Outing: Hakone

A popular day-trip from Tokyo is Hakone, a small town about two hours from Tokyo. While it's famous for its beautiful views of Mount Fuji (when it's not shrouded in cloud) and geothermal activity - including a region unsafe for asthmatics due to the sulphur content of the air - Hakone's novel attraction is the possibility of riding five modes of transport: a (somewhat tacky) pirate ship across a beautiful lake, a gondola, a cable car, a switchback train and an ordinary train.

Hakone is famous for its views of Mount Fuji.

Aside from the different forms of transport, passengers can get off the gondola half way down (or up) and walk through a geothermal area high in sulpherous gases. Unfortunately the main attraction is considered to be black eggs cooked in the sulpherous water.

Owakudani (Great Boiling Valley) is not for the asthmatic.

There is plenty of information around about Hakone, however on my first visit my only meal of the day included a small bowl of fried rice with soy sauce and a few frozen vegetables, and even then only thanks to a kind-hearted foreigner who translated my strange needs to the bewildered staff of a tiny restaurant. However, second time around, my parents and I found this charming sushi jaunt run by a very helpful couple who understood quickly what we ate and didn't.

Hakone's only vegan meal can be found here, just before the Open Air Museum.

There are four types of vegan sushi available: cucumber and two root vegetables, and inari sushi (deep fried tofu pockets). The first three come in a set. These trays are great value at between 500 and 800 Yen each.

The sushi bar is located just outside Chukoku-no-mori station on the Hakone Tozan line (the switchback train). It's just outside the station on the way to the Open Air Museum. It's open from 9AM to 8PM, and is closed on Thursdays. Beware that the Open Air Museum closes at 5PM with the last admissions at 4:30, so if you've done the circuit starting with the pirate ship and intend to visit the museum, it might be best to visit the museum first, and have dinner here before making your way back to Tokyo. Alternatively, if you go around anti-clockwise, it might make a good lunch spot. Generally which way around one goes is worked out by when the odds are best from seeing Mt Fuji, and whether one wants to see it from the lake or the mountains (while on the gondola and at the geothermal area).

After a long day exploring Hakone, this fresh, delicious sushi is just what is needed.

These dishes are all common sushi dishes which can be found all over Japan, particularly at kaiten sushi (conveyor belt) restaurants and often even at grocery stores and even convenience stores. While visiting Japan one should try eating these, though they may sometimes be all you can find, especially in more remote areas, however what makes these worth blogging about is that they are, as far as I can tell, the only vegan food in Hakone.

Being regarded as a top tourist attraction from Tokyo, and a fun day out (or overnighter), it seems worth mentioning on this blog where vegan food can be found, however beware that Hakone can get very crowded, especially during the weekend, and can feel very 'packaged', particularly on the transport circuit. So Hakone may not be for everyone. If you do go I recommend spending at least a couple of days there, preferably not on a weekend (or popular holiday period) and spending one day off the tourist route exploring the area on foot. I enjoyed walking the Old Hakone Highway.

Outing: Kamakura

Kamakura is a charming seaside little town about an hour from Tokyo, famous for its beach and temples. It was the de facto capital of Japan during the Kamakura Period from 1185 to 1333, during which time Japan was ruled by the Kamakura Shoganate and the famous samurai class emerged. Kamakura is a popular day or overnight trip from Tokyo.

The 750-year-old Daibutsu (big Buddha) is Kamakura's icon.

The temples are beautiful, and there are some nice walks around the place.

The Daibutsu Hiking Path is a beautiful escape from the city. It takes about an hour from  Jochi-ji Temple to the Daibutsu. 

 It's also possible to cycle to Kamakura from Tokyo (or Yokohama) but there isn't a good route, so expect lots of traffic.

For a few weeks during the summer vacation period the beaches really comes alive, with locker, changing and shower facilities being erected on the sand, and crowds flocking to swim, sunbathe and just enjoy the beach environment.

beach facilities being constructed in late June

Yuigahama Beach
Yuigahama is the easiest beach to reach, being a short ride on the tram (Enoden / electric railway) from Kamakura station. The beach also becomes a real party-zone, with beach-side bars and dance floors if that's your thing. All constructions disappear promptly after the vacation period, at which time the beach returns to its former pristine state.  Beware of jellyfish in the water during the really warm months - I learned the hard way.

