Tokyo Outings
Harajuku, Shibuya, Omotesando, Yebisu & Roppongi
Omotesando (表参道)
Brown Rice Cafe ($$, Macrobiotic, Organic, 🌱)
Mon-Fri:
11:30-17:00; Sat-Sun: 11:30-18:00 (last order one hour before closing).
One
minute’s walk from Omotesando Station,
Exit 1. Take the first left into a small alleyway, and it will be on your
right.
〒150-0001 東京都渋谷区神宮前5-1-8 1F
5-1-8 jingumae, Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0001
03-5778-5416
Delicious, healthy,
beautifully presented macrobiotic meals.
Moderately expensive, but excellent value given
the food, interior and location.
Restaurant 8ablish ($$, Fusion, 🌱)
Wed-Mon:
10:00-18:00.
Two
minutes’ walk from Omotesando Station, Exit B1.
Twenty minutes’ walk from Harajuku Station and the entrances to Yoyogi Park and
Meiji Jingu Shrine.
〒107-0062 東京都港区南青山5丁目10−17, 2F
5 Chome-10-17 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062
03-6805-0597
A pioneer of vegan
food in Tokyo. Pleasant vegan interior and great food. Open for dinner.
A little expensive for the portion sizes.
Olu Olu Café ($$, Hawaiian, 🌱)
Closed temporarily
(hopefully!). Please
check their Facebook or call before visiting (the friendly owners speak fluent
English).
12
minutes’ walk from Sangejaya Station
on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, two stops southwest of Shibuya Station. It’s also
on the Tokyu Setagaya Line.
〒154-0001 東京都世田谷区池尻1丁目11−1
1 Chome-11-1 Ikejiri, Setagaya, Tokyo 154-0001
03-3795-6060
(staff speak English).
Great Hawaiian food
at surprisingly low prices, served in a relaxed and welcoming store by vegan
hosts. A little bit off the tourist route, but well
worth the trip on the subway.
Shibuya (渋谷)
Nagi Shokudo ($$, Macrobiotic, 🌱)
Mon-Sat:
12:00-15:00, 18:00-22:00; Sun: 12:00-15:00.
Occasionally closes irregularly, but posts updates (in English) on their
Facebook page.
Five
minutes’ walk uphill from Shibuya
Station, South Exit. It can be very difficult to find without Google Maps.
〒150-0032東京都渋谷区鶯谷町15-10
15-10 Uguisudanicho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0032
Good, big, Japanese
meal for a reasonable price.
Crowded, run-down interior.
Izakaya Masaka ($$, Japanese, Pub, 🌱)
12:00-15:00,
17:00-22:00
Six
minutes’ walk northwest from Shibuya Station,
Exit A3b
Shibuya
Parco Building, B1 Floor food court.
(It’s difficult to find even within the food court, so I suggest showing the
Japanese name to someone and asking for help.)
〒150-0042 東京都渋谷区宇田川町15−1
15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042
Inexpensive; vegan
version of an izakaya (traditional Japanese pub).
Limited tables and often long waits to enter.
Kuumba Du Falafel ($$, Middle Eastern, 🌱)
Tue-Sat:
11:30-21:00; Sun: 11:30-19:00; closed Mon
Fifteen
minutes’ walk west (uphill) from Shibuya
Station, Exit 3
〒150-0045 東京都渋谷区神泉町23−1
ME Building.1F 23-1 Shinsen-chou, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0045
Large, inexpensive
meal sets with great falafel.
Long walk uphill; little seating in or near the
café; unfriendly staff.
Ebisu (恵比寿)
Hemp Café Tokyo ($$$, Raw, Hemp, 🌱)
Tue-Sun:
11:30-15:00, 18:00-22:00; closed Mon.
〒150-0011 東京都渋谷区東3-17-14-8F
3-17-14-8F, Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Japan 150-0011
Healthy food, with
the addition of Hemp.
