Japan is famous for its food. People love sushi with fish, chicken skewers called yakitori, and a special beef called Wagyu. There’s also a noodle soup made with pork bone called Tonkotsu ramen, and dairy products from a place called Hokkaido. But not all Japanese food is made from animals. In fact, Japan is becoming a great place for vegans, with more and more restaurants that only serve plant-based food.
Being a vegan in Japan can be tricky, though. Even though meat is popular now, people in Japan have always loved seafood. It’s easy to tell the difference between sushi made with tuna and sushi made with veggies like avocado and cucumber. But there’s a sneaky ingredient called dashi that’s harder to spot. Dashi is a kind of broth made from fish that’s used to flavor lots of dishes, even plain rice. So vegans have to be careful when they eat in Japan.
Japan has not embraced veganism as swiftly as its Western neighbors. However, the old tradition of shojin ryori – the animal-free cuisine founded by Buddhist monks – has been joined by a burgeoning crop of contemporary cruelty-free diners who have imported their ideals from outside. From the capital to Kyoto to the country’s answer to California, here are Top 6 vegan-friendly cities in Japan – beginning in the icy (and meaty) north.
1. Sapporo
Sapporo is the biggest city on Hokkaido, which is the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands. It’s famous for its seafood, top-quality dairy, and a dish called jingisukan (Genghis Khan), which is a favorite at beer halls and is made with mutton. So, you might think it’s not the best place for vegans.
But not far from a place called Maruyama Park, there’s a restaurant called Itadakizen. They serve organic food like noodles, tofu, and vegetables that are grown in Hokkaido’s beautiful green fields. They don’t use sugar or additives, and they definitely don’t use meat. Plus, Sapporo’s most famous drink, a beer that’s also called Sapporo, doesn’t have any animal products in it. So that’s good news for vegans.
2. Osaka
Osaka, the third biggest city in Japan, is known as the country’s kitchen because people there love food so much. They even have a special word, kuidaore, which means eating until you can’t eat anymore. Two of Osaka’s favorite foods are takoyaki, which are balls of batter filled with octopus, and okonomiyaki, a kind of pancake that you can fill with whatever you like. But these aren’t great options for vegans.
Luckily, things are changing. The city of Kyoto, which is nearby, is known for its vegan food, and some of that is starting to show up in Osaka. In a shopping area called Shinsaibashi, there’s a restaurant called Paprika Shokudo that serves Western-style vegan food, like pizzas without dairy and parfait. Another place, Rocca, has a menu of traditional Japanese dishes made with local vegetables. And at Megumi, they make classic Japanese food without any animal products, including a version of okonomiyaki that doesn’t have any eggs.
3. Hiroshima
Hiroshima, one of the biggest cities in Japan, is less than 90 minutes away from Osaka by a fast train called the Shinkansen. This city is becoming a great place for vegans, with lots of markets and restaurants that serve plant-based food. One of these places is Nagataya, which is really close to the Atomic Bomb Dome, a famous symbol of World War II. They serve a vegan version of okonomiyaki, a popular Japanese dish, and there’s often a long line of people waiting to try it.
Another place, Vegimo, serves organic food that’s similar to what you’d find in Europe, and it’s just a few streets away. And if you cross the Aioi Bridge, you’ll find a restaurant called MOS Burger. They have over 1,300 locations in Japan, and they serve a burger that’s completely made from plants. They call it the “Green Burger,” and it’s part of their effort to help the environment, following the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
4. Kamakura
Kamakura is a city that feels like a mix of California and Kyoto, especially because of its organic food. In the summer, people love to visit its two beautiful beaches, which are just an hour south of Tokyo. There are also cafes by the sea, like Magokoro, that make the city feel even more like the West Coast.
If you climb up to the temples on the mountains, you can learn about shojin ryori. This is a very old Buddhist way of making vegan and vegetarian food. One place that serves this kind of food is Kamakura Hachinoki. It’s not as old as the temples – it’s been around since 1964 – but it’s surrounded by some of the most peaceful Zen temples in Kamakura.
They serve a special shojin ryori menu that’s just like what a monk would eat, and you can enjoy it in a quiet dining area that’s surrounded by trees. These are just two of the many places in Kamakura where you can find vegan food. It’s a great place for vegans, but not many people know about it.
5. Tokyo
Tokyo, a big city in Japan, is becoming a great place for vegans. Even though it doesn’t have as many vegan restaurants as cities like London or New York, there are still lots of places to find vegan food. For example, there are underground food halls and convenience stores that are open all the time. They sell things like rice balls with plum, mochi, snacks made with red bean paste, candied sweet potato, and healthy dishes without meat.
In 2019, a store called Vegan Store opened in a neighborhood known for its kitchenware shops. It was the first convenience store in Tokyo to only sell plant-based food. There’s also a place called Omoide Yokocho where food stalls grill mushrooms, tofu, and peppers.
Tokyo has the most vegan restaurants in Japan. One of them, T’s Tantan, is famous for its big bowls of vegan ramen. Another place, 8ablish, serves Mediterranean food like tofu ravioli and tempeh souvlaki. Tudore Tranquility offers a peaceful eight-course meal. And Ain Soph serves tasty vegan burgers. These are just a few examples of the growing vegan scene in Tokyo.
6. Kyoto
Kyoto, the old capital of Japan, is known for its history and its vegan food. The city has many Buddhist temples, and one of them, Tenryuji Temple, has a restaurant called Shigetsu. They serve a special kind of vegan food called shojin ryori in rooms with traditional straw mats, and you can see a beautiful pond with koi fish while you eat.
But there are lots of other places to find vegan food in Kyoto. Many restaurants serve sushi with pickled vegetables and tempura vegetables. There’s also a market called Nishiki Market where you can find soy ice cream, skewers of toasted rice, and pickled plants.
On a street called Teramachi, there’s a restaurant called Mumokuteki that serves Western-style vegan food. Another place, Little Heaven, makes sushi without seafood. Tousuiro is a fancy restaurant that serves meals with tofu, a food that was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks a long time ago. And if you’re looking for a good deal, the temples in Nara, a city near Kyoto, serve affordable shojin ryori.
