These vegan Japanese phrases cover everything from explaining your diet to asking about dashi. Eating vegan in a Japanese restaurant tends to go smoothly. Staff are usually attentive and menus often have pictures. Pointing gets you further than you would expect. What catches people is dashi: a stock made from dried fish that turns up in soups, sauces and rice dishes that look completely plant-based.
These vegan Japanese phrases come from several trips to Japan, solo and with others, mostly through trial and error.
Vegan Japanese Phrases: What You’ll Hear and How to Answer
From the door to the bill, the script almost never changes. Most of it washes over you. A few moments need an actual answer:
No response needed
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| いらっしゃいませ | Irasshaimase | Welcome |
| こちらへどうぞ | Kochira e douzo | This way, please, just follow |
| 少々お待ちください | Shoushou omachi kudasai | Please wait a moment |
| ごゆっくりどうぞ | Goyukkuri douzo | Please take your time (after serving) |
何名様ですか？
Nanmei sama desu ka?
How many in your party?
| 一人です | Hitori desu | Just me |
| 二人です | Futari desu | Two people |
| 三人です | San-nin desu | Three people |
| 四人です | Yo-nin desu | Four people |
ご注文はお決まりですか？
Gochuumon wa okimari desu ka?
Are you ready to order?
| はい、お願いします | Hai, onegai shimasu | Yes, please go ahead |
| もう少し待ってください | Mou sukoshi matte kudasai | A moment more, please |
| これは何ですか？ | Kore wa nan desu ka? | What is this? (pointing) |
以上でよろしいですか？
Ijou de yoroshii desu ka?
Is that everything?
| はい、以上です | Hai, ijou desu | Yes, that is everything |
| あと〜もお願いします | Ato ~ mo onegai shimasu | I would also like ~ please |
The Most Important Vegan Japanese Phrase in Japan
Showing this on a phone works better than trying to say it out loud:
You say
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 私はベジタリアンです。肉と魚を食べません | Watashi wa bejitarian desu. Niku to sakana o tabemasen | I am vegetarian. I don’t eat meat or fish |
| 動物性のものを一切食べません | Doubutsusei no mono o issai tabemasen | I don’t eat anything of animal origin |
| だしは魚から作られていますか？ | Dashi wa sakana kara tsukurete imasu ka? | Is the dashi made from fish? |
| 植物性のだしはありますか？ | Shokubutsusei no dashi wa arimasu ka? | Do you have a plant-based dashi? |
How These Vegan Japanese Phrases Actually Work
Most restaurants will try to help if you ask clearly. The challenge is not unfriendliness. It is that vegan is not a well-understood category. Vegetarian (bejitarian) is more familiar but still means different things to different people.
The most effective approach: show the dietary restriction phrase on your phone, then point at a specific dish and ask about dashi. Most staff can answer that. If they cannot, they will ask the kitchen.
Set menus (teishoku) tend to be harder because the components are fixed. Ramen, curry and izakaya dishes usually have more room for substitution or separate ordering. Tofu and vegetable dishes at a kaiseki or shojin ryori restaurant need no explanation at all.
For vegan restaurants nearby, HappyCow Japan is the most reliable starting point.
Vegan Japanese Phrases for Dishes and Ordering
You say
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これはビーガン向けですか？ | Kore wa biigan muke desu ka? | Is this suitable for vegans? |
| かつお節は入っていますか？ | Katsuobushi wa haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain bonito flakes? |
| 卵なしで作れますか？ | Tamago nashi de tsukuremasu ka? | Can it be made without egg? |
| すみません | Sumimasen | Excuse me (to call a waiter) |
| これをください | Kore o kudasai | I’ll have this one (pointing) |
| お会計をお願いします | Okaikei o onegai shimasu | The bill, please |
| 別々にお願いします | Betsubetsu ni onegai shimasu | Separate bills, please |
For deeper context on vegan food in Japan, the post on how to eat vegan in Japan explains the hidden animal ingredients to watch for. The vegan izakaya guide shows what a relaxed evening out can look like. These vegan Japanese phrases work whether you are ordering ramen, checking a packaged product, or asking about dashi at an izakaya. These vegan Japanese phrases travel well — keep them on your phone.