Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Tokyo

Why it is harder than it looks

Much Japanese cooking is built on dashi, a stock that gives dishes their savoury depth, and it is often made from fish such as dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi). GO TOKYO, the city's official travel guide, warns that dishes which look free of meat and fish may still contain dashi made from bonito or other fish, meat extracts or gelatin, and that animal ingredients can also turn up in seasonings and emulsifiers.

Japan's national tourism organisation, JNTO, also points out that the word "vegetarian" is understood more loosely in Japan than in many other countries. Asking for a vegetarian meal may not be enough: a kitchen may leave out the meat but keep the stock.

How to ask

Be specific about what you cannot eat. JNTO suggests saying that you eat no meat, no seafood and no animal products, including dashi and stocks, and making clear that "no meat" also means no chicken, pork or fish if the staff seem unsure. Niku to sakana wa taberaremasen means "I cannot eat meat or fish"; dashi mo dame desu adds "and no fish stock either".

A card written in Japanese that explains your diet is easier for busy staff than a conversation, and a translation app helps with menus. If you are booking a set meal, tell the restaurant about your diet when you book, not when you arrive. Photo menus help you choose, but a photo will not tell you what the stock is made of.

Shojin ryori

Shojin ryori is the cooking of Zen Buddhist temples, based on tofu and other soy foods and seasonal vegetables. JNTO says it is traditionally vegan and leaves out strong flavours such as garlic and onion, but that dairy is occasionally used, so check ahead. JNTO says it is found mainly at Buddhist temples; in Tokyo, a small number of specialist restaurants also serve it. It is one of the few Japanese meals designed from the start without meat or fish.

Ramen, sushi and izakaya

Ramen is the hardest. GO TOKYO notes that Japanese versions of dishes such as ramen and curry usually contain meat or fish, which is why vegan restaurants make their own versions with vegetables and seaweed. If you want vegetarian ramen, look for a shop that says clearly that its broth is made without animal ingredients; our ramen guide explains the main broths. Gyoza, the dumplings served at many ramen shops, are described by GO TOKYO as dumplings of ground pork and vegetables, so check before you order them.

Sushi can work if you choose carefully. JNTO lists cucumber rolls (kappa maki) and pickled daikon rolls (takuan maki) as options, but sauces and seasonings may contain animal ingredients, as GO TOKYO warns, so ask. At an izakaya, the many small dishes give you more to choose from, such as tofu, pickled vegetables (tsukemono), grilled aubergine with miso (nasu dengaku) and vegetable tempura, all of which appear on JNTO's list. If you are vegan, ask whether the tempura batter contains egg. The small dish served when you sit down, otoshi, may not be vegetarian; ask about it too.

Soba needs a question every time. GO TOKYO notes that the dipping sauce for soba is often made with bonito, although some soba restaurants make a kelp-based version for vegetarian and vegan guests. Miso soup is usually made with dashi.

Convenience stores and supermarkets

Convenience stores are useful when you need something quick. JNTO suggests rice balls (onigiri) filled with pickled plum (umeboshi) or kelp (kombu), packaged beans, edamame, simple salads and inarizushi, rice in a pocket of fried tofu. Many rice balls are filled with fish, so check the label or the picture on the wrapper.

Natto, fermented soybeans, comes in ready-to-eat packs, but JNTO warns that the sauce sachet that comes with it often contains fish stock. JNTO also suggests carrying your own soy sauce, so you can add flavour to plain food without fish-based sauces.

Packaged food in Japan must say on the label whether it contains certain major allergens. According to the Consumer Affairs Agency, the list covers prawn (えび), cashew nut (カシューナッツ), crab (かに), walnut (くるみ), wheat (小麦), buckwheat (そば), egg (卵), milk (乳) and peanut (落花生); cashew nut was added in April 2026, but food made before the end of March 2028 may still be labelled under the old rules, according to Kumamoto City's guidance on the change, so a missing cashew warning is not proof that there is none. Egg (卵) and milk (乳) are the two words for vegans to look for. The rule covers packaged food only: dishes made and served in a restaurant are not labelled in the same way, so ask, and show a written card for a serious allergy.

Where to look

Some restaurants display a vegan or vegetarian certification sticker. JNTO names three organisations that issue them: the Japan Vegan Society, VegeProject Japan and the Japan Vegetarian Association. The Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau publishes the TOKYO Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant Guide, in English and Japanese, which GO TOKYO recommends for the latest information.

If you also eat halal, our guide to halal food in Tokyo covers certification and the ingredients to watch for.