Vegan Living

Being a vegan in Japan is a little more difficult than at home and a lot of people give up here, but it IS possible! Vegetarianism is not a well-known concept in Japan and fish, bacon, and chicken broth can be seen as "ok" here. Always ask and make yourself clear. Remember, being vegan is about doing your best, so don't beat yourself up if you accidentally eat something. Once you get the hang of things, it’s no problem being veg in Japan!

Basic Survival

• AJET Vegan & Vegetarian handout

  This is an older handout from the Tokyo Orientation in 2009. It provides some vegan search engines, resources, and online shopping information. If the link doesn't work, go here and scroll down the page to the Tokyo Orientation Handouts 2009 section. The list is in alphabetical order, so scroll down to the Vegan and Vegetarian JETs handout and click the link to open the document.

• Vegan Japan: JAPAN Vegan Restaurant Pocketguide - released by Children of the Carrot

  When you are in Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto, try and find a place that sells this book. It is VERY handy, not only with restaurant listings, but phrases and helpful hints while out and about. You'll have to order a copy of the second edition (2009), but the website itself keeps you updated on the latest Japan vegan news & restaurants.

• Happy Cow: The healthy eating guide

  The Happy Cow is a website dedicated to all things vegan. You can get some excellent recipe ideas here as well as search for vegan restaurants by country and city. For your benefit, here is a link to all of the listings around Japan.

Out and About

• Vegan at Grocery Stores
• Vegan at Restaurants

Detailed Information

• Vegan Vocabulary List
• Vegan Mail Order Websites