Vegetarian Food You Must Try in Japan

Being a Vegetarian in Japan

Known for its mouthwatering seafood and meat dishes, a vegetarian may feel overwhelmed visiting the country of Japan. The Japanese culinary culture is exquisite and everyone, including vegetarians, should leave this country with their bellies satisfied!

After three weeks of eating in some of Japan’s most popular destinations, I had my fair share of hits and misses with food. This guide will provide you with my absolute favorite vegetarian restaurants that you won’t want to miss during your trip to Japan!
Happy Eating!

1.Ichiran Ramen

Type of Food: Ramen

Where: Chain restaurant across major cities in Japan

Overview:

I never thought my favorite restaurants in Japan would be a chain restaurant. To visit this wildly popular chain, you will almost certainly have to wait in a line. Don’t let the line scare you! The food is worth it and the service is fast. When you enter the restaurant, you will be seated in a private booth as there are no group tables here. The Japanese are big on enjoying the moment, so the booths are meant to help you focus on your food.

Ichiran’s menu is small but you can customize your ramen order by choosing meat/vegetarian, spiciness level, and noodle texture. The broth of the ramen does contain dashi, so this may not be an option for you if you cannot eat this.

Bonus Tip: Be sure to also get a side order of an egg here. The egg I had at Ichiran was the best-boiled egg I’ve had in my life.

2.Nagataya

Type of Food: Okonomiyaki

Where: Hiroshima next to the Peace Dome

Overview: Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake. These pancakes are made to order and you can pick and choose toppings and sauces that you want. I had several vegetarian Okonomiyaki meals in Japan, but this was the tastiest. This restaurant, in particular, is also nice as they have a separate vegetarian menu (In English) and consciously wipes off the grill before cooking vegetarian meals.

3.Kichi Kichi Omurice

Type of Food: Omurice

Where: Downtown Kyoto

Overview: Omurice is a special Japanese combo of an omelet and rice topped with sauce. Generally, the sauce is made of meat but many spots, such as Kichi Kichi Omurice, have vegetarian sauce replacements. Besides the mouthwatering food here, the main reason to visit is the chef. You may have seen world-famous chef Motokichi Yukimura on social media, and he is worth all the hype. Apart from his excellent culinary skills, Yukimura is an entertainer and will turn his cooking into a spectacle of tricks and stunts. You will pay a premium price compared to the other omurice places, but it is easily worth it for the famous experience with Chef Motokichi Yukimura

4.Shigetsu

Type of Food: Zen Vegetarian/vegan Cusine

Where: Kyoto

Overview: Shigetsu is a Michelin star restaurant located inside the garden of the Tenryuji Temple. To enter the restaurant, you’ll have to pay the 300 yen temple entrance fee, but don’t let this deter you. At this Buddhist restaurant, you will be seated on the ground in a traditional Japanese style and served an all-vegetarian meal. The food is made from an array of natural ingredients, and each dish is meant to connect you with nature. To top off the entire experience, you will be seated in a dining room surrounded by views of the beautiful garden around you.

Be sure to reserve a seat at the restaurant 2-3 days before you plan to visit. This is one of Japan’s most popular restaurants

5. Ain Soph.Journey

Type of Food: Vegan Japanese Fusion + other cuisines

Where: Kyoto and Tokyo

Overview: Ain Soph.Journey is a vegan fusion restaurant, and is a must-stop if you are in Kyoto or Tokyo. Their menu has interesting items such as vegan palak paneer, burgers, and coconut cheese. Their most famous dish is their soft fluffy matcha pancakes.

6. Yammato Cafe

Type of Food: Breakfast

Where: Kyoto

Overview: I recommend Yammato Cafe for one particular dish, the Tamagoyaki egg sandwich. Tamagoyaki eggs are a Japanese style of layered eggs that has an amazingly creamy and fluffy texture. The sandwich here was so good that I ordered a second round. If you are not able to visit this particular spot, be on the lookout for a Tamagoyaki egg sandwich at other restaurants. You won’t want to leave Japan without trying this dish.

7. Hakone Kappei Sushi

Type of Food: Sushi

Where: Hakone

Overview: This small family-run restaurant in the mountains of Hakone is a great place to try vegetarian. The rice here is locally grown and has a moist and soft texture. The homemade wasabi was also the best I had in Japan!

8.Mitchan Okonomiyaki

Type of Food: Mitichan Okonomiyaki

Where: Hiroshima

Overview: Another great Okonomiyaki place in Hiroshima is Mitichan Okonomiyaki. Hiroshima is known for Okonomiyaki and this chain restaurant does it right! They can make most dishes vegetarian and have bar”seating where you can watch the chefs cook in front of you.

9.Japenese Bread

Type of Food: Breakfast

Where: Anywhere!

Overview: I never associated bread with Japan. An order of toast for breakfast may sound bland until you bite into the most fluffy and soft toast you’ve ever had. Thre are many bakery breakfast spots that offer grab-and-go options for times where you are in a rush. Get as much bread as you can in Japan, it’s amazing!

10.Japanese Street Food

Type of Food: Any Meals!

Where: Anywhere!

Overview: Make sure to not leave Japan without exploring its street food. There are many options for vegetarian street food and here were some of my favorites:

Dango (Japanese dumpling made of Mocchi)
Cheese Dogs (Fried Breaded Cheese Stick)
Agemanju (Deep Fried Cake)
Taiyaki (Fish Shaped Cake and Creame)
Matcha Mocchi
Strawberry Daikfu

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