If you try to eat as a vegetarian or vegan in Japan, the first thing you run into is dashi. A vegetable miso soup, a bowl of vegetable udon, a simmered dish: they all look plant-based, yet the broth underneath is often made from dried bonito flakes or small dried fish. Many people have finished a meal and only then found out it wasn’t what they thought.
Still, Japan has plenty of food made only from plants: dashi made from kelp or dried shiitake mushrooms, tofu and yuba, seasonal vegetables, and shojin ryori, the cuisine that grew out of Buddhist temples. Many dishes were plant-based long before the word “vegan” existed. In 2022 the Japanese government even created official standards (JAS) for vegetarian and vegan food.
Yes, you can eat vegetarian or vegan in Japan. The main thing to watch for is fish dashi, which you can’t see. Add “no dashi, please” when you order, and choose dishes made with kombu dashi or shojin ryori, and you’ll find far more you can eat.
What Dashi Is and Why It Makes Eating Plant-Based Hard
Japanese cooking builds flavor on dashi. Miso soup, udon and soba broth, simmered dishes, chawanmushi (savory egg custard) and even okonomiyaki batter: you should assume dashi is involved. And the most widely used kind is made from fish.
Know Your Dashi
| Dashi | Made from | Vegetarian / Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Katsuo dashi (かつおだし) | Katsuobushi (dried, smoked bonito flakes) | Not OK |
| Niboshi dashi / Ago dashi (煮干しだし・あごだし) | Dried small fish, flying fish | Not OK |
| Kombu dashi (昆布だし) | Kelp | OK |
| Shiitake dashi (しいたけだし) | Dried shiitake mushrooms | OK |
| Awase dashi (合わせだし) | Bonito and kelp, for example | Contains fish, so not OK |
For restaurant staff, katsuo dashi feels less like “fish” and more like “seasoning.” That is why you can say “I don’t eat meat or fish” and still have the dashi forgotten. This is the biggest point of miscommunication in Japan, so adding “no dashi, please” makes a real difference.
Other Animal Ingredients That Hide in Food
Some ingredients never appear on a menu description or a food label in an obvious way.
| Ingredient | Often found in | Who should watch for it |
|---|---|---|
| Katsuo extract / seafood extract | Dashi powder, noodle sauce, snacks, pickles | Vegetarians and vegans |
| Fish sauce / oyster sauce | Stir-fries, sauces, some kimchi | Vegetarians and vegans |
| Pork or chicken extract | Ramen broth, soup stock, curry roux | Vegetarians and vegans |
| Gelatin | Jelly, gummies, marshmallows | Vegetarians and vegans |
| Lard | Some breads and gyoza wrappers, fried food | Vegetarians and vegans |
| Egg and dairy | Tempura batter, binders, bread, Western sweets | Vegans |
| Honey | Sweets, bread, dressings | Vegans |
When you ask “does this have dashi?”, assume that the places without it are the exception. That mindset softens the disappointment.
Naturally Plant-Based Japanese Foods to Enjoy
It may look like there are many restrictions, but Japan has long had dishes made entirely from plants. Here are the ones that are easy to find and hard to get wrong.
Shojin Ryori (精進料理)
Shojin ryori developed as food for Buddhist monks. It uses no meat or fish and is made with kombu or shiitake dashi. It centers on tofu, simmered seasonal vegetables, pickles, soup and rice. More details are in “Trying Shojin Ryori” below.
Easy-to-Order Plant-Based Foods
| Food | Notes |
|---|---|
| Natto (納豆) | Fermented soybeans. The included sauce often contains dashi, so skip it and add a little soy sauce instead |
| Hiyayakko (冷奴) and yuba (湯葉) | Plain tofu and tofu skin are plant-based. Check that no katsuobushi is on top |
| Edamame, grilled eggplant, grilled mushrooms | Simply cooked dishes are usually safe, and they are easy to find at izakaya |
| Onigiri (おにぎり) | Umeboshi (plum), kombu, nori and plain salted rice are classics. Some fillings contain katsuo extract, so check the label on the back |
| Inari sushi (いなり寿司) | Rice wrapped in sweet fried tofu. Sometimes seasoned with dashi, so it is worth asking |
| Vegetable sushi rolls | Kappa maki (cucumber), oshinko maki (pickles), avocado rolls. Kanpyo maki can be seasoned with dashi |
| Juwari soba with salt (十割そば) | Noodles made only from buckwheat flour are plant-based. Some places let you eat it with salt instead of the dipping sauce |
| Vegetable tempura | Some batters contain egg, and some shops fry it in the same oil as shrimp. Ask before you order |
| Wagashi (和菓子) | Daifuku, dango, yokan and other sweets built on azuki beans and rice are often plant-based. Some use egg or butter, so check the label |
We also cover wagashi types and how to enjoy them in the wagashi guide.
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Japanese Phrases for Explaining Your Diet
Many places don’t speak English, so it helps to save a few Japanese phrases on your phone. Printing them on a card and showing it when you sit down is also a common trick.