Small, expensive portions (but reasonable value
for money).
Ko-So Café ($$, Western, Fusion, 🌱)
Thu-Tue:
11:00-20:30; closed Wednesday.
Three
minutes’ north of Ebisu Station, West Exit. Follow the road around to the right and under the overhead train tracks. Then
take the second left, and Ko-So is on the ground floor of the third building on
the right and is well-signposted in green (and in English).
(Ko-So is actually on the east side
of the train tracks, but due to the layout of the roads it’s faster to get
there from the West Exit).
〒150-0011, 東3-25-3 ライオンズプラザ恵比寿
3-25-3 Higashi | Lions Plaza Ebisu 1F, Shibuya 150-0011, Tokyo
Excellent value;
gluten free options.
Falafel Brothers Ebisu ($$, Falafel, 🌱)
Mon-Sat:
11:00-21:00; Sun: 11:30-16:00.
(Last order: 30 minutes before closing.)
Nine
minutes’ northeast of Ebisu Station,
East Exit.
Thirteen minutes’ walk north of
Yebisu Garden Place.
〒150-0012 東京都渋谷区広尾1丁目1−36 PASEO恵比寿 1F
〒150-0012
Tokyo, Shibuya City, Hiroo, 1 Chome−1−36 PASEO恵比寿 1F
Excellent value; wide
variety of dishes including gluten free options.
Naka-Meguro (恵比寿)
Ballon Tokyo ($$, Falafel, Ice Cream, 🌱)
11:30-18:00
(LO: 17:30)
Please check their Instagram (see below) for updates and irregular closing
times.
5
minutes’ walk from Nakameguro Station,
which is one stop southwest of Ebisu Station on the Hibiya Line and two stops south
of Shibuya Station on the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line which connects Tokyo and Yokohama.
〒153-0061 東京都目黒区中目黒3丁目2−19 ラミアール中目黒
〒153-0061
Tōkyō-to, Meguro City, Nakameguro, 3-chōme−2−19 Ramiaru, Nakameguro 153-0061
Roppongi (六本木)
Falafel Brothers Roppongi (ファラフェルブラザーズ, $, Takeout Only, 🌱)
Mon-Thu:
11:00-21:00; Fri, Sat: 11:00-22:00; Sun: 9:30-20:30.
Last food order: always 20:30.
3
minutes’ walk from Roppongi Station, Exit 5.
〒106-0032 東京都港区六本木5丁目1−11
1F, 5 Chome-1-11 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032
03-6459-2844
Great falafel and
other vegan options.
This is the original branch of Falafel Brothers (see other stores above). For many years they served top notch vegan falafel, mostly to foreigners out and about in Roppongi, from what was little more than a hole in the wall. But in October 2022 the store moved into a space next door and was re-named The Brothers Corner, although it’s currently still better known as Falafel Brothers. In this new store they have further expanded their menu to include vegan quiches, hot pressed sandwiches, and single slice pizza.
Akihabara (秋葉原), Ueno (上野) & Asakusa (浅草)
Komaki Shokudou Kamakura Fushikian ($$, Japanese, こまきしょくどう 鎌倉不識庵, 🌱)
11:00-20:00
Inside the Chabara Building (grocery store)
underneath the Yamanote Line tracks just north of Akihabara Station.
Walk out the main exit of JR Akihabara Station into
a large courtyard. On your right you should see the Yamanote Line tracks
running north-south, and steps leading up to a raised walkway to the left. Walk
north, just to the right of the raised (Yamanote Line) railway tracks, cross
one road, and the Chabara store will be on your right underneath the train
tracks.
〒101-0022
東京都千代田区神田練塀町8-2 CHABARA内
Chiyoda-ku, Neribeicho, 8-2 Kanda 101-0022
Happycow, Facebook, website (Japanese only)
Shojin-ryori
(Buddhist temple cuisine) is healthy, and not easy to find in central Tokyo.
