Finally getting a fun lil recap up about my recent trip to Japan!
I’ve said this so many times over the past few weeks, but man. Japan is dreamy.
It’s so clean and quiet and beautiful and delicious. I went with one of my very favorite travel buddies, and we went to:
- Tokyo
- Gora/Hakone
- Kyoto
We were in Japan for a total of about 10 days, and I could have stayed for at least another month. It was just so unlike anywhere I had ever been before, and I can’t wait to return sometime in the future.
Now, as with most of my travels, food is of the utmost importance. In fact, I base most of my travels around the foods I’m going to consume while there.
But I had heard many times before that being vegetarian/vegan in Japan is tough because so many of their traditional foods have things like fish stock or chicken in them.
And to an extent, that’s true. You can’t just walk into any ol’ restaurant you find and expect to find vegetarian or vegan options on the menu. Even in the major cities we were in.
But with a little planning, you can absolutely, 100% find some truly unforgettable and incredible vegetarian and vegan meals and snacks in Japan.
Here were some of my faves:
Vegetarian & Vegan in Tokyo
We started our trip in Tokyo and ended up staying in the Shinjuku area, which I really loved. It was centrally located to the metro (which was incredibly simple to use…even for someone who is pretty useless when navigating a new city—hi, it me), and just a few minutes from many of our must-sees.
There are so many lists online about things to do in this exciting city, so I’m not really going to cover that here. Instead, let’s talk about the eats, shall we?
SUSHI GARYU
1F, Alivio Higashi Azabu, 1-6-8, Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
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For dinner the night of our first full day in Tokyo, we actually did a sushi-making class! Paul found it for us because it had both vegetarian and non-veg options, and he got it as a birthday gift for me!
We had an excellent time. It was silly and harder than it looks, but man. So fun.
The vegetarian sushi ingredients were a total mixed bag—some were simply vegetables like mushrooms or avocado, while others were hyper-realistic “fish” pieces made from konjac. It was wild.
The fish was a bit too realistic for me, but I loved the other veg nigiri. I had a such fun time, and we got to wear kimonos which was a hoot.
Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Store
〒150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya, Dogenzaka, 2 Chome−29−11 Central Bldg. 6, １階
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My very first conveyer belt sushi! To be completely frank, I didn’t ask if everything I ordered was vegetarian, but I felt pretty confident in my choices:
If you’ve never had conveyer belt sushi before, it’s so much fun. At all of the places we went, we just ordered on a little screen and our order would be delivered to us via the conveyer belt. It was so fun!
My favorite was definitely the cucumber with the spicy fried onions on top. I also tried natto there and…it’s just not for me. The texture just didn’t work for me one bit. The corn mayo one was pretty solid too. I was surprised at how many times I saw corn in sushi everywhere we went!
Ippudo Lumine Est Shinjuku
Japan, 〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−38−1 ルミネエスト新宿 8F
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We were exploring Shinjuku one of our last nights in Tokyo (we went to some batting cages, which were super fun), and we wanted to grab a quick dinner before heading back to our hotel.
Enter: vegan ramen.
It was actually in the Shinjuku station and sort of in a food court situation, but this ramen was so tasty. The “meat” was some sort of tofu that was really good and not too realistic (which I appreciated), and the broth was nice and creamy. A perfect end to a chilly day exploring!
We also ordered some gyoza which were fine, but I probably wouldn’t get them again. They just took up room in my stomach from where ramen should have been IMO.
Ippudo is a chain, but I believe only some of the locations have plant-based versions, so be sure to verify before you go in!
KYUSHU JANGARA
Japan, 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 1 Chome−13−21 １Ｆ
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We were exploring a stationery store in Harajuku and suddenly got starving, so I did a quick Google search and found this place that served vegan and non-veg ramen! Perfect for us.
We just had to wait a few minutes, but I loved this place so much. The broth was silky and fatty in the very best way, and they had pickled and spiced veg on the table that you could add to your broth as you wanted.
The vegan “meat” was super realistic (a little too realistic for my tastes), but if you’re into mock meats like that, you absolutely need to put this place on your list because wow. Look at it!
The Beatles played almost the entire time we were there too, and it just was one of those perfect food moments I’m never going to forget.
7-11 (or any convenience store)
Literally everywhere
We ate at convenience stores (especially 7-11) quite a few times. Many of the prepared foods weren’t vegetarian or vegan, but I ate my weight in pickled plum onigiri from 7-11. We were waiting in a line for lunch one of the days, and I was hangry and asked Paul to go get us some onigiri while I waited in the line. It was a perfect snack any time of day!
Gora Onsen Town
We booked an overnight at an onsen town called Hakone. We stayed in an area called Gora, and we didn’t have much time to explore, but we did end up having one of our favorite experiences of the whole trip there.
Gora Brewery & Grill
1300-72 Gora, Hakone, Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa 250-0408, Japan
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While we didn’t eat here (honestly the food looked great, we just weren’t hungry), we walked up to it from our hotel while we were waiting to check in.
We got there just when they opened, and we decided to just get some beer and sit at their foot onsen. It was a crisp day, so there was something just super magical and relaxing about the hot water, the cool weather, and the cold beer.
We probably stayed for…an hour and a half? Maybe longer? I have no idea. We met some super nice people while we were sitting there, but it was just a really nice way to chill and relax after walking around so much in Tokyo.
