Dietary guide
Is miso soup vegan or vegetarian in Japan?
The short answer
Miso soup looks like the safest thing on the table, but in Japan it is usually neither vegan nor vegetarian. The reason is the broth: nearly all everyday miso soup is built on dashi made from katsuobushi (bonito) and sometimes niboshi (sardines). The soybean miso paste, the tofu, the wakame seaweed and the spring onion are all plant-based — it is the fish stock underneath that crosses the line. See is dashi vegan? for the full picture.
The hidden traps
Even "instant" miso has fish in it: convenience-store sachets and "dashi-iri" (dashi-blended) miso paste contain bonito or sardine extract. A topping of katsuobushi flakes can also land on the tofu. None of this is visible in the finished bowl, which is exactly why it surprises visitors.
How to get a plant-based bowl
The good news: a properly vegan miso soup is easy to make and increasingly easy to order. Shops that follow shojin ryori (Buddhist temple cooking) and dedicated vegan kitchens use kombu (kelp) or shiitake dashi, so the soup is 100% plant-based. Macrobiotic and organic cafes almost always do too. If you keep vegetarian rather than strict vegan, the same kelp-dashi bowls work for you.
What to say
Ask: "Kombu dashi no miso shiru wa arimasu ka?" — is there a kelp-stock miso soup? Recipes vary by kitchen, so when it matters, confirm with the staff before ordering; a quick question is always welcome.
我们已确认的餐厅
Komaki Shokudo
口福套餐——九款时令纯素小菜配米饭与味噌汤
由镰仓寺院法脉经营的平价纯素食堂，藏身秋叶原铁道高架桥下，连蒜与葱也遵循正统精进料理而不用。
- 素食
- 纯素
- 一人用餐
- 休闲
Brown Rice by Neal's Yard Remedies
时令糙米套餐（一汤三菜）与蒸蔬菜
表参道站附近由Neal's Yard Remedies经营的有机植物为主日式食堂，2003年起营业，供应时令糙米套餐（一汤三菜）与蒸蔬菜拼盘。
- 素食
- 纯素
- 休闲
- 一人用餐
Sougo
时令精进怀石，搭配清酒与葡萄酒，每三周更新
六本木一家精致的精进料理餐厅，由曾任职米其林二星“醍醐”的主厨野村大辅掌勺，将植物禅食与精选清酒及葡萄酒相配。
- 素食
- 纯素
- 纪念日
- 商务
- 约会
FAQ
- Is the miso paste itself vegan?
- Plain miso (soybeans, koji, salt) is vegan. But 'dashi-iri' miso has fish stock blended in, so read the label or ask.
- Is the miso soup at a sushi restaurant vegetarian?
- Usually no — it is typically made with bonito dashi, and the variant served with fish trimmings (ara-jiru) certainly is not. Ask for a kelp-dashi version.