Not as good as most shojin ryori served in
temples; expensive; rules about minimum purchases.
Taiwan Shokudo ($, Taiwanese, 🥛)
Temporarily closed; Please
call first or check their Facebook page before visiting.
Previous
hours: Mon-Sat: 11:00-22:30.
Three
minutes’ walk southwest (towards the river) of Ryōgoku Station on the JR
Chūō-Sōbu Line (from Akihabara Station).
Eleven minutes’ walk northeast (and across the river) from Higashi-Nihombashi
Station on the Asakusa Line (from Asakusa Station).
A pleasant half-hour walk south along (and across) the Sumida River.
〒130-0026 東京都墨田区両国1丁目14−6
1 Chome-14-6 Ryōgoku, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0026
Limited menu.
Ueno (上野)
Nezu no Ya ($$, Japanese, Macrobiotic, 🌱, 根津の谷)
11:30-16:30
(Last order: 15:30.)
Please check the calendar at the bottom of the website. Days that the
restaurant is open are shown in green (usually Tuesday, Friday and Saturday).
Ten
minutes’ walk north of Ueno Park (Bentendo Temple); fifteen minutes from
Starbucks in the centre of the park.
Beside
Nezu Station on the Chiyoda (subway) Line (from Tokyo Station).
〒113-0031 東京都 文京区根津1丁目1-14
1-1-14 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Tokyo’s best value macrobiotic
restaurant.
The attached organic shop sells animal products.
Vege Herb Saga ($$, Indian, ヴェジハーブサーガ, 🥛)
Tue-Sun:
11:00-14:30, 17:15-22:30; closed Mon.
Two
minutes’ walk southeast of Okachimachi Station, South Exit 2 (for the JR
Yamanote and Keihen/Tohoku lines) and one minute’s walk west of Naka-Okachimachi
Station, Exit 2 (for the Hibiya subway line).
〒110-0005 東京都台東区上野5丁目22-1 地下1階 東鈴ビル
5-22-1, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
03-5818-4154
Delicious, authentic
Indian food, including South Indian cuisine.
Hours
can be irregular; it sometimes closes for long periods of time when the staff
return to India. If closed, I recommend the nearby Veg Kitchen (see below).
Veg Kitchen ($$, Indian, ベジキッチン, 🥛)
11:00-14:30,
17:00-20:00
A
few minutes’ walk east of Naka-Okachimachi Station (for the Hibiya
subway line) and Okachimachi Station (for the JR Yamanote and Keihen/Tohoku
lines).
〒110-0016 東京都台東区台東3丁目44−8
3 Chome-44-8 Taito, Taitō, Tokyo 110-0016
03-5817-8165
Open every day.
Food is not as authentic (or, in my opinion, as good) as at Veggie Herb Saga.
![]() |
Momo are a Tibetan specialty, but here they come with an Indian twist. |
Asakusa (浅草)
PQ's ($, Fusion, 🌱)
10-15
minutes’ walk north of Asakusa Station (depending on which line) or
Senso-ji Temple.
4
Chome-38-7 Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo 111-0032
07-3154-8285
(staff speak English)
Great cause
supporting marginalised people.
But you don’t need to have any political background to appreciate their honest good food. PQ’s offers a set menu of pasta, curry and bagels, with meals starting from ¥1,000. They also serve good drinks, making this a great place to hang out after visiting Asakusa.
Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa ($$, Western, Fusion, 🌱, ササヤカフェ)
Wed, Sun: 11:30-17:00; Thu, Fri,
Sat: 11:30-15:00; closed Mon, Tue.
(These are reduced hours, and may have increased by the time you read this.)
Four
minutes’ walk north-east (along the river) from Asakusa Station, Exit 5.
〒111-0033 東京都台東区花川戸1丁目3−3
1 Chome-3-3 Hanakawado, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0033, Japan
Comfort food beside
Asakusa Station.
Small portions of expensive food.