Vegetarian & Vegan in Kyoto
Of the three places we visited in Japan, Kyoto was my favorite. It was delightfully walkable, absolutely stunning, and full of stunning food.
We had just a few days in Kyoto, and this city is one where I could absolutely see myself staying for a month or two. There’s just so much to see and do, and it’s such a beautiful part of the world.
Gyatei
Japan, 〒616-8384 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho, 19-8 ぎゃあてぃ 嵯峨
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I think this is a place where I got some onigiri for lunch one day! They had three vegan options that were clearly labeled, and the soy meat one in yangnyeom sauce was my favorite. There were also green onion and miso and a burdock and carrot flavors!
I got one of each while Paul got the udon he was excited about. I snagged us some Kyoto matcha beer to drink too. It was good, very slightly matcha-y, but omg that color.
Kyo-Baum Arashiyama
20-25 Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8384, Japan
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I didn’t even buy anything here, but one of the tippy top bites of food for me was at this place. I tried a sample of their matcha baumkuchen (translated from German…a tree cake!), and I haven’t been able to shut up about it since.
I didn’t even take a picture of it because it just kinda broke my brain in the best way possible. Check out the pics here.
I brought one home that I found at the airport, and it ended up drying out a lot by the time I actually opened it which was, in a word, heartbreaking.
But gosh. It was so so good and fun. Definitely get this if you’re vegetarian.
Onimaru Yaki-musubi
Japan, 〒604-8031 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Daikokucho, 33-4
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I really did eat my weight in onigiri in Japan, but this place was probably my favorite!
It was right by the coworking space we worked from for two of our days in Kyoto, and it was so cool to watch them make all of the different types of onigiri they sold.
That said, the ginger and mustard greens one? Simple but perfect. The ginger wasn’t overpowering, but it was certainly bitey in the best way.
Plus, there were a few vegan options there that were clearly marked! Such a great find for mid-morning snack.
Kawa Bar
176-2 Minoyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8015, Japan
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We stopped for a quick beer one of the nights before dinner, and this place was such a good find. There were SO many beer options to choose from up on the wall behind the bar:
They had non-beer options too, like Japanese whiskey and gin. The vibe was really cool—kind of old-school pub—and we must have been there at a weird time because we were literally the only people in the entire building. It was a really cool find!
Kura Sushi
Japan, 〒604-8035 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Sakuranocho, 415 京都松竹座ビル B1F
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Another conveyer belt sushi place! It’s a chain, so there are loads of these in both Tokyo and Kyoto (and actually one in Pittsburgh now!), and it’s the perfect spot for quick, convenient, and tasty sushi.
They don’t have a ton of vegetarian options, but they do have a few like cucumber and pickled radish rolls. I also had a weak moment once and ordered the french fries. Which were actually pretty amazing.
I also really loved that these conveyer belt sushi places had free green tea you can make yourself at your table! Since it was rather chilly in Japan during our whole stay, this was such a nice way to warm up.
Sushiro – Kawaramachi Takoyakushi-dori
Japan, 〒604-8041 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Uraderacho, 599番地
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Finally, our last conveyer belt sushi place! They mostly had the same menu as the others we tried, but this place in particular had two standouts for me:
- Frozen mango (as a dessert): I honestly just loved this sweet treat. I hadn’t had a lot of fruit during my trip, and at that point, it tasted so good.
- Fried bean curd: This was sort of shaped like an onigiri, but it was wrapped with bean curd (like tofu). It may not sound super appetizing, but it was really tasty (sweet, savory, and a little sticky) and filling. And a nice change from my cucumber and radish rolls!
Paul is a sushi superfan, so we actually went here twice our last day in Kyoto! Plus, when you’re vegetarian at these places, you can literally spend no more than $10 per meal. It’s amazing. Most of the dishes I ordered were 150 JPY, or $1. A really great budget option!
MOON & BACK
585 Takamiyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8056, Japan
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I had lunch here one day, and it was probably my favorite ramen I had my whole trip!
This is a great place to go if you’re in Kyoto with omni eaters. That said, their vegan spicy tandan ramen was everything I hoped for and more.
It was creamy and finished with a black sesame paste that made everything even more rich and savory. It had the perfect level of spice for me, and gosh. I could have eaten here about 50 more times.
Their menu is very clearly labeled too, and apparently they have gluten free noodle options too! Seriously something for everyone.
WIFE & HUSBAND
106-6 Koyamashimouchikawaracho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8132, Japan
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There was one place that was on my “must do” list for Japan, and it was WIFE & HUSBAND.
As a coffee and bread lover, I was super excited to try a place that specializes in just that: great coffee and toast.
There were a few different coffee varieties to choose from, and I went with one from Ethiopia. It was a dark roast, so it was strong and smoky in flavor and aroma. I always prefer light roast coffee, so it was a bit much for me but still enjoyable.
We ended up sitting at the bar, and it was so fun watching them make each coffee to order. It’s an art there, and that’s something I just really appreciate. I love nerding out about coffee, and it was clear that these folks did, too!
The toast was great—we got both to split. The cheese and honey one was my fave, but the buttered toast was lovely in its simplicity too.
It was a super super small place with seating for about 10 people total inside. So if you’re interested in going, be sure to make reservations ahead of time!
Our trip to Japan was a dream. Seriously. We had the best time, and I ate so much fun, new-to-me food. If you have a chance to go to Japan (or if you have a trip coming up), put some of these places on your list!
Now, have you been to Japan? Tell me about it. What was the best food you tried there?
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