We visited Japan in November 2024. It was a long awaited destination and holiday. Being vegetarian and reading about it online, I did a bit of looking up online for food ideas. I was looking for places not completely vegan (I am ok with cheese, milk products, just not overt eggs, but ok with all kinds of bread and bakery products), but keen to find some places that could serve vegetarian/vegan too apart from normal fare. Rest of family being ok with normal fare.
Here are some places that I visited and enjoyed along with options when you find yourself far away from any of these in case you are looking for ideas on your trip to Japan as a vegetarian. Overall, my food experience was great, much better than I expected.
Most of the following places we visited were walk-ins. Sometimes/ often times, we needed to queue up as restaurants are small - but most of our queuing would have been 15-30 mins. Except for one popular sushi place in Ginza over a weekend which issued a 3hr wait ticket.
Some notes on food and other tourist impressions. If you are looking only for restaurant ideas, highlighted in bold red.
Tokyo
In our 16 days in Japan, we spent the most time in Tokyo, bookending our trip with Tokyo stays.
One of the paradoxical impressions of Tokyo - Sometimes you wonder where are all the people on the streets? It is the largest city in terms of population. And then you head underground to the metro stations and their surrounds, and you get swells and swells of people. So much of the city seems to vibe underground.
We stayed in Nihonbashi when we landed. It is close to Tokyo station (walk ok at times). And Ningyocho has a quiet suburb like feel to it. There was a family mary
First day, we landed at Shibuya. Jikasai Mensho. (Ramen) One of a well-rated places I realised later on. Lucky to find it for our first meal in Tokyo. Basement of Parcor - (Both our first and one of our last stops in Tokyo) - The ramen is amazing. They have a few vegan options. And if you like spicy, their Spicy Miso Ramen is wonderful. They are also in Harajuku and Ebisu.
We spent a while there at Jins (we kept visiting Shibuya often). Covered by online ideas. (If you visit Jins, be sure to take a ticket before you check out the frames. The wait is long - Oh tourists and Japan - a lesson in patience and queuing up and efficient crowds, and crowds and crowds!) - We went to parks, hikes at times, which are quieter. (Like on the way down from Mt Fuji Panaromic Ropeway, skip the queue for Gondola, and take the 40 min hike with views of Mt Fuji)
At dinner time, we found ourselves at Roppongi to check out the Christmas lights. I realised later that there were a few options in Roppongi, but we couldn't figure out much just walking on the streets. (We checked at a few places, and didn't want to eat Pizza or burger on day 1 in Japan). So ended up going to our backup - Coco Ichibanya. (Curry Rice) (This is almost everywhere in Tokyo and Osaka - a chain of curry restaurants). They have vegan curry options.
Next day was weekend continued. We went to Ginza. Shopping district generally. And like some other places in Tokyo, at some point during the day, vehicle traffic is closed on main streets so there are crowds on streets. We found a Sushi train restaurant (Kura sushi in the Uniqlo Ginza top floor). But the ticket said the wait was around 3 hrs. So we meanwhile went and explored Age3 San for a snack ( a fried sandwich shop, popular on social media) serving vegetarian options in Ginza. Kura Sushi has limited veg options. They seem to have multiple locations throughout Tokyo.
In terms of sushi, if people serve cucumbers, avocado, natto and tofu, that's about it I guess. Sometimes udon with tofu can work. Reddit tells me that sushi train restaurants if you are happy to limit yourself to repeating the same 1-3 kinds of sushi can help such as - Sushiro and Hamazsushi.
Dinner time found us in Character Street at Tokyo Station. This time, we just went to a food area and walked into a slightly western looking place with English menu (1923 Highball). There were some croquettes and a ketchup pasta which I think I requested for no meat version. Tokyo station also has T's Tan Tan (Vegan restaurant)
Next day, we were in the Odiba region. Joypolis had some vegetarian food options. Also outside the Teamlabs nearby, there is a Vegan Ramen place (UZU).
