Vegetarian, vegan, halal and allergy-friendly Japan

Vegetarian and vegan

Fish stock (dashi) hides in soups, sauces and even 'vegetable' dishes. Look for shojin ryori (Buddhist temple cuisine) — Kyoto temples are the best place to try it — and use apps such as HappyCow.

Halal

Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto have growing numbers of halal-certified restaurants and prayer rooms at major airports and stations. Watch for mirin and sake in sauces.

Allergies

Packaged food must label major allergens including wheat, egg, milk, peanuts, buckwheat, shrimp, crab and walnuts. In restaurants, carry a printed allergy card in Japanese.