Sasaya Café ($$, Japanese, Indian, Fusion, ササヤカフェ, 🌱)
Wed-Mon: 8:30-18:00; closed Tue.
Fifteen
minutes’ walk from the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Skytree Station, Kinshicho Station,
Honjo-Azumabashi Station and Oshiage Station.
〒130-0003, 1丁目-1-10 横川 墨田区 東京都
1-1-10 Yokokawa, Sumida, Tokyo
Great
Japanese/Indian/Western fusion food.
Close to Skytree and Asakusa.
Tempeh curry set. |
Sasaya is one of Tokyo’s best cafes: It serves delicious, large meals, with hearty sets going for around ¥1,000-¥1,500. Like Gopinatha, it serves Indian-inspired dishes with a Japanese twist. I recommend Sasaya’s Tempeh cutlets and South Indian sambar (shown in the photo above); the two complement each other surprisingly well. Its interior is warm and spacious, and it overlooks a small park which follows a stream almost all the way to the Tokyo Skytree. If you don’t take my advice to go up Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building instead of the Skytree, then I recommend coming here while you wait for your turn to queue up, or (if you get the Fast Ticket) any time before or after your visit there.
But it’s worth considering coming here even if you don’t go to the Skytree, especially if you have PC work (or reading) to get done, as it’s only one stop on the Asakusa Line (¥180) and a pleasant ten-minute walk from Asakusa Station. Despite being so close to the Skytree, most of Sasaya’s clientele are local Japanese, many of whom come to bring their children to the park outside. The menu is vegan, but the attached shop sells honey.
Ginza & Chiyoda
Ginza (銀座)
Komeda Is ($$, Western, Coffee Shop, 🌱)
Three
minutes’ walk southeast of Higashi-ginza Station on the Toei Asakusa and Hibiya
(subway) Lines.
Seven minutes’ walk southeast of Ginza Station on the Ginza and Marunouchi
(subway) Lines.
〒104-0045 東京都中央区築地1丁目13-1
4 Chome-12-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061
Instagram, Happycow, Website (Japanese only)
Fully vegan coffee
shop.
Large, inexpensive meals in Ginza.
Unhealthy.
There’s nothing
special about a sandwich, salad and fries, but there is something special about
a fully vegan coffee shop in Ginza that sells it for ¥1,300. |
Ain Soph Ginza ($$, Japanese, 🌱)
Wed-Sat:
11:30-20:00; Sun, Mon: 11:30-17:00; closed Tue.
Reservations are strongly recommended.
Beside
Higashi-Ginza Station, Exit A7 on the Hibiya (subway) Line and the Toei
Asakusa (subway) Line.
Seven minutes’ walk from Ginza Station and the Ginza shopping district.
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座4丁目12-1
4 Chome-12-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061
One of Tokyo’s best
Japanese meals.
Great price given the location.
Despite that, it’s still expensive. Welcome to
Ginza.
![]() |
At ¥3,400, Ain Soph
isn’t the cheapest meal around, but it’s excellent value for such quality food
in Tokyo’s most famous shopping district. |
Chiyoda (千代田)
Food Inside Tokyo Station
T’s Tantan ($, Japanese Noodles, T's たんたん 東京駅京葉ストリート店, 🌱)
10:00-22:00
Before
the border closures T’s was also open for breakfast, and hopefully it will be
again soon.
Located
along Keiyo Food (underground) “Street”, inside the Japan Rail ticket gates of Tokyo
Station, but not inside the shinkansen ticket gates. If arriving by subway,
it’s necessary to leave the subway system and enter the JR (Japan Railway) system
by any one of its ticket gates (which is free with a Japan Rail Pass). If you
arrive by shinkansen (the high-speed train) then leave the shinkansen gates but
not the final JR gates.
