Vegetarian travel here takes a little planning. Where to find food you can actually eat.
Traditional Japanese cooking uses dashi (fish stock) almost everywhere, so "vegetable" dishes are often not vegetarian. It is very doable with a plan.
Reliable options
- Indian & Nepali restaurants are in every city and most towns — look for lunch thali sets around ¥900–¥1,200. Ask for no ghee / no cream if vegan; most will adjust.
- Shojin ryori — Buddhist temple cuisine, fully plant-based, refined and beautiful. Found near major temple areas (Koyasan, parts of Kyoto).
- Indian, Nepalese, Turkish and Middle-Eastern places for halal and vegetarian.
- T's Tantan (in Tokyo and Kyoto stations) — excellent vegan ramen, fast.
- Ramen chains increasingly have a vegan bowl; CoCo Ichibanya curry has a veggie sauce at many branches.
- Supermarkets: tofu, natto, edamame, inari sushi, plain onigiri (check filling), fruit.
Useful phrases
- Bejitarian desu — "I'm vegetarian."
- Niku, sakana, dashi nashi de onegaishimasu — "Without meat, fish or dashi, please."
- Apps: Happy Cow for maps of veg-friendly places.
Tell us before your tour and we will build meal stops around it.