Yuigahama Beach at Kamakura comes alive during the hot summer months.

Right across from Yuigahama Beach itself, is the veg-friendly Organic and Hemp Style Cafe and Bar.

The Organic & Hemp Style Cafe, Yuigahama Beach, Kamakura

The interior could be described as 'hippy", with a few hemp products for sale, and the food is excellent. While unfortunately it's not vegan anymore, the staff all have a good understanding of veganism and I've never had any problems ordering delicious food.

the vegetarian dinner set at The Hemp Style Cafe, Kamakura

fried tempura and the best pickles I've ever eaten

Nearby in Hase are the expensive but very good Sairam,which offer deliicous, vegan meals with a beautiful waterfront view.

Zushi
Zushi is like a smaller, quieter Kamakura, also with a beach and a few temples. And I was pleased to learn from a colleague recently that, like Kamakura, Zushi has a (mostly) vegan cafe. Beach Muffin serves a delicious range of baking, and vegan meals. The bakery is open from 9:30 to 7:00, and the cafe from 11AM (also to 7PM).

Beach Muffin, a mostly-vegan bakery and cafe, Kamakura

Unfortunately I arrived after the kitchen had closed (I guess about an hour before closing time), so only the bakery was open, but the cafe menu includes burgers and burritos.

herb tea and dessert from Beach Muffin

One thing that impresses me about Beach Muffin is how well they promote veganism to their non-vegan clientele.  However, beware that a few of the baked goods contain egg and dairy, and they are labelled in Japanese only, so it's important to specify that you are vegan when you order.

It's possible to take a bus from Yuigahama to Zushi, but as of June 2013, Google Maps isn't working properly for buses. Alternatively it will take about half an hour to reach Beach Muffin from Yuigahama (changing trains at Kamakura). It would also be a very pleasant 5 kilometre bike ride (or walk) along the beach.

View Vegan Kamakura in a larger map

Vegan Survival in Japan

Updated March, 2020, amid the COVID-19 outbreak.


It's becoming easier and easier to be vegan in Japan, but sometimes a vegan meal cannot be found, especially outside the main city centres. Here's a guide to how to survive in Japan when there are no vegan restaurants around or you just don't can't make it to one.

Convenience Stores

Since they can be found all over Japan, I'll start with convenience stores. I'll cover some common options and common traps, but this site on vegan products in Japan is much more comprehensive than what I have here. If you would like to know if a product is vegan, please feel free to post a photo to the IsitVeganJapan Facebook group.

Macrobiotic Cookies

These macrobiotic snacks at many convenience stores all over Japan. In my experience, Lawsons are the most reliable for finding them. I like the chocolate brownie the most, and it's also the most commonly available, and is even sold at some small convenience stores inside train stations. Flavours change from time to time, but they have been available for several years and have always been vegan, so I don't expect that to change, especially with the rapidly growing vegan market. 

The whole range of these macrobiotic cookies are all vegan.

Other Vegan Options Available at Most Convenience Stores

As good as it usually gets from a konbini (convenience store): a black coffee, soymilk (mix for a latte), a plain rice ball and edamame (soybeans).

Edamame (triangular packet above) are just whole soybeans (in their pods) cooked in vegetable oil, with added salt. Black coffee is of course vegan, and the soymilk shown above is vegan, and can be mixed to make a latte. You'll find better coffee at Starbucks and Tully's, but this is as good as it usually gets in the inaka (countryside) when it comes to coffee. The plain rice onigiri (rice ball, shown in the photo above) is vegan because it just contains rice and salt.

Soyjoy Crispy bars are vegan, however the regular (not crispy) ones contain egg.

Only the Crispy Series are vegan. Others contain egg. 

