This is me, on the left. Unashamedly posing in the middle of the busy Ginza District.If ever there was proof that you can live on a vegan diet in Tokyo, then i have to say i think I'm it. Unless you disagree, in which case I'm not it. But nonetheless I'd like to share with you some tips i have for staying healthy as a vegan in Japan or Tokyo.
Whether you're vegan, transitioning or just interested in how i survive in this gorgeous country, I hope i can help by explaining a little about the current vegan situation in Japan and how to maneuver social situations and survive here as a vegan traveler or resident.
Whether you're vegan, transitioning or just interested in how i survive in this gorgeous country, I hope i can help by explaining a little about the current vegan situation in Japan and how to maneuver social situations and survive here as a vegan traveler or resident.
Vegan survival in Japan
DISCLAIMER: This is by no means a conclusive list and i will continue to add to it as i see fit. I also welcome your suggestions so please feel free to contact me through my contact page if you think there's something I'm missing (:
TIP #1 - Learn how to recognize the basic kanji for meat and dairy products
This does not mean you have to become a master at Japanese or start learning enough kanji for you to take the N1 Japanese exam but at least learning to recognize the main no-go ingredients such as meat 肉, fish 魚, milk 乳, egg 卵 is pretty essential to surviving Japan as both a traveler and a resident.
Generally speaking, if the kanji character consists of any of these symbols, it's best to put it down and look elsewhere, with the only exception being of course, Soy Milk or 豆 乳 and 乳化剤 which is a thickening agent or emulsifier that does not contain dairy. If you take a look at my Japanese tips page, i have included a list of the most common vegan Japanese phrases and kanji's to remember (:
TIP #2 - Download the Happy Cow app
The app Happy Cow and website happycow.net are resources that i and many vegans and vegetarians rely solely on when it comes to eating out in Japan. The app and website are so convenient and allow you to search for vegan cafes, restaurants or just places with vegan options based on your location or the location you provide. The app consists of user-generated inputs such as locations for vegan dining as well as reviews for most businesses listed. Happy Cow relies on updates from its users for information so its useful to search for a restaurant but just in case, i'd give it a quick google to make sure the opening times haven't changed or even to make sure the place is still running.
TIP #3 - Forget about bread
This may sound like a random tip but i actually think it's something that i struggled most with when i first moved here. Most bread in Japan isn't vegan as it often contains egg or milk. Despite this i would spend hours on my weekends searching for a bakery or supermarket that sold vegan bread but alas i was only able to find it in the health food shops far away in the city centre. I am ashamed to even think about how many times i dragged friends across town in the hope that i'd find some vegan bread and would be able to make soups, sandwiches, toast and have something to dip my pasta sauces with. I didn't realize how heavily my diet relied on bread until suddenly i was left without it and while at the time i felt so sorry for myself, i now realize that its absolutely essential to change the way you think about certain foods when arriving in Japan as a vegan. I have learned to love rice, rice balls and noodles more than i ever enjoyed bread and these things are easily accessible and much cheaper than bread so overall, i think this was a positive change.
TIP #4 - Learn basic vegan phrases
Okay so this is pretty essential for travelling in Japan as a vegan. You don't have to be fluent by any means and in fact, I've often found that oftentimes using basic Japanese gets you further in Japan than using fluent Japanese. The language barrier often means that people are more likely to go out of their way to help you as its easier than talking around certain situations. Being able to say "I'm vegan" or "can you make this without cheese please?" will really make your visit to restaurants or even your stay at a hotel much smoother. Check out my Japanese tips page for some basic phrases.
TIP #5 - Attend vegan Meet-ups
Whether you're a traveler looking to make vegan friends across the globe or living in Japan and want to create vegan friends as a support network, the Meet-up app and website are great places to start. There are vegan Meet-ups every month and events nearly every week so i recommend looking into these if you're tired of being the only vegan you know and want to learn some vegan tips and tricks from other members of the vegan community. Its a great place to meet new people, network and just relax in a great and vegan friendly environment.
TIP#6 - Get Seasonal with your cooking
Unlike Wales or the UK, Japan doesn't import much of it's fresh fruit of vegetables and therefore pretty much all of them have seasons where they're more available and therefore much cheaper. Strawberries are a perfect example of this. During the winter and autumn months they can costs anywhere between 800 and 1500 yen but during the summer, they can be as cheap as 200 for a pack. Therefore, in order to save money it would be best to know what fruits and vegetables are in season and how to prepare meals based on whats available to use.
TIP#6 - Shop in bulk or online for specialty goods
When it comes to buying vegan-specific items such as cheeses, soy or gluten meats and cruelty free brands, its both cheaper and easier to buy them online. While you can find these items in health-food shops and many supermarkets throughout Japan, if you live in a remote area or just don't fancy traipsing through the busy city to go looking for something you're not even sure you'll find, you're much better off shopping online. IHerb, Greens Vegetarian and Amazon are all websites i buy from regularly, with Amazon being my last option as their choices aren't as great as the others though they may be cheaper on some items. IHerb is great for vitamins, protein powders, cruelty free brands and makeup whereas Greens specializes in mostly packaged foods such as cheese, dried meats, cookies, cakes and frozen produce.
TIP #7 - Check all ingredients- you're not home anymore
This may seem a little obvious but Japan can be quite sneaky when it comes to adding naughty milk or meat products into seemingly vegan items such as salt potato chips or tomato pasta sauces. Pork and chicken extracts are one of the main culprits and they both seem to appear in the most innocent-looking products so its best to just always check the packaging because whats vegan back home, may not be vegan here. Perfect example? OREOS. Delicious chocolaty circles of heaven are vegan back home in Wales but here in Japan contain enough milk product to make you want to cry. Nevertheless, stay strong and instead have an apple (':