Basic Phrases
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 私はベジタリアンです | Watashi wa bejitarian desu | I am vegetarian |
| 私はヴィーガン（ビーガン）です | Watashi wa bīgan desu | I am vegan |
| 肉と魚は食べません | Niku to sakana wa tabemasen | I don’t eat meat or fish |
| だしも使わないでください | Dashi mo tsukawanaide kudasai | Please don’t use dashi either |
| 卵と乳製品も食べません | Tamago to nyuseihin mo tabemasen | I also don’t eat eggs or dairy |
| これには肉や魚が入っていますか？ | Kore ni wa niku ya sakana ga haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain meat or fish? |
| かつおだしですか、昆布だしですか？ | Katsuo dashi desu ka, kombu dashi desu ka? | Is it bonito stock or kelp stock? |
| 野菜だけで作れますか？ | Yasai dake de tsukuremasu ka? | Can you make it with only vegetables? |
The words “vegetarian” and “vegan” don’t always reach every staff member. When they don’t land, listing what you don’t eat is more reliable: “I don’t eat meat, fish or dashi.”
Make one card listing what you can’t eat, in Japanese. Even if your Japanese isn’t confident, the conversation won’t stall. Listing items works best: meat, fish, katsuobushi, niboshi, dashi, and egg and dairy (if you’re vegan).
For more help with everyday Japanese, see our survival Japanese phrases.
What You Can Order by Type of Restaurant
Even within “Japanese food,” how easy it is to eat plant-based changes a lot by restaurant type. Knowing the overall picture first helps you choose.
| Type of place | How easy | Easy to order | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shojin ryori restaurant | Very easy | The whole course | Reservation needed. Some serve egg or dairy, so vegans should check |
| Vegan restaurant | Very easy | The whole menu | In areas with few shops, check opening days in advance |
| Sushi shop | Medium | Vegetable rolls, inari sushi | Dashi in sauces, seasoning of the sushi rice |
| Izakaya | Medium | Edamame, hiyayakko, grilled vegetables, pickles | The otoshi (starter) may contain dashi or fish |
| Soba / udon | Hard | Juwari soba with salt | The broth is fish-based by default |
| Ramen shop | Hard | A vegan-only ramen shop | The soup is usually pork, chicken or seafood |
| Family restaurant / chain | Depends on the shop and item | Side salad, fries, rice dishes | The menu labels alone are hard to judge by |
At sushi shops, soy sauce is usually plant-based, but dipping sauces and the seasoning of kanpyo may contain dashi, so say “dashi nashi de onegaishimasu” (no dashi, please) at the start.
At an izakaya, tell staff as soon as you sit down: “I’m vegetarian. Does the otoshi have dashi or meat?” Sometimes they swap it for something else. We walk through the whole experience in our izakaya guide.
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At convenience stores you can buy onigiri (umeboshi, kombu, salt), cut fruit and tofu bars. Check salad dressings and katsuobushi toppings separately. Our convenience store food guide covers how to choose.
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More family restaurants and chains now publish ingredient and allergen information. But the allergens that must always be labeled are egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, crab and the like. Katsuo (bonito flakes) is not on that list. Even if a chart shows “no egg or dairy,” that does not mean the dish is vegan.
(Source: Consumer Affairs Agency, "Food allergy labeling")
Finding Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants
A Vegan Ramen Stop Inside Tokyo Station
There is a vegan ramen shop inside the ticket gates at Tokyo Station, an easy stop before you board the shinkansen.
| Name | What it is |
|---|---|
| T’s Tantan | A specialist in vegan ramen made without animal ingredients. Inside the JR Tokyo Station ticket gates (Gransta Tokyo) |
(Source: Rurubu, "T’s Tantan Gransta Tokyo")
Hours can change, so check the official website or Google Maps before you go.
How to Search by Area
The number of options and the way to look for them differ by city.
| Area | Tendency | Search tip |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | The most options | Search “Tokyo” + “Vegan” on HappyCow, then narrow by station name |
| Kyoto | A shojin ryori tradition, with temple-run shojin ryori restaurants such as Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama | Book a shojin ryori meal on a reservation site before you go |
| Osaka | There are some vegan restaurants. Flour-based food culture such as takoyaki often relies on fish dashi and egg | Check the opening days of vegan restaurants in advance |
| Regional / suburban | Few specialist shops. Supermarkets and convenience stores are your lifeline | Buying ingredients and cooking yourself is the surest option |
Many vegan restaurants in Tokyo need a reservation, and some take them mainly by phone. If a phone call in Japanese feels daunting, some online booking sites offer a reservation service.
Trying Shojin Ryori
If you want to enjoy Japanese food, shojin ryori is one experience worth having. It is made from vegetables, beans, seaweed and grains with no meat or fish, and it uses seasonal vegetables.