From
within the JR ticket gates, follow signs to the Keio Line, and then to the Keio
(underground) “Street”. Walk down Keio Street almost to the end. Starbucks will
be on your left. T’s Tantan is well signposted (in green) on your right,
shortly after Starbucks, just before the end of the ‘street’. There is usually
a long queue, but it moves fast.
If
you don’t have a rail pass or a JR ticket, you’ll need to either buy a platform
ticket (¥140, valid for two hours and available from the counter) or use your
Pasmo/Suica card at the automated ticket gates.
Facebook, Happycow, Website (some English)
directions
(probably won’t work inside Tokyo Station without GPS)
Great Japanese food,
inexpensive, with fast and efficient service.
Tokyo’s most famous vegan restaurant, popular even among non-vegetarians.
Inexpensive take-outs available.
This is fast food, so it’s important to
eat and move on reasonably quickly.
2Foods ($, Japanese, Western, Donuts, 🌱)
11:00-20:00
Yaesu
Underground Shopping Street/Mall (also called Yaechika Shopping Mall/Street),
B1
Follow
signs to the Yaesu North Entrance (of Tokyo Station). 2foods is on the right
just before the ticket gates (or the left if coming out from the ticket gates).
directions
(probably won’t work inside Tokyo Station without GPS)
Surprisingly
realistic versions of traditional Japanese and Western animal-based foods.
They might be too realistic.
Loving Hut Japan ($, Japanese, Taiwanese, 🌱, ラビングハット)
Fri-Sat:
11:00-18:00
Five minutes’ walk from Jimbocho Station
(Toei Shinjuku Line, Toei Mita Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzomo Line), Exit 5.
Twenty minutes’walk from Yasakuni Shrine, or one stop on the Shinjuku Line (Kudanshita
Station to Jimbocho Station).
〒101-0051 東京都千代田区 神田神保町1丁目54 岡田ビル 2F
Okada Bldg 2F, 1-54, Kandajinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0051
03-5577-6880
(Staff speak Japanese, English and Chinese.)
Great-value all-vegan
buffet (currently not available).
Currently only open two days a week.
![]() |
The Saturday buffet is Japan's only regular vegan buffet, and the best-value buffet meal in the country. Unfortunately, it is suspended due to the State of Emergency. |
Shinjuku, Nakano & Koenji
Shinjuku is the home of the sarariiman (salaryman, or male office workers), although the Japanese business world is now slowly becoming more open to women. Nakano is home to Japan's largest mall selling manga (comic book) and other related paraphernalia, and also the city's best Japanese-Indian food and its only vegan pub. Koenji is the home of the underground music and cultural scene, and features a lot of used clothing stores. All have some good vegan restaurants.Shinjuku (新宿)
Ain Soph Journey ($$, Western, Fusion, 🌱)
Mon-Fri:
11:30-16:00, 18:00-21:00; Sat, Sun & holidays: 11:30-17:00; 18:00-21:00.
Last order is always one hour before closing.
Beside Shinjuku-sanchome Station, Exit C5, one stop from
Shinjuku Station on the JR Shinjuku Line or the Marunouchi (subway) Line.
If coming from elsewhere it’s also on the Fukutoshin (subway) Line.
〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿3丁目8−9 新宿Qビル1F
Shinjuku Sanchome, 8-9 Shinjuku Q Building, 1F
Happycow,
Website, (mostly
Japanese), Instagram
Excellent healthy
food.
Reliable hours.
Mon-Fri:
11:30-16:00, 18:00-21:00; Sat, Sun & holidays: 11:30-17:00; 18:00-21:00.
Last order is always one hour before closing.
Beside Shinjuku-sanchome Station, Exit C5, one stop from
Shinjuku Station on the JR Shinjuku Line or the Marunouchi (subway) Line.
If coming from elsewhere it’s also on the Fukutoshin (subway) Line.
〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿3丁目8−9 新宿Qビル1F
Shinjuku Sanchome, 8-9 Shinjuku Q Building, 1F
Happycow,
Website, (mostly
Japanese), Instagram
Excellent healthy
food.
