Asakusa is the part of Tokyo I keep coming back to, and when I think of vegan food, the places here come to mind first. So this guide is about vegan restaurants: Tokyo, Asakusa, one full day in one neighborhood.
I did not pick these places because they are the fanciest, but because they fit Asakusa. The neighborhood is lively and has kept more of its old character than most of Tokyo, a city that changes fast.
This is what my vegan day in Asakusa looks like. I have done it exactly this way more than once.
Vegan restaurants Tokyo Asakusa: the day at a glance
Six stops on my Asakusa vegan route, all of them places I have eaten at myself. The order follows the walk from Asakusabashi up to Senso-ji and back out for dinner.
| Stop | What to order | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Cafe Tarot | Vegan Egg-Sando, coffee, muffins | Opens at 7:30, in Asakusabashi |
| Sensing Touch of Earth | Matcha with oat milk | Quiet break on Kappabashi Street |
| Marugoto Vegan Dining | Curry | Fully plant-based, very small |
| Hatoya’s Vegan Fruit Sandwiches | Seasonal fruit sando | Open 11:00 to 16:00 |
| Kanmi Mitsuya | Shiratama with kuromitsu or kinako | Traditional sweet, naturally plant-based |
| Veganic Monkey Magic | 10 to 14 course vegan kaiseki | Thursday to Saturday, reservation required, around 5,000 yen |
A morning of tarot cards, matcha and kitchen knives
Cafe Tarot, the best Asakusa vegan breakfast
Start early. Cafe Tarot opens at 7:30 and the morning slot is worth it. The concept sounds gimmicky but it works: a tarot card simply comes with your order, and there is a little booklet to look up what it means. Whether you believe in any of it or not, it sets a nice tone for the day.
The vegan Egg-Sando is what I order every time I come here. At some point I stopped being able to tell the difference. Same taste, same texture as an egg sandwich. Whether that says something about my memory or about the sandwich I am not sure, but it no longer matters.
Cafe Tarot is technically in Asakusabashi, about a 15-minute walk from Senso-ji. I use that walk as a gentle start to the morning before the neighborhood gets busy.
Kappabashi Street and Sensing Touch of Earth
From Cafe Tarot, walk towards Asakusa through Kappabashi Street. This is the wholesale district where restaurants buy their equipment, but as a tourist it is one of the more interesting shopping streets in Tokyo. Japanese knives in every size, lacquerware, ceramics, ramen bowls. Most of it is stuff you actually want to take home.
My personal weak spot is the baking section. There are baking molds and tools in every shape imaginable: cookie cutters for winter, bread pans, madeleine molds, mini gugelhupf tins, little cake forms I have no practical use for and buy anyway. Easy to spend far longer here than planned.
Halfway through the street, Sensing Touch of Earth is worth a stop. A small, quiet cafe with very good matcha served with oat milk on request. It is a calm break from the shopping.
Lunch at Marugoto Vegan Dining
Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa is fully plant-based. The restaurant is tiny but the staff are very friendly and the curry is excellent. For me it is the most reliable Asakusa vegan lunch, and the one I come back to.
If the weather is good I walk along the Sumida River before or after eating. A few minutes south you reach the bridge that appears in Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Days. Not dramatic, just a quiet concrete bridge over the river. If you have seen the film, you will recognize it.
Marugoto on HappyCow has recent reviews if you want to check the current menu before going.
Senso-ji and vegan sweets in the afternoon
After lunch, head towards Senso-ji. Take your time on the temple grounds. The Asakusa Shrine next to the main hall is quieter and very beautiful. The small stalls and side streets in this part of the neighborhood have a different pace than Nakamise-dori.
One thing worth knowing: Senso-ji is one of the places where you can buy a goshuin-sho, the book used to collect temple seals. The seal itself is beautiful. The queue here is also very long, so either factor in the time or plan to start your collection somewhere with a shorter wait.
If you get hungry again during the afternoon, Hatoya’s Vegan Fruit Sandwiches is a short walk from the shrine: seasonal fruit in plant-based cream, open from 11 to 16. Kanmi Mitsuya nearby does freshly made shiratama with kuromitsu or kinako, naturally plant-based. Both are easy Asakusa vegan snack stops if you have room.
Popular but not personally tested
Kimono rental and rickshaw rides are very present in this area. I have never done either myself, but they seem like a fun way to experience the neighborhood if that is your thing.
Vegan kaiseki at Veganic Monkey Magic in the evening
This one needs planning, and it also needs a warning: the chef runs the whole restaurant dressed as a monkey. It sounds absurd, and it is a little, but the food is excellent. A vegan kaiseki menu of 10 to 14 courses, served to eight guests in a small inn. Around 5,000 yen per person. The sake tasting alongside is worth adding.
Open Thursday to Saturday only, reservations required. Check availability before planning the rest of the day around it. If you only splurge on one vegan kaiseki dinner in Tokyo, this is the one I would book.
More vegan places in Asakusa
Not every day works out as planned, and Monkey Magic is closed four days a week. These two are the backups I keep in mind.
Vegan Eat Tokyo Asakusa
Japanese-Italian fusion and open daily. That makes it the easiest dinner option in the neighborhood when the kaiseki route does not fit your dates. It is one of the better-known places in the Asakusa vegan scene. Vegan Eat Tokyo on HappyCow has the current hours and menu.
Vegan Izakaya Nowhere
Opened in December 2024 near Tokyo Skytree, just across the river from Asakusa, and fully plant-based. A good choice if you want izakaya plates and a drink rather than a long course menu. If you are in Shibuya on another evening, Izakaya Masaka is the vegan izakaya I would pick there.
Where to stay for an Asakusa vegan day
The area between Asakusa Shrine and Asakusabashi is a solid base for this kind of day. Hotels and hostels here tend to be reasonably priced, the neighborhood is quiet, and the transport connections are excellent. Multiple train and subway lines put most of Tokyo within easy reach, and every stop in this guide is within walking distance.
If this is your first time navigating vegan food in Japan, the honest guide to eating vegan in Japan is a good starting point. And if you end up at a convenience store between meals, the vegan konbini guide covers what to actually look for.
For navigation and finding vegan spots on the go, reliable mobile data is essential. An eSIM can be set up before departure and activated right after landing. Which providers to choose is covered in the Japan eSIM guide.
Looking for another slow Tokyo neighborhood day? Shimokitazawa has vintage shops and a weekend flea market, and Nakameguro is all canal walks and small cafes.
FAQ
Is Asakusa good for vegans?
Yes. For its size, Asakusa has one of the best mixes of vegan options in Tokyo: breakfast at Cafe Tarot, curry at Marugoto, fruit sandos at Hatoya and a vegan kaiseki dinner at Veganic Monkey Magic, all within walking distance.
Where can I get a vegan breakfast in Asakusa?
Cafe Tarot in Asakusabashi opens at 7:30. Order the vegan Egg-Sando. It is about a 15-minute walk from Senso-ji.
Do I need a reservation for Veganic Monkey Magic?
Yes. It seats eight guests and is only open Thursday to Saturday, so book before you plan the rest of your day around it.
Which vegan restaurants in Asakusa are open every day?
Vegan Eat Tokyo Asakusa is open daily and is the easiest fallback for dinner. For lunch, check the current hours of Marugoto Vegan Dining on HappyCow before you go.
Asakusa is still the neighborhood I would start with.
