Why it’s hard in Japan
- Hidden fish stock. Dashi, usually made with bonito fish flakes, is used in miso soup, noodle broths, sauces and many dishes that look completely vegetarian.
- Little labelling. Menus rarely mark vegetarian dishes, and English menus are limited outside the big cities.
- Different ideas of “vegetarian”. To many restaurants it simply means “no meat”, not no fish, no egg, or no onion and garlic.
Which “vegetarian” is yours?
Vegetarian covers a wide range of practice in Indian households. We ask which applies to your family before we plan a single meal.
| Diet | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | No meat, fish or egg. Dairy, onion and garlic are fine. |
| Jain | No meat, fish or egg, and no root vegetables such as onion, garlic and potato. Some families also avoid eating after sunset. |
| Vaishnav | Vegetarian without onion and garlic, rooted in devotional practice. |
| Swaminarayan | Strict satvik vegetarian, with no onion, garlic or alcohol. |
| Vegan | No dairy either. Worth flagging, since Indian “vegetarian” usually assumes dairy is fine. |
Japan has its own temple vegetarian tradition, shojin ryori, served at some temples in places like Kyoto and Koyasan. It avoids meat, fish and pungent vegetables such as onion and garlic, which makes it closer to Jain principles than most visitors expect. Always confirm individual dishes, as ingredients vary.
How Bluedust plans meals
- We ask first. Which diet applies to each traveller, any allergies, and whether you’d like Indian food some days.
- We plan meals into the itinerary. Restaurants are chosen before you travel, not searched for on the day, and briefed in advance where needed.
- We cover the gaps. Ryokan meals are requested ahead, and on guided days your guide helps with ordering.
- Someone to call. Our team in Japan speaks Hindi and Gujarati if a meal raises a question.
We’re honest about the limits: choice is wide in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka and much narrower in rural areas and small towns. We’ll tell you where it gets difficult before you book.
Useful Japanese phrases
| English | Japanese (say it like this) |
|---|---|
| I am vegetarian. | Bejitarian desu. |
| I can’t eat meat, fish or egg. | Niku, sakana, tamago wa taberaremasen. |
| Does this contain dashi (fish stock)? | Kore ni dashi wa haitte imasu ka? |
| No onion or garlic, please. | Tamanegi to ninniku wa nuki de onegaishimasu. |
Where it’s easier and harder
- Easiest: Tokyo and Osaka, with the widest choice, including Indian restaurants that cater for vegetarians and Jains.
- Good: Kyoto, with temple shojin ryori, tofu restaurants and international options.
- Plan carefully: rural areas, small mountain villages and island trips, where choice is limited and meals need arranging in advance.
Questions people ask
Can Jain travellers really travel comfortably in Japan?
Yes, with planning. Jain requirements such as no onion, garlic or root vegetables are a separate conversation from general vegetarian food, so we ask about them upfront and plan restaurants around them.
Is Japanese vegetarian food actually vegetarian?
Not always. Dashi, a fish stock, is used in many soups, sauces and noodle dishes that look vegetarian. That is why we plan meals in advance rather than relying on menus.
Will there be Indian food?
Tokyo and Osaka have Indian restaurants that cater well for vegetarians, and we include them where you would like familiar food. We balance them with Japanese meals that suit your diet.
What about breakfast at hotels?
International hotels usually have bread, fruit, cereal and some vegetarian dishes at breakfast. For traditional ryokan, we request vegetarian or Jain meals in advance.