Convenience Store Items Which are Usually Not Vegan but Look Like They Are

There is currently talk of a new labelling system will be introduced to Japan ahead of the Tokyo Olympics (if they still happen with the COVID-19 outbreak) which will encourage manufacturers to specify whether or not their products are vegan. But unfortunately virtually all products at convenience stores contain animal products or ingredients which may or may not be from animals. The worst offender is amino acids, which are probably just synthetic flavourings (most likely MSG) but they could also be derived from fish. I suggest never assuming something is vegan unless you can read and translate all the ingredients.


Many vegans mistakenly assume inari sushi (rice in tofu pockets, shown immediately below) are vegan; however, most contain fish stock or other animal-derived ingredients in the rice mixture, and some even contain tiny pieces of meat. As of March 2020 I am unaware of any vegan inari sushi available at convenience stores in Japan.

These Inari Sushi are safely vegan, because they're from Taiwan. But most in Japan probably aren't, despite popular belief to the contrary. Some contain meat and most contain stocks or suspect amino acids.

Sometimes vegan onigiri (triangular rice pockets) come and go, but most contain fish derivatives or unknown amino acids (which may be derived from fish -- see above).

Breads from convenience stores always contain dairy and/or egg.

Most convenience stores sell bags of nuts, but watch out for small fish in them (I'm not joking). Some are cooked in butter oil (shown below); to further complicate it, some "butter peanuts" are actually cooked in vegetable oil, with the 'butter' just being a name.

Never Be Too Careful: it didn't occur to me to check the ingredients of these peanuts, which are cooked in butter oil (バターオイル)  and even have a red warning that they contain dairy products.

Tofu

Tofu is usually but not always vegan. If it's set with nigari (にがり, traditional, vegan) it should be vegan, but some (usually cheaper) tofu is set with glycerine (グリセリン), which may be animal-derived.

Fried Potatoes (Chips, French Fries)

Chips (French Fries), known as 'Fried Potato' in Japan, are sold all over the country, including in many convenience stores. Most ones for sale in supermarkets don't contain any animal ingredients (they are generally just potato and a cheap oil) and, according to their allergen charts, 7-11 ones do not contain beef, chicken, pork, fish, dairy or egg, so they should be vegan. At other restaurants there are always concerns over what seasonings may be used (and it's never possible to really find out) but they are a possibility. Of course, they are cooked in the same deep fryer as meat and other animal products.

Family Mart Vegan Meals

Family Mart Promotional photo. 

On March 13, 2020, Family Mart has announced that from March 17th they will stock a vegan soy patty burger bowl for ¥500 in 2,400 branches in Tokyo. This will be the best-value convenience stores meal in the country when it comes available. 

7-Eleven Vegan Meals

In late 2019 the 7-Eleven chain announced that they would sell vegan meals in a selected number of convenience stores, mostly around Ueno (the suburb of Ueno with a large Indian community). Unfortunately, at the time of writing (March 2020) these stores are all in areas in which there are much better vegan options; however, they are clearly labelled 'vegan' in English, so if you find one I recommend trying it. 

Chain and other Non-Veg Restaurants

Coco Ichibanya

Cocos Ichibaniya curry. The eggplant is an optional extra, and the rice has been upgraded to a larger serving for an additional ¥200.

This famous Japanese curry chain has hundreds of branches across the country, usually in or near train stations and night life areas. Many stay open for most of the night. They are easily recognisable by their name (written in English) and logo, which consists of a curry and rice meal on a yellow background. If you can’t find a specific store, just show anyone the heading above, the photo of the curry, or the menu below, and they’ll point you in the right direction. 

Some branches serve vegan curries for a little under ¥1,000. These come on a separate vegetarian menu booklet (see photo below); however, the “vegetable” curry on the regular menu (which is available at all stores) contains meat. Also, the eggplant shown here is cooked in the same deep fryer as meat, but the curries which don’t have eggplant (easily identifiable from the photos on the menu) should be cooked in separate pots to the regular (meat) curries, but of course there is always possible contamination from utensils (see Deep Fryers). 

