← Presentation

Dining Guide

31 restaurants across 8 areas

Curated for vegetarian/vegan travelers with celiac-level gluten allergy. GF = gluten-free. Always carry a Japanese allergy card and tamari packets.

Allergy Card

Show this to restaurant staff

私はセリアック病です。小麦・大麦・ライ麦を食べられません。醤油の代わりにたまりを使ってください。

I have celiac disease. I cannot eat wheat, barley, or rye. Please use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Safe foods

  • ✔ Plain rice (gohan) — always GF
  • ✔ Onigiri — umeboshi, kombu, nattō fillings (check labels for wheat)
  • ✔ Edamame — naturally GF + vegan
  • ✔ Mochi/daifuku — glutinous rice ≠ gluten
  • ✔ Yakiimo — roasted sweet potato from street vendors
  • ✔ Fresh fruit — Japan's fruit is extraordinary
  • ✔ Tofu (hiyayakko/yudofu) — ask for tamari instead of soy sauce

Watch out

  • ✘ Soy sauce (shōyu) — contains wheat. Request tamari.
  • ✘ Tempura batter — wheat-based
  • ✘ Ramen/udon/soba noodles — wheat (soba is buckwheat + wheat mix)
  • ✘ Dashi broth — usually bonito (fish), ask for kombu dashi
  • ✘ Miso — some contain wheat/barley
  • ✘ Okonomiyaki — wheat batter unless rice flour specified
  • ✘ Gyoza wrappers — wheat
Useful apps:HappyCowFind Me Gluten FreeVegewel.comGoogle Translate camera mode

Tokyo / Shibuya

Days 1, 2, 3, 4

Ain Soph Journey

アインソフ ジャーニー
¥¥¥

Vegan & GF gourmet fusion

Shinjuku

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan pancakes — over half the menu is GF

English GF menu. Cross-contact possible in shared kitchen. 1 min from Shinjuku-sanchōme C5 exit.

View restaurant

Vegan Izakaya Masaka

ヴィーガン居酒屋マサカ
¥¥¥

All-vegan Japanese izakaya

Shibuya PARCO B1F

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan karaage with teriyaki mayo

All items vegan. QR code English menu. Small (20 seats), arrive early on weekends.

View restaurant

Vegan Bistro Jangara

ヴィーガンビストロ ジャンガラ
¥¥¥

Vegan ramen

Harajuku

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan ramen with GF noodle swap (small upcharge)

Fully vegan. Dedicated GF noodle option. 3 min from Harajuku Station.

View restaurant

Brown Rice Cafe

ブラウンライス
¥¥¥

Organic vegan Japanese

Omotesandō

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must trySeasonal vegan set meal (shoku teishoku)

Hidden inside Neal's Yard Remedies shop. Walk through the shop, glass door in back. 1 min from Omotesandō A1.

View restaurant

Tera Cafe

テラカフェ
¥¥¥

Shōjin ryōri (Buddhist temple food)

Daikanyama

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must trySeasonal shōjin set — served by monks (Wed–Fri)

Temple food, no garlic/onion. GF possible with advance notice — soy sauce contains wheat. Ask for tamari.

View restaurant

Magokoro (Kamakura)

麻ごころ
¥¥¥

Organic hemp vegan cafe

Kamakura (Hase, near Great Buddha)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryMagokoro set: brown rice, tofu 'meat', tempeh, 3 daily sides

Yuigahama beach views. Farm-to-table. Fri–Sun only. 4 min from Hase Station. Perfect for Day 3 Kamakura trip.

View restaurant

Choice Kitchen (Kawaguchiko)

チョイスキッチン
¥¥¥

Plant-based buffet

Kawaguchiko (Mt Fuji area)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must try40–50 dish vegetable buffet with local Yamanashi produce

15 min walk from Kawaguchiko Station. Lunch & dinner buffet. Perfect for Day 4 Mt Fuji trip.

View restaurant

Kumamoto & Kyushu

Days 5, 6, 7
⚠️
Survival tips

Kumamoto is rural — GF options are genuinely limited. Stock up at konbini: plain onigiri (ume/kombu), edamame, fresh fruit, yakiimo. For Kurokawa day trip, pack snacks from Kumamoto.

Cafe Pony

カフェポニー
¥¥¥

All-vegan organic cafe

Kumamoto city (Minami Ward)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan plant-based burger with brown rice

Your SAFEST option in Kumamoto. Explicit GF + vegan menu. Macrobiotic focus. 13 min walk from Heisei Station.

View restaurant

Purely Restaurant

ピュアリィレストラン
¥¥¥

Organic vegetarian kaiseki

Near Kumamoto Castle

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryMonthly rotating organic kaiseki with zero-pesticide rice

Beautiful 140-year house. Contact ahead (+81-96-323-1552) for GF protocols — not a dedicated GF kitchen.

View restaurant

Tofu Kissho (Kurokawa Onsen)

とうふ吉祥
¥¥¥

Handmade tofu restaurant

Kurokawa Onsen village

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryAgedashi tofu, dengaku (miso-glazed), tofu ice cream

Charming thatched-roof tofu shop. Vegan-friendly but miso contains wheat — NOT celiac-safe without tamari. Bring your own GF soy sauce.

