Good news
Accidentally vegan in Japan: foods you can enjoy without overthinking
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.
Guides
Japanese food & dining guides
Sit with us a while. How to eat sushi and ramen with confidence, the quiet customs of the table, the seasons on a Japanese plate — the context that turns a good meal into a memorable one.
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.
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.
Connection
Plant-based without conflict — kindness at the dinner table, and how we grow
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.
Empathy
The heart behind plant-based eating — who we really are
The 'preachy vegan' stereotype hides a gentler truth. What research says about the values, empathy and quiet kindness behind plant-based eating — and why you never have to prove yourself.
Understanding
Why people go vegan, vegetarian & pescatarian — the real reasons, kindly
Most people choose plant-based eating for several reasons at once — animals, health, the planet, faith, taste. Here's what the research actually shows, why the spectrum is a strength, and why you belong.
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.
Gluten-free Tokyo · Asakusa
Gluten-free restaurants in Asakusa: tempura, vegan dining and what to confirm
Eating gluten-free in old Tokyo is more possible than you would expect — Asakusa has a fully gluten-free tempura counter (fried in rice flour) and an all-vegan, all-gluten-free kitchen, plus naturally safer choices. Here is where to eat, and the cross-contact question to ask.
Vegan Tokyo · Asakusa
Vegan restaurants in Asakusa: plant-based eating around Senso-ji
Old Tokyo is surprisingly easy for plant-based diners — Asakusa has fully vegan kitchens, a 300-year-old temple-cuisine house, and sweets shops a vegetarian can trust, all within walking distance of Senso-ji.
Vegan Tokyo · Shibuya
Vegan ramen in Shibuya: bowls with no fish dashi at all
Vegan ramen in Shibuya is real, not an afterthought — fully plant-based bowls where the broth is built from kombu, shiitake and sesame, with no katsuobushi or pork. Here is where to slurp, and the one question that catches travellers out.
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.
Editor's picks
The best vegan ramen in Tokyo: bowls with no fish dashi at all
Most ramen is built on pork and bonito — these Tokyo shops are 100% plant-based, with kombu, shiitake and sesame doing the heavy lifting. No fish dashi, no compromise.
City guide
First time eating in Kyoto: a calm, plant-friendly city
Kyoto is Japan's most naturally vegetarian-friendly city — temple cuisine, tofu kaiseki, soy-milk ramen and certified halal, all in a slower, gentler place than Tokyo.
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.