Tenryu-ji’s Shojin Ryori “Shigetsu” (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
Tenryu-ji, in Arashiyama, Kyoto, runs its own shojin ryori restaurant, Shigetsu (篩月). It has three courses: “Yuki” with one soup and five dishes, “Tsuki” with one soup and six, and “Hana” with one soup and seven. “Tsuki” and “Hana” are for two or more people and need a reservation by the day before. A separate garden entrance fee (¥500 for adults) is charged in addition to the meal. It is about a seven-minute walk from Randen (Keifuku) Arashiyama Station.
Courses cost ¥3,300 to ¥8,000 (as listed on Gurunavi Japan). Please confirm the price when you reserve.
(Source: Gurunavi Japan, "Tenryu-ji Shojin Ryori Restaurant Shigetsu")
Tips for Enjoying Shojin Ryori
- When you reserve, say you are vegan (some places use egg or dairy)
- If sitting on your knees is hard, ask at booking whether chair seating is available
- Leave time before and after the meal to stroll around the temple and garden
For temple manners, our shrine vs. temple etiquette guide is a useful read.
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Apps, the JAS Mark and Reading Labels
Apps That Help
- HappyCow: The standard app for finding vegan and vegetarian places worldwide. Reviews and photos give you a feel for the place
- Google Maps: Search “vegan” or “vegetarian” plus an area name. Typing “vegan” into the review search box turns up voices from people who actually ate there
- Booking sites (such as byFood): Some services let you reserve vegan-friendly places in English
What the National JAS Standard Is
In September 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established JAS standards (JAS 0025 and 0026) for “processed foods suitable for vegetarians or vegans” and for “management of restaurants serving vegetarian or vegan food.” Foods and shops that are certified under these standards may carry vegetarian or vegan labeling.
Most products and shops are not certified, so keep the habit of checking with staff.
How to Read Food Labels
At the supermarket, look at the “原材料名” (ingredients) on the back. Words to watch for include かつお節 (katsuobushi), かつおエキス (katsuo extract), 魚介エキス (seafood extract), ゼラチン (gelatin), ラード (lard), 乳成分 (dairy) and 卵 (egg). When in doubt, buy tofu, natto, rice, vegetables and seaweed and cook at home for a guaranteed plant-based meal.
The allergen box alone can’t tell you whether fish dashi is in a product. Look at the ingredient list (原材料名). Also, restaurants are not required to list the ingredients of their dishes, so ask the staff.
(Source: MAFF, "JAS 0025" / MAFF, "JAS 0026" / Consumer Affairs Agency, "Promoting allergen information at restaurants")
FAQ
Q: Is soy sauce vegan?
A: Basically yes, since it is made from soybeans, wheat and salt. But seasonings such as dashi soy sauce, shiro-dashi and mentsuyu (noodle sauce) contain fish dashi. Plain koikuchi soy sauce is fine in most cases.
Q: Does miso soup contain dashi?
A: The miso soup you get at homes and restaurants is mostly made with katsuo dashi or a kombu and bonito blend. Places serving miso soup made only with kombu, or only with kombu and shiitake, are rare, and you often find them at shojin ryori restaurants.
Q: Which convenience store onigiri are vegan?
A: Umeboshi, kombu, salted rice and plain nori are candidates. But some kombu tsukudani (simmered kelp) contains fish extract, so check the ingredients on the back. Tuna mayo, salmon and tarako are animal-based.
Q: Is it safe to eat the sauce that comes with natto?
A: The sauce that comes with packaged natto often contains dashi, so vegetarians and vegans are safer skipping it. Eating it with just soy sauce or mustard is the classic way.
Q: Should I mention my diet when I make a reservation?
A: Yes. Especially at shojin ryori restaurants and higher-end places, saying “I’m vegetarian (or vegan)” and “no dashi” in advance makes it easier for the kitchen to prepare.
Q: How do I explain my diet at a hotel or ryokan?
A: When you book, write “vegetarian” and “no dashi” in the notes field, and, if possible, tell them by email or phone as well. A ryokan that includes dinner may prepare a separate menu if it knows in advance. Requests on the day often can’t be handled.
Q: What if there is little I can eat at a work drinking party?
A: Tell the organizer (kanji, the person who books the place) in advance: “I don’t eat meat, fish or dashi.” If they haven’t chosen the place yet, it’s easier for them to pick one with dishes you can eat. When you sit down, ask the staff about the otoshi too. Our izakaya guide walks you through the whole experience.
Key Takeaways
You may feel at first that there is little you can eat. Even so, once you know how dashi works, remember what you can order and carry a few phrases, eating your way through Japan gets much easier.
- ✅ Katsuo dashi often hides even in miso soup, noodle broth and simmered dishes, so add “no dashi, please”
- ✅ Natto (without the sauce), hiyayakko, edamame, umeboshi onigiri, vegetable sushi and wagashi are easy foods to know about
- ✅ Reserve before you go for shojin ryori. At Tenryu-ji’s Shigetsu, some courses need a reservation by the day before
- ✅ Use HappyCow and Google Maps to find places, and tell the restaurant about your diet when you reserve
- ✅ In regional areas, stock up at supermarkets and convenience stores and cook for yourself
Start by installing HappyCow and searching for vegan-friendly places near you.