When the vegan curries were introduced the company ran a trial during which all branches were required to serve them, and after that branches were allowed to choose whether or not to continue to serve them. Unfortunately the branches which sold a lot and continue offering it are mostly ones in areas popular with foreign tourists, most of which are also places with real vegan restaurants. Thus Cocos is usually an option when you don’t need it and not an option when you do. But they are sometimes a good last resort when all the nearby vegan restaurants are all closed during the evening. 

Japanese curries are very different to Indian and Thai curries and are more like a sauce to accompany rice than a meal in themselves; however, it’s possible to have extra vegetables added to the curry, and to ask for a larger amount of rice. Both additions can be seen in the photo above.  Customers also choose a level of spiciness from 1 to 10, with the higher levels costing a tiny bit more. The spiciness tastes as if it comes from pepper more than from chili peppers. As someone who enjoys Indian food made by and for Indians, I find Level 4 mild, level 5 a comfortable degree of spiciness, and level 6 uncomfortably hot. Unfortunately, vegans can’t make it less spicy than the default option because a sweet sauce which contains honey is added. 

In March 2020 some branches have just introduced a soy meat cutlet, to replace a popular animal-based alternative with Japanese curries. It is only available in a few branches, but if you find it on the menu I suggest trying it, because it gets great reviews. 

Only these curries are vegan. The regular "vegetable" curries contain meat. 

Soup Stock Tokyo

Soup Stock Tokyo, whose empire now expands well beyond their namesake capital, have been the most vegan-friendly food chain in Japan for many years, perhaps equal now with Cocos Ichibanya.

Soup Stock Tokyo have announced that every branch will always have one "veg" option available. These contain no meat, dairy or egg products, but they may contain honey. All stores offers bilingual lists of ingredients (which are generally wholesome and healthy) for all of their products, and most branches employ at least one English-speaking staff member who is usually happy to help a hungry vegan foreigner check what they can eat; however, they will probably not understand veganism, so it’s important to check the ingredients list yourself. This has become easier since they recently posted their menu (and allergen chart) online. Fortunately the soups don’t contain any food additives, which makes it easy to determine whether or not they vegan.

Stores also sell frozen soup mixes, which are great if you are staying in a hostel or apartment with a kitchen available. Occasionally, during off-peak hours, staff may kindly offer to cook up a vegan soup if there isn’t one on offer that day; however, this should never be asked for or expected. Rice is of course vegan, and their focaccia bread usually is too, but I recommend asking if you can check the ingredients of anything you order.

Chabuton

Chabuton are a chain ramen restaurant, which offer two vegan dishes: ramen and gyoza (dumplings). The ramen aren't bad at all, and it's good to show demand for a vegan dish, but of course it's no substitute for T's Tantan in Tokyo Station, the all-vegan ramen and curry restaurant in Tokyo Station.

A bowl of vegan ramen from Chabuton (Yokohama branch)

While the staff should know how to cook the ramen by the ("100% vegetable") recipe, don't expect them to know or understand anything about veganism (or most likely speak much English) so assume that any condiments supplied aren't vegan.

Other Non-Veg Restaurants

There are many chain stores such as Jonathons which serve simple Japanese-style food. Most will serve chips (fried potato, which may or may not be vegan) and white rice, and an all-you-can-drink (non-alcoholic) "drinks bar". Jonathon's also serve baked potatoes, so it's possible to order one without the butter or meat filling. These places may be a last resort at times, but that's all they should be.

Don't Go To Subway
For a long time I ate at subway restaurants, assuming that the bread followed international recipes. I have since learned though that the breads all contain dairy products. Also, another 'surprise' many years ago was that the red wine vinaigrette contains microscopic pieces of bacon (yes, really) and the 'chili-tomato' sauce also contains meat. So an 'oil-vinegar-salt-pepper' salad might be okay, but my suggestion is to stay away from Subway restaurants.

Don't Eat at 'Normal' Restaurants

People often join Facebook groups about Japan and ask how they can order vegan (or vegetarian) food at 'normal' Japanese restaurants. And the answer is: you don't. On the first page of my Vegan Travel Guide to Taiwan I have a few sentences in Chinese which readers can show to staff at a regular restaurant to order vegan noodles. I don't have this in my Vegan Travel Guide to Japan because it's simply not possible, even for Japanese or native speakers.

