Food Allergies and Dietary Needs in Japan: Phrases, Hidden Ingredients and Allergy Cards
You can eat safely in Japan with a food allergy, or as a vegetarian, vegan or halal eater, but it takes preparation. The two biggest pitfalls are hidden ingredients, especially fish-based dashi stock in many “vegetable” dishes, and menus or staff that can’t answer detailed questions in English. Carry a clear card in Japanese explaining exactly what you can’t eat, learn a handful of phrases, and check packaged food labels, which list major allergens. This guide covers what to say, what to look for and where it gets tricky.
Know the hidden ingredients
- Dashi (だし), the stock behind miso soup, noodle broths and many simmered dishes, is usually made from bonito fish flakes. A dish with no visible meat or fish may still contain it.
- Soy sauce contains wheat, which matters for coeliac disease and wheat allergies.
- Mirin and sake are common in sauces, which matters for halal diets.
- Pork or lard can appear in gyoza, ramen broth, curry roux and some bread.
- Sesame, egg and shellfish turn up in dressings, batters and garnishes.
Allergy labels on packaged food
Packaged food in Japan must show certain major allergens, including egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat (そば), peanut, shrimp, crab and walnut, with others recommended. Look for the アレルギー or 原材料名 (ingredients) section. Restaurant food is not covered in the same way, so you need to ask.
Phrases to know
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 〇〇アレルギーがあります。 | ○○ arerugī ga arimasu | I’m allergic to ○○. |
| 〇〇は入っていますか。 | ○○ wa haitte imasu ka | Does this contain ○○? |
| 〇〇抜きでお願いします。 | ○○ nuki de onegai shimasu | Without ○○, please. |
| 少しでも食べられません。 | sukoshi demo taberaremasen | I can’t eat even a small amount. |
| ベジタリアンです。肉と魚、だしも食べられません。 | bejitarian desu. niku to sakana, dashi mo taberaremasen | I’m vegetarian. I can’t eat meat, fish or fish stock. |
| 豚肉とアルコールが食べられません。 | butaniku to arukōru ga taberaremasen | I can’t have pork or alcohol. |
Useful words: 卵 (tamago, egg), 乳製品 (nyūseihin, dairy), 小麦 (komugi, wheat), そば (buckwheat), 落花生／ピーナッツ (peanut), えび (shrimp), かに (crab), ごま (sesame), ナッツ (nuts).
Carry a card in Japanese
A short, clear card works better than trying to explain in the moment, especially in a busy restaurant. Include:
- Exactly what you can’t eat, including hidden forms (for example, “no fish, including dashi, fish sauce or bonito flakes”).
- How serious it is (“a severe allergy; even a trace can make me very ill”).
- A polite thank-you, such as お手数をおかけしますが、よろしくお願いします.
Have a native speaker check the wording. A small mistake on an allergy card can change its meaning. If you have a severe allergy, also learn the emergency phrases in Japanese for emergencies.
Tips for eating out
- Book ahead and mention your needs, especially for kaiseki meals at a ryokan, where everything is prepared in advance. See ryokan and onsen etiquette.
- Choose places that can adapt: restaurants with a printed allergen chart (common at chains), dedicated vegetarian or vegan restaurants, and halal-certified restaurants in big cities.
- Shōjin ryōri, traditional Buddhist temple cuisine, is plant-based by tradition, but still confirm that the dashi is made without fish.
- Convenience stores list ingredients clearly; see Japanese at the convenience store.
For general restaurant phrases and manners, see eating out in Japan.
How Hanabuddies can help
We can translate your allergy or dietary card into clear, natural Japanese, checked by a native speaker, for your own use when travelling. A short lesson before your trip can also prepare you to ask the questions and understand the answers, so you can eat with confidence.