is built on katsuobushi (dried bonito) and niboshi (dried sardines), so it carries fish even when a dish looks plant-based. The vegan exceptions are kombu (kelp) and dried-shiitake dashi — the base of Buddhist shojin cooking and of modern vegan ramen.
Trend
Tokyo's vegan ramen boom in 2026: real bowls, not afterthoughts
Plant-based dining in Tokyo has roughly doubled since 2019, and vegan ramen is the clearest sign — dedicated shops building deep umami from mushrooms, kombu and miso rather than meat. Here's what's driving it, and the bowls worth crossing town for.
Dietary guide
Can vegetarians and vegans eat well in Nara?
Yes — Nara is quietly one of Japan's easier cities for plant-based eating, but its famous specialty is fish, and bonito dashi still hides everywhere. Here is how to eat well, and the one shop to trust.
Dietary guide
Pescatarian Tokyo: the easiest city in the world to eat fish-first
If you eat seafood but not meat, Tokyo is paradise. Sushi, sashimi, grilled fish and seafood bowls are everywhere — here's how to order with confidence, plus the hidden meat to watch for.
Dietary guide
Vegan sweets & cafes in Tokyo
Fluffy egg-free pancakes, plant-based puddings and the world's richest matcha gelato — dessert without compromise.
Dietary guide
Shojin ryori: Japan's original vegetarian cuisine
Buddhist temple food was vegan centuries before the word existed. Meet shojin ryori — and the Tokyo tables that keep it alive.
Dietary guide
Vegan & vegetarian Tokyo: the complete guide
Tokyo is far easier than its reputation — if you know about dashi. Where to eat, what to watch for, and the phrases that help.