The owner/cook at this pension (traditional rural accommodation) took great care to prepare me a vegan breakfast. Unfortunately, she inadvertently added dashi (fish) flakes to the soy sauce with the tofu (not visible in this photo). Even if arranged in advance as this was, it's rare to successfully order vegan food at non-vegan establishments. And for non-Japanese speakers who haven't given advanced notice, it's virtually impossible. 

Especially Stay Away from Tofu and "Vegetable" Restaurants

Japan has many restaurants dedicated to tofu, and these are often the first suggestions to vegans looking for food (especially by foreigners). Unfortunately, however, these are actually the worst restaurants to go to, as the stocks used (virtually) all contain fish products.

Coffee Shops

Starbucks and Tully's coffee stores offer soymilk. For more information, please see my post on vegan options at coffee shops in Japan.

Final Tip for Survival in Japan 

Carry Bread

Virtually all breads, including those sold at convenience stores, contains milk and/or egg products. There are a few exceptions, generally specialty European bakeries (which will sell you the most expensive bread you'll buy in your life) and a few supermarkets, which often label whether their breads contain milk or egg products (for people with allergies).

Buy a loaf of bread from an organic shop (or order it online from Alishan Organics / Tengu Natural Food) and carry it with you (most bread in Japan isn't vegan). Please beware that many bakeries label allergens (including milk and egg) but may not include lard, so be sure to ask or buy imported bread from an organic shop with ingredients labelled in English (or German, as many breads here are). It will last anything from a few days (Tokyo in summer) to a week or longer (Hokkaido in winter). Hotel breakfasts (which usually only have white rice, salad and fresh or tinned fruit) often have a toaster oven and breads, so it's possible to carry in a few slices in a Ziplock bag and cook it in the oven yourself. They often even have jam to eat it with. A few slices of toast with jam goes a long way if you need to wait for cafes to open for lunch. This post is about survival, after all.

Veg'n Events in Tokyo

While it's not London or New York, Tokyo has a few events of interest to resident or travelling vegans.

The Tokyo Veg Festa (vegetarian festival) in October is the year's largest event, and it sees thousands of people visit dozens of stalls, most of which seem to do a roaring trade. Many organic and vegan restaurants and stores have stalls, and prices are generally good (I think lower than usual retain prices). I bought some Vegan Earth shoes while visiting the festival from Taiwan three years ago, and still wear them. All food served and sold is vegan (though it wouldn't hurt to check).

The annual Tokyo Veg Festa draws attracts thousands.

The Loving Hut seems to have a permanent long line.

Almost as good is the Earth Day Festival in April, which also features a lot of vegetarian (and organic) food.

Earth Day 2012

A distant third is the 'Eco Life' festival (June), which from my experience in 2013 was worth passing by for a meal from the Loving Hut, but not for much else.


The annual anti-fur march (also in October) draws a few hundred people.

The 2012 Anti-fur march is about to depart for a 1.5-hour walk through the nearby fashion districts. 

All three festivals are held opposite NHK Hall, on the edge of Yoyogi Park. The anti-fur march also leaves from the same location.

View Vegetarian Festival Location in a larger map

Whether visiting or living in Tokyo, it's well worth going to a vegan meetup, especially the monthly Pink Cow buffets. The food is excellent (usually my best meal of the month), and it's a good chance to meet veg-minded and English-speaking (but not usually vegetarian) Japanese, and an eclectic mix of foreigners. Note that the majority of people there are not veg'n, and some don't even 'get it', not that this matters: it's great to see so many people enjoying a vegan meal. On one of my first meetups, after introducing myself to a resident foreigner in Tokyo as we cued up for the buffet, I mentioned that I was from New Zealand and he quickly told me how much he loved NZ because the fly fishing was so good.

I'm yet to master the fine Japanese art of making food *look* good on my plate, but this meal at the monthly Pink Cow vegan meetups is usually my best meal of the month.

