Are you a vegetarian traveling to Japan soon and wondering where you should eat? We have a few specific recommendations for you while you’re in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Plus some other bonus tips about eating in Japan!

While In Tokyo

Inside FOOD HALL BLAST!, near Shinjuku station, you’ll find Tokyo vege ramen veJin. PLANT-BASED TOKYO launched Tokyo vege ramen veJin to bring people Japanese “ramen” but without any animal ingredients. Tokyo vege ramen veJin is plant-based and fully vegan. You can not only enjoy vegan ramen, but also vegetable gyoza, fried soybean “meat”, miso, curry, and bibimbap. Then finish it all off with coconut ice cream! All of the food we had was delicious, and it was a perfect opportunity to try some of the popular Japanese dishes but in an all-vegan way! 

Another notable mention while in Tokyo is when you’re in the Omoide Yokocho area. When you’re in this area, make sure you get some tofu skewers and fried lotus root. We enjoyed a ton of tofu and lotus root while we were in Japan, but the restaurants in the narrow alleys of Omoide Yokocho had some of our favorites! You can also pair these with some authentic and tasty Japanese sake! 

While In Kyoto

Itadakizen Kyoto is a delicious, vegetarian restaurant in a traditional Japanese atmosphere. If you didn’t know where you were going, you would miss the restaurant because it is such a small and intimate restaurant. It almost feels like you are going into a private home. This makes the environment feel warm, relaxed, and peaceful. It never feels too busy either because it requires reservations. You can choose from vegetarian sushi, tofu “steak”, vegetable spring rolls, miso soup, and more! We tried almost everything on the menu, and it was all really great!

Another must-visit restaurant in Kyoto is Hisaroyotei Nigoyazen in the famous Gion District (it’s important to note that this is not a fully vegetarian restaurant, but they have vegetarian options). When you visit Hisaroyotei Nigoyazen you can enjoy a vegetarian sukiyaki experience (a Japanese dish that is prepared and served in nabemono style). It includes tofu, rice, fried vegetables, and salad. The meal has a beautiful presentation, but what makes it even more fun? Your food cooks right in front of you! A very authentic experience, and it tastes absolutely delicious!

While In Osaka

Cat & Vegan Neu is a fun and unique restaurant experience in Osaka. This is a cat rescue/shelter with a vegan cafe attached to it. You can choose from fried soy “meat” in your choice of sauce (sweet and sour, sweet vinegar, or sesame oil sauce) with vegetables and rice. Or try the tofu bolognese with Japanese salad (make sure you have some Japanese salads while you’re in Japan; the dressings are great!). Both of the options were very tasty! While you're eating you get to enjoy watching the rescued cats play and nap (but they are blocked off by glass in their own room). If you have time after you're finished eating, you can schedule time to play with the cats!

Another popular food in Osaka is the famous fried skewers. They can be found all around the Dotonbori Gilco Sign. The skewers are available at many of the street vendors and also inside many of the restaurants. Make sure to try some of the many variations of vegetable skewers while you're in this area! 

Anywhere In Japan

You can find convenience stores (also known as konbini or conbini in Japan) on almost every corner throughout Japan. These stores include 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson. So, if you’re feeling hungry in between restaurants, any of these stores are a great stop for some inexpensive snacks (or sometimes even a meal)! 

7-Eleven is probably the most famous one that you hear about. This is likely because of the popular smoothies that you make yourself. The smoothies are delicious and definitely a must-try! You can also never go wrong with a vegetarian onigiri (rice ball) which can be found in most, if not all, of the convenience stores. 

A word of caution though–While these stores are a great place to try some authentic and yummy Japanese snacks, be careful of hidden non-vegetarian ingredients. Be sure to use the image feature in Google Translate to check the ingredients closely. 

Bonus Tip 

Since we’re talking about things to be cautious of, also be careful when you see a tofu meal on a menu. At first, this might seem like an excellent vegetarian option. However, there are also many hidden ingredients in meals that you might not expect. Japanese food includes tofu in many dishes, including those with meat. So unfortunately seeing a tofu dish does not automatically mean the meal is vegetarian. Again, this is where Google Translate comes in handy! You can use it to read the menu or ask the staff questions. 

Other Foods/Drinks To Try

You will find matcha in so many different types of foods while you’re visiting Japan. But experiencing an authentic, traditional Japanese tea ceremony is an extra special way to make sure you get to try some matcha tea! A tea ceremony is also a fun way to try tatami seating. Whether you try matcha as the original tea, or in any other food, it is a must-do while in Japan.

The strawberries are so fresh and delicious in Japan! You can of course just eat them alone (and they are great as is!), but they are also featured in many amazing snacks. Don’t miss out on trying a special strawberry treat! Also, make sure to grab a huge, fresh, tasty fuji apple when you visit Mt Fuji! Speaking of apples, the fresh apple juice in Japan is fantastic. When we say fresh, we mean fresh! It tastes like you are drinking a pure apple. 

Bullet train rides tend to be longer rides because you’re traveling between cities, rather than within the same city. This means that eating on the train is a common practice, so you will need to make sure you get something to eat before getting on the train. It’s very popular to grab a bento box for the train, and don’t worry, they also have vegetarian boxes in the train stations.

Our final recommendation is to do a sake tour and tasting. It’s a very fun experience, and it also gives you a great opportunity to learn about the different types of sake in Japan. After the tasting, you will know which types of sake you would prefer to order as you visit different places throughout Japan.

There are so many details that go into planning a trip to Japan. We have only covered a few food and drink recommendations in this blog, but if you need start-to-finish help planning your trip to Japan, schedule a consultation with us today to get started!