Dinner found us heading back to the apartment after a long day on foot and crowds (Meiji shrine, Harajuku area). We ended up ordering Uber Eats. Lovely Indian food from Vegetarian Fields (uber only) for me. Uber Eats allows for grouping different orders so handy when everyone wants to eat a different cuisine.
By now, I was doing a bit of reddit deep diving on veg friendly places as I realised just turning up to any random restaurant may not help and asking around and waiting in queues tires one down.
Some other places:
Shinjuku - Kakekomi Gyoza. We visited this place twice, on both our Tokyo stays. The vegan gyozas are nice. And to top it, this is stone's throw from a 7 floored Kino Kuniya which had one of the larger English collections in Tokyo.
Shibuya and Roppongi also have Falafel Bros. (Vegetarian options).
Asakusa
Savoy Pizza. This 10 seater place is worth queuing up for. Made in front of you pizzas. Vegetarian options.
Umaiman Azuma - they had a vegan option (separate english menu on request)
Skytower - At the moment had Christmas markets with some veg options.
Hakone (Five Lakes/ Near Mt Fuji)
Gora Hakone Park - Rose Cafe has vegetarian sandwiches
Gotemba Premium Outlets - If you find yourself shopping or browsing here - they have an online listing of food options because the mall is quite huge. I looked for vegetarian food in the food hall. But little options. Instead, there was a place serving Italian Food - ended up getting Pizza takeout to be shared in Food Hall. But listing seems to show there's Futaba too there. (They serve vegan food in Tokyo). They also have a Shake Shack apart from the above mentioned Trattoria
On the HakoneRopeway, the ropeway stop at Owakudani - has a vegan curry rice option in the menu. Resteaurant is called Owakudani-eki Shokudo
Hakone - Box Burger has vegetarian options. But I guess this closes at 6 pm or 7 pm. (We missed out. And ended up buying some 7/11 food)
The bookshop at Odiwara station has some English titles.
Osaka
Day 1 when we landed, we were close to Umeda Sky. The food hall on B1 had Coco Ichibanya and an Indian food place. Both provide vegetarian options.
Again like Tokyo, chain restaurants here too. We were quite close to Osaka station - and that complex (with quite a few malls and food halls) has a lot of food options.
Burgers at Shake Shack.
Grand Front Osaka - top floors,Obon Restaurant16? Japanese cuisine. They understood my request and made a veg set meal with fresh warm tofu, steamed veggies and rice and miso and some pickles and salad.
A beautiful South Indian Thali set meal - Erick South (Grand Front Osaka basement floors) - Vegetarian options
After roaming around Dotonbari and the food there, for a proper meal, we went to Oko (walking distance from Dotonbari towards Shinshinbashi. (This serves vegan fare as well. And the restuarant is run by one woman alone). We were lined up at 6 PM when the restaurant opens. There were 5 orders ahead of us. She took those orders, served the food and then took a few more orders, and served our food. Without any rush, with smiles, listening to our every single request. Gyozas, Okonomiyaki in a healthy full of vegetables style. Generally meals in Japan were high on the vegetables side for vegan/ vegetarian - and there are so many so many different vegetables they end up using. A delight.
Kyoto
The area around the bamboo forests (station - Saga-Arashiyama) had some vegan places/options as one walks down the lanes and roads. But even out of the forests, the street food vendors seem to offer a simple bowl of soba with tofu. I think it was vegan.
I guess Kyoto perhaps because it caters so much to tourists had some options of English menu and easier to look for vegan/vegetarian options if any.
Ippudo Ramen (Kyoto Station) - They had a 39 year thing going on with a lovely vegan bowl of Ramen/Udon? They are another chain, and generally seem to have a vegan offering in Australia. So this was our backup. Wanted to go there again but perhaps some other time. (This is the food hall under Kyoto station. Another immense place. But Ippudo Ramen is available elsewhere in Japan too)
Near Nishiki - (In a food hall, top floor) - Casual Tempura Endo Kyoto Style. They had a vegetarian set plate - amazing vegetable tempura. Level 8 of Kyoto Kawaramachi Garden.