Reliable hours.
SOJO Esperanto-Vegana Kafejo ($, Fusion, 🌱)
Wed-Fri
17:00-21:00; Sat-Sun: 15:00-21:00; closed Mon-Tue.
Five
minutes’ walk north of Waseda Station,
Exit 1 on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
From Shinjuku, take the JR Yamanote (loop) Line or JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line or
Saikyo Line north to Takadanobaba Station, and then change to the Tozai
(subway) Line east towards NishFunabashi. Waseda Station is the first stop.
111
Wasedatsurumakicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0041
03-6302-1639
(owner speaks English and Japanese if you can’t speak the preferred Esperanto)
Japan
Today newspaper article.
Hearty, inexpensive
meal sets.
A chance to learn about Esperanto from a friendly, multi-lingual owner.
A short trip on the subway from Shinjuku’s
attractions, but well worth the trip.
Nakano (中野)
This small ward, officially called Nakano City in English, is famous for its manga centre (below) but is also worth visiting for a cluster of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, especially since it’s so easily accessible from Shinjuku.Gopinatha ($, Vegetarian, Indian/Japanese Fusion, 🥛 , やさい食堂 ゴピナータ)
Wed-Sun:
12:10-14:30, 18:00-20:00; closed Mon-Tue.
Five
minutes’ walk east of Nakano Station,
a few small blocks north of the railway line. Take the North Exit, and then use Google Maps (directions link below) as
it’s located in a small alleyway and somewhat difficult to find otherwise.
〒164-0001 東京都中野区中野5丁目17−10
Nakano 5-Chome, 17-10
Excellent value meal
sets, including both Indian and Japanese fusion food.
Difficult to find without Google Maps.

Gopinatha serves Japan’s best Japanese Indian fusion food. This is no easy feat, because Indian cuisine is based on aromatic spices, while the elegance of Japanese cooking lies in its simplicity, and how its delicate preparation brings out natural flavours. While fans of authentic Indian food may be more satisfied at Veggie Herb Saga (or the neighbouring Veg Kitchen) in Ueno, fans of Japanese and Indian food are likely to enjoy Gopinathas more, as the talented chef here somehow captures the essence of both cuisines. I especially like their Pakoras and the aromatic tomato sauce which comes with them. It’s also great value, with satisfying set meals starting at around ¥1,000.
Sasaya Café (in Asakusa, near the Tokyo Skytree) also serves great Indian Japanese fusion food. Overall Gopinatha’s menu is more Indian and Sasaya’s is more Japanese, but both are very good.
Korinbo ($, Taiwanese, 🥚, やさい食堂 ゴピナータ)
Mon-Sat
11:30-14:30, 17:00-20:00; closed Sun.
Inside
Nakano Broadway shopping mall (see above), five minutes’ walk from Nakano Station on the JR Chuo Line from
Shinjuku Station or Tokyo Station.
Take
the North Exit of Nakano Station and follow these directions to Nakano Broadway
(above): Walk north through the courtyard (along a covered walkway) to the narrow,
busy Nakano Sun Mall. Walk north through Nakano Sun Mall for 230 metres and you
will reach the entrance to the Nakano Broadway mall. Then walk through the mall
until the far (north) end, and take the stairs
to the second floor (not the escalator, which goes straight to the third floor).
Korinbo is there in the north-west corner, with a large sign above in Japanese
and a small sign by the door which reads ‘Korinbo’ in English. It can be a little
difficult to find; on the second floor show the Japanese name (above) to any
staff and they will point you in the right direction.
〒164-0001 Tōkyō-to, Nakano City, Nakano, 5-chōme−52−15 中野ブロードウェイ 2F
Nakano Broadway, 2F, 5-52-15
directions (but
GPS probably won’t work inside the mall)
Excellent value,
authentic, friendly owner.
