Vegan food in Japan remains difficult to find for international travellers who do not speak Japanese unless they just go to supermarkets or stay in hubs such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. However, high-quality vegan food is incredibly accessible with the right information, placing bilingual residents at a significant advantage. As a vegan tourism professional (gourmet?) favouring a plant-based lifestyle in general, I became familiar with many vegan restaurants & dishes over the years.
Vegan Restaurants
I ate vegan food in Japan at tens of vegan & vegan-friendly restaurants during my free time, while guiding vegan tours, or while doing consulting for the Japanese government. Unfortunately, many restaurants closed or gave up vegan options on their menus during the covid-19 pandemic. I’ve started sharing vegan meals on BlueSky (@SebastienPlus) so I encourage you to check my posts there.
Tokyo Metropolis
- Mount Takao: Takao Veg Stand
- Tokyo Station & Imperial Gardens: Mr. Farmer Tokyo Midtown Hibiya
Vegan Dishes
I tried tens of vegan starters, main courses and desserts in Japan. Japanese chefs provide both Japanese-style vegan food (e.g. sushi, karaage) and more international vegan/veganized dishes e.g. mushroom sandwich, chili beans.
Somen Thin Noodles
Somen thin noodles served cold and dipped in sauce are ideal for vegan home cooking in summer 🍜 So refreshing! Usually white, colourful packs are also sold, notably created by mixing kabocha, carrot, tomato, or spinach with wheat and vegetable oil before stretching & drying in the air… You’d love them!