Nara
Ramen by Playpen friends.
While waiting there in a queue, I looked up on google, and realised there are a few options. I guess the more the place has tourists, the more the options here and there of a vegan item.
Also, another tip on Nara. If you wish to do calligraphy but realise too late that most classes are booked out if you try to book them after landing, the visitor centre there has a few cultural activities on offer, which they are happy to walk you through (No charges - origami, calligraphy etc). We learnt how to write our names. And how to handle the brush and make the strokes. Very very beginner but still something to do. A memory and keepsake from Japan. Ideally you book and reserve, but still if you don't, this is a good option.
Hiroshima
We spent a day there. From and back to Osaka. Dinner was the quick station fare for consumption on train. (Read onigiri, peanut butter sandwich, potato wafers). Lunch - The cafe at the peace memorial made a vegetarian sandwich. And then if you are still hungry, coffee stops and Starbucks here and there are a good backup. We found one in Miyajima.
Other General Notes
Generally if you have kids, tweens, teens, you might check out Pokemon cafes, Kirby cafes in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. We didn't reserve a seat, but were lucky to get a spot as walk-ins (I guess there were some no shows) at Pokemon cafe at Parco Shinshinbashi. And generally if you have kids, you'll find yourself in Pokemon stores. (We found ourselves there often). For us, the connection continued as we realised to our kid's super delight that we were flying back home in a Pokemon themed plane by ANA. There were Pikachu announcements during the flight. A smile for weary travellers.
Breakfast - For half of our stay, we were in apartment hotels. Never far from a Starbucks or Tully's Cafe. A stop at Starbucks - for yogurt with granola, a few sweet goodies, and best of all - Sundried tomato Pizza Toast. (If you are ever stuck for vegetarian food, this was a nice warm food option, generally always close at hand in the big cities - and seemed to be available throughout Osaka and Tokyo). Lattes at Tully's Cafe came closest to the flat-whites.
Bakeries, Coffee Shops, Indian (uber eats only or takeout - allowed flexibility with rest of the family order), Pizza, Burger, Sandwiches, Starbucks, 7-11/ family mart/ Lawson fare. Delica for Station - Peanut Butter sandwich when you just cannot have another Pickled Plum Onigiri. (Although the pickled plum intensifies the quiet rice and you seem to need it after the sweetend peanut butter sandwich. I bought at times potato wafers for the train trips. Geneally avoided it rest of the trip. Bullet train trips were like picnics.)
I guess one needs warm food for a warm mood. Esp the autumn winter weather we visited Japan in. Hence Onigiris were just back-ups. Primary objective was to eat someplace where we could all eat something warm.
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Following are a few ideas from Vegan guide to Tokyo book - I haven't tried these (hopefully if I visit again), but in case you are vegan, this might help:
Shinjuku
Kiboko (close to Shinjuku-Sanchome station) - vegan only I think.
Green Italian Torcia (Shinjuku Isetan building) - normal fare too
Futaba Fruits Parlor - normal fare too. (Vegan options, guess normal fare too)
Ain Soph. Journey (close to Shinjuku-Sanchome station). Also in Kyoto. Primarily vegan (?)
Shibuya and surrounds
Izakaya Masaka - Parco building (vegan only)
Nagi Shokudo - Royal Palace Shibuya. (vegan only)
Brown Rice Canteen Ometasando - primarily Vegetarian
Ginza
Komeda IS - Vegan completely
Chaya Natural & Wild Table - normal fare too
Kyushu Jangara Ramen - Normal fare too. Also in Akihabara, Kanda, Ginza and Ikebukuro.
(to add more)
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Basis above notes, if you have any questions about planning a Japan trip, please leave them in the comments. Would love to answer them.