Oriental vegetarian (no onion or garlic).
The food is simple (but good).
Update
this restaurant (or tell me if it was hard to find or suggest clearer
directions).
Koenji (高円寺)
Koenji is the centre of Japan’s alternative (underground) culture and is home to many live houses (pubs which host live bands) and used clothing and record stores, mostly on the south side of Koenji Station. Despite being so close to the hub of Shinjuku, Koenji escaped most of building boom during the 1980s bubble, so it preserves an older Tokyo vibe, with smaller houses and restaurants, in stark contrast to the usual skyscrapers which dominate Shinjuku (and almost everywhere else in Tokyo). This led to cheaper rents, which encouraged artists and musicians, who over the decades have given Koenji its unique character.Meu Nota ($, Macrobiotic, Fusion, 🌱)
Wed-Sat:
12:00-15:30 (last order: 14:30), 17:30-22:30 (last order: 21:30);
Sun: 12:00-17:00; closed Mon-Tue.
Please check this calendar on their
website for monthly opening hours. They also occasionally post irregular
closing times to their Facebook page.
Last order: half an hour before closing time.
Five
minutes’ walk from Kōenji Station, South Exit.
〒166-0003 東京都杉並区高円寺南3丁目45−11
Koenji South 3-Chome, 45-11
03-5929-9422
Variety of delicious
vegan fusion cuisine in a cosy atmosphere.
Reservations required for dinner.
Key
Price
$ = inexpensive (< ¥1,000)
$$ = midrange (¥1,000-¥2,000)
$$$ = expensive (>¥5,000)
Veg Status
For practical reasons I categorise restaurants by the ‘worst’ ingredients used.🌱 = fully vegan restaurant.
🥛 = uses dairy, but not egg or meat.
General Advice for Being Vegan in Tokyo
Use HappyCow
HappyCow (Android App) is great for finding nearby restaurants. I recommend keeping it set to vegan, as these restaurants are generally the best (even for vegetarians or inspiring vegetarians). As a nation Japanese are probably the most honest in the world, and it's rare to find vegan restaurants serving animal products, but of course it's always a good idea to keep an idea out for animal ingredients, especially fish products, because occasionally foreign travellers misunderstand that a restaurant is vegan (especially tofu and/or vegetable-based restaurants) and then add them to HappyCow.However, I suggest two cautions with HappyCow. Firstly, take reviews with a grain of salt. In Japan standards of food (and everything) are very high, and portions are very small. So almost every restaurant has had a few foreign diners turn up hungry having just arrived in Japan -- or having been travelling rural Japan where there are no vegan restaurants) and be so delighted with their meal that they consider it the best of their life, go back to their room and write it a glowing review. Likewise, many restaurants have had a foreign tourist horrified by the 'Japanese' (small) size of the meal and go and write a bitter review on how they spent ¥2,000 on what was like a snack.
HappyCow is much more useful in Tokyo than in Kyoto. Here's why: in Tokyo most restaurants serve either macrobiotic food, falafel, or Indian food, and while I have a few favourites (like Vege Herb Saga and the Loving Hut) there are few-standouts, while Tokyo's tourist attractions are very widely spread out, so I suggest planning your day around attractions and eating at whatever restaurants you can find nearby on HappyCow.
Kyoto, by comparison, has a huge range of vegan restaurants, from 'cheap & cheerful' tourist traps to high-end shojin ryori (vegan Buddhist) cuisine. Also, the city is much smaller, so with careful planning (which I do for my readers in my guidebook) it's possible to go visit your chosen tourist attractions (which are mostly on a few well-trodden temple hopping paths) and restaurants, wherever you decide to eat. It's therefore very important to choose your Kyoto restaurants carefully. While HappyCow is certainly invaluable, the downside is that most reviews are written by people who are not familiar with Japanese cuisine and only dine at a small number of restaurants, so comparing restaurants by their HappyCow reviews can be misleading.