Of the best vegan cities in Japan I know, Tokyo is the easiest, because it even works without a plan. Kyoto is fairly easy too but takes more preparation, and it has more traditional food in return. I only spent a short time in Osaka; given the size of the city, I would still call it relatively easy.
Below are all the places I have written about so far, sorted by region, and each tile leads either to an overview or straight to the matching guide. More get added with every trip.
Around Tokyo
Kansai
Kyushu
Routes and day trips
Best vegan cities in Japan: how they compare
| Place | How easy is vegan? | Best for | Highlights | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Fairly easy, even spontaneously | Eating out without a plan, every neighborhood has something | Izakaya Masaka, ramen at Jangara, a full food day in Asakusa | Vegan Tokyo |
| Kyoto | Fairly easy, with planning | Traditional food and temple cuisine | Shojin ryori, soy milk ramen in Gion, Masaka in a machiya | Vegan restaurants Kyoto |
| Osaka | Relatively easy (short visit only) | One or two days between Kyoto and Nara | Papachan ramen in Dotonbori, Medaka at Osaka Station | Vegan restaurants Osaka |
Tokyo is the easiest
Tokyo is where you are most likely to find vegan food on the spot. A bit of research still helps, since the good places are spread across the whole city, even if almost every neighborhood from Asakusa to Shimokitazawa has at least one. All neighborhoods and places are on the Vegan Tokyo page.
Kyoto takes more planning
Kyoto has plenty of good vegan food too, but plan more, because many places are small and the popular ones already have a queue at lunchtime. In return, Kyoto is the city for traditional food: shojin ryori, Buddhist temple cuisine, is vegan by nature. My ten picks are in the guide to vegan restaurants in Kyoto.
Osaka after a short visit
Since I was only in Osaka briefly, my take is a careful one, but the city is big enough to have plenty of vegan options, from ramen in Dotonbori to okonomiyaki made without egg. Everything is in the guide to vegan restaurants in Osaka.
Day trips to smaller places
Outside the big cities it gets harder. My vegan Japan itinerary includes three day trips, to Nikko from Tokyo, Uji from Kyoto and Nara from Osaka. Uji in particular has little vegan food beyond sweets, so pack something in Kyoto first. On the road, the vegan konbini guide helps, and for asking at restaurants, the vegan Japanese phrases.
FAQ
Which city in Japan is best for vegans?
For me it is Tokyo. You can eat vegan there even without planning, because almost every neighborhood has good places. Kyoto is also easy but needs more planning.
Is Kyoto vegan friendly?
If you plan a little, definitely. There are many small vegan restaurants, and shojin ryori is a cuisine that is vegan by default. Traditional dishes outside of that often contain fish-based dashi, so have a look at how to eat vegan in Japan.
How hard is vegan outside the big cities?
Noticeably harder, because small towns often have no fully vegan restaurant at all. That is when konbini, a few Japanese phrases and some food from the last big city save you. For places I haven’t written about yet, HappyCow is the best place to start.
How many days do I need for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka?
My 15-day itinerary has six nights in Tokyo, five in Kyoto, two in Osaka and one last night in Tokyo before flying home. That leaves room for day trips to Nikko, Uji and Nara without every day being packed.
Fukuoka was my first stop in Kyushu. Next on my list: Saga and the porcelain town of Arita, Nagasaki and Kumamoto.