View restaurant

Onomichi & Shimanami Kaido

Days 8, 9
🚲
Cycling fuel guide
  • GF protein bars (2-3)
  • Rice crackers or GF granola
  • Nuts and dried fruit
  • Onigiri from Onomichi konbini (grab 4-5 before starting)
  • Individual tamari packets (for any rice dishes you find)
  • Electrolyte powder or Pocari Sweat

Lawson/FamilyMart/7-Eleven every 15-20km along route. Safe bets: rice balls (check for wheat - 小麦), edamame, bananas, Pocari Sweat.

Use Google Translate camera mode to scan konbini labels for 小麦 (wheat). Kanji is your friend.

Komedoko Shokudo

こめどこ食堂
¥¥¥

Japanese contemporary (fermented foods)

Onomichi waterfront

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan GF ramen with rice flour noodles — your best bet in Onomichi

Owner actively develops GF dishes. Waterfront views. Request advance notice for GF prep. This is the one reliable option.

View restaurant

Kameyama Goya (Innoshima Island)

カメヤマゴーヤ
¥¥¥

Asian fusion (Thai/Vietnamese)

Innoshima Island (~20km into ride)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryGreen curry (verify no fish sauce) or pho with vegetable broth

Only real island restaurant option. Confirm GF and ask about fish sauce in curries. Scenic cycling café stop.

View restaurant

Osaka

Days 10, 11

Vegan and Gluten Free Osaka

ビーガンアンドグルテンフリーオオサカ
¥¥¥

Dedicated vegan + GF Japanese fusion

Umeda (near JR Osaka Station)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryEverything — ALL menu items are vegan AND gluten-free

100% dedicated GF + vegan facility. 3 min from JR Osaka Station (B1F Ekimae 4th Building). Reservations recommended. Your safest meal in Osaka.

View restaurant

OKO Fun Okonomiyaki

OKO オコ
¥¥¥

GF okonomiyaki (rice flour batter)

Shinsaibashi

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan okonomiyaki with okara (soy pulp) batter instead of wheat

Separate grill for GF orders. The Osaka experience you NEED — okonomiyaki without the wheat.

View restaurant

Pivot BASE Cafe

ピボットベースカフェ
¥¥¥

Vegan street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki)

Dotonbori

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan takoyaki (¥1,000 for 10 pieces)

100% vegan. Takoyaki has wheat flour — NOT GF. Okonomiyaki can be made GF on request. English menu.

View restaurant

CHIBO Diversity

ちぼ ダイバーシティ
¥¥¥

Multi-dietary Japanese comfort food

Dotonbori (main street)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan donburi or shōjin ryōri plate

Clearly labeled menus for GF/vegan/halal/shōjin. Staff trained on allergies. Right on Dotonbori main drag.

View restaurant

Kyoto (day trip)

Days 12

Choice Cafe

チョイス
¥¥¥

Vegan + GF Japanese fusion

Higashiyama (Sanjo-Keihan)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryGrain & bean burger with salad (¥1,100)

Uses TAMARI throughout (not regular soy sauce). Broth without fish. Best celiac-safe option in Kyoto. Closed Thursdays.

View restaurant

Gion Soy Milk Ramen

祇園豆乳ラーメン うのゆきこ
¥¥¥

Vegan soy milk ramen

Gion

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must trySoy Milk Snow Ramen with rice flour noodles (¥1,500)

100% plant-based. Rice flour noodles (GF). Tamari used. Weekday lunch only (11–14:00). World's only soy milk patissier.

View restaurant

Shigetsu at Tenryū-ji

篩月
¥¥¥

Shōjin ryōri (Buddhist temple cuisine)

Arashiyama

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryMulti-course shōjin set (¥3,300–¥8,000) in temple garden

RESERVATION REQUIRED (075-882-9725). Michelin recognized. Inside Tenryū-ji Temple (¥500 garden entry). Standard soy sauce — request tamari at booking (not guaranteed).

View restaurant

Kyoto Engine Ramen

京都エンジンラーメン
¥¥¥

Vegan ramen with GF noodles

Kawaramachi (Shinkyogoku)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryKyoto Beaning Vegan Ramen (edamame-based, ¥1,800) + GF noodles (+¥200)

In-house broth = wheat-free. GF noodles available. Two vegan options. Safest ramen in Kyoto for celiac.

View restaurant

Ain Soph Journey Kyoto

アインソフ ジャーニー京都
¥¥¥

Vegan fusion (same chain as Tokyo)

Kawaramachi

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryMatcha pancakes (¥1,800) or cutlet burger

GF + Oriental Vegan options. Kitchen not allergen-free — cross-contamination possible. 2 min from Hankyu Kawaramachi exit 9.

View restaurant
Extended Trip Restaurants

Extra restaurant recommendations for extended trip locations. The couple has celiac-level gluten allergy — GF safety is critical. They're less experienced with Japan, so detailed guidance matters more.