It's not just the trains: this Yokohama anti-fur march - walkable from my apartment - was due to start at 1PM.

Coffee Shops in Japan (updated March 2021)

Updated March 2021

If you want anything other than black coffee, then head to Starbucks, Tully’s or Doutor. Even though Japan is probably the last place on Earth you’d expect your soy order to be confused, just to be extra careful the cashier staff give a ‘soy’ card to the customer, which is returned to the barrister upon collection of the drink. At Starbucks there is a (vegan) Soy Latte as a separate menu item, and at both cafes, other drinks such as Matcha (Japanese tea) lattes can be made with soymilk for an additional ¥50. 

Like most white sugar used in Japan, the sugar used in drinks is probably processed using bone char. Starbucks recently confirmed that their sugar is processed with chitosan, a substance obtained from crustaceans which is widely used in the food industry (including being sprayed on bananas) and in many industrial applications. 

Most major coffee shop chains (including Starbucks and Tully’s) offer free Wifi, but many smaller coffee shops don’t. 

Starbucks (🐖)

This card is given at the counter and returned upon receiving the drink - a sure way to know that you're soy drink really is. 

In early 2020 Starbucks trialled almond milk and oat milk, but these have been discontinued in all except a few special stores. While this could change with the growing number of vegans and health-conscious people avoiding dairy products, the hot chocolate mixture itself still contains dairy, but most staff don’t know this and will happily make a “soy hot chocolate” (with dairy in the mix) if asked. 

Tully's  (🐖)

Tully’s are fast becoming the go-to option for a coffee and quite bite to eat for vegans. In early 2021 they have re-introduced an almond praline soy latte, which has a mock whipped cream topping. There has been much effort by the vegan community (especially the excellent ➚isitveganjapan.com➚ group and their ➚Facebook page➚) to determine whether or not it is vegan. It appears that it contains only plant-based ingredients, but it has allergen warnings for dairy, and unfortunately the company won’t confirm whether this warning is because of possible traces of dairy from cross contamination or whether a tiny amount of dairy is added somewhere in the manufacturing process. Most vegans trust that it is vegan. 

They have also recently introduced a falafel pita sandwich for ¥400. It contains literally only one falafel ball, making it no match for falafel offered by vegan falafel restaurants in Tokyo (such as Falafel Brothers in Roppongi) but it’s next best after Dotour (see below) so far as coffee shop chains in Japan go.  Their tomato sauce pasta can be made vegan if the bacon is left off the top (it’s normally added at the end) but I only recommend this to Japanese-speaking vegans who are able to confirm that it’s vegan with the staff. 

Doutor (🐖)

In September 2020 the large Doutor coffee chain began offering a vegan (“Green”) burger. It’s been a big hit with the vegan community, and is well priced at only ¥360, making it one of the best go-to snacks available in Japan. Hopefully it will be here to stay. Doutor’s coffee and dining experience is overall cheaper and inferior to Starbucks and Tully’s, but this burger makes it by far the best chain store for vegans. 

Vegan Groceries in Tokyo

If you live here, sooner or later you'll want to stock up your kitchen. I really miss Jasons from Taiwan, and remember commenting to people that while Hsinchu wasn't the most happening place on Earth, I was fortunate to be able to buy cruelty-free products, marmite (a New Zealand spread) and a whole assortment of other western groceries at one shop a few minutes scooter ride from where I lived.

When I first arrived in Japan, I really struggled to find food, and basically lived from Veganessentials. On one hand, it's a ridiculous waste of resources having grains grown in one part of the world, shipped to the US to me made into instant burger mixes and the like, and then flown over to me in Japan to mix with water and fry up after work. On the other hand, it's supporting a good, all-vegan business, and sometimes ordering online from the US can be cheaper than buying the same products off the shelf in Tokyo (who may well just order them online themselves). I still order from the a lot, but not as much as when I first arrived here. I find their snack foods (energy bars etc) to be critical in surviving here in Japan, and carry them with me virtually everywhere.

However I will recommend three shops, though there are plenty more I haven't tried yet. First, Natural Mart (Happycow) are tiny, well-stocked organic/natural foods restaurant and well worth a visit.

vegan products from Natural Mart, Hiroo

For a shop more like Jasons (in Taiwan), which sells a great range of vegan products, including Indian food and even Scheese (soy cheese from the UK) go to National Azuba in Hiroo (walking distance from Natural Mart).

groceries from National Azuba, Roppongi

Very close to Natural Mart and National Azuba is Island Veggie, a vegetarian hawaiian cafe which specialises in Acaia Berry products, including smoothies and breakfast foods. It also serves a range of burgers and a few other basic items. Items with milk are clearly labelled 'LV' (lacto-veg). Many items contain honey, so if you don't eat it its important to tell them when you order. It's worth going here while in Hiroo to stock up on groceries. To find it, go to Hiroo Station, take Exit 2, walk around the corner and keep going until you see a starbucks opposite (on the right). Then take the small lane to your left, and it's a few steps down on the left.

A burger and fries: a typical delicious Island Veggie meal.

Naturalmart, National Azabu and Island Veggie are all a few minutes walk from Hiroo Station.

View Hiroo Japan Vegan in a larger map

Warning
I previously recommended Natural House, from which I used to buy soy yoghurts. I have since learned, to my disgust, that these Soyafarm soy yoghurts I've been eating two years contain gelatine. This was a 'natural' soy yoghurt with a live culture, so I didn't even think to check for it. One can never be too careful in Japan!! 

Not Vegan: Soyafarm soy yoghurt contains GELATIN!

 

Welcome to Japan Vegan

Updated March 2023, as Japan re-opens to foreign travellers after three years of border closures. 

I started this blog a decade ago as a "sister-blog" to my main blog about vegan life in Taiwan. At that time, I was living in Yokohama (near Tokyo), and I wanted to provide some basic starting information for vegans travelling to or living in Japan.

A lot has happened since then. Firstly, Japan has become much more vegan-friendly. While even then Tokyo and Kyoto had some excellent vegan restaurants, and monthly vegan meetups at the Pink Cow, the vegan community would never have dreamed that vegan meals would be introduced to Japanese convenience stores.

Secondly, Facebook has all but killed the blogosphere. Most people, especially Millennials, now join Facebook groups to find information rather than using Google. And the platform is so much more interactive than blogs that few people 'follow' them anymore. Nevertheless, some vegans do still google information (it's certainly faster) so I try to keep an up-to-date summary of vegan restaurants in Tokyo and Kyoto, and also vegan food options at convenience stores.

Yet despite the rise of Facebook groups and smartphone apps, I've always been saddened by how many vegans (and vegetarians) struggle in Japan, and how a disturbingly large number of would-be vegans 'compromise' because they find it too difficult, mostly by eating products made with fish at 'normal' restaurants in Japan. And it's not that they can't find food: Tokyo and Kyoto have some of the best vegan restaurants in Asia, and Happycow works brilliantly in Japan, thanks to the large numbers of foreign tourists and a strong vegan community which keep it up to date. It's more that vegans (and vegetarians) just don't know how to visit the tourist attractions and restaurants together, usually due to a lack of planning. Furthermore, most travellers (vegan and otherwise) struggle with the public transport system in Japan (as I did when I first arrived), and many just don't know the best places to visit. So, this inspired me to write the Japan Vegan Travel Guide, which I finished in early 2020 and have fully updated for the re-opening of Japan to foreign tourists in 2023. Like regular travel guides, it covers all aspects of travel, including tourist attractions, vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, public transport, and everything I can think of a vegan traveller to Japan wanting or needing to know. I hope that with this guidebook vegans (and vegetarians) can visit all the best tourist attractions and their choice of vegan restaurants, with a minimum of planning and effort, and get the most out of their trip to Japan. I also hope that by connecting vegan businesses (which struggle at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic) with tourists who often just don't know where to find them or how to fit them into their itineraries, I can help to support the rise of veganism in Japan.

For more information about the Japan Vegan Travel Guide, please see this video.

Nippon Irashaimashite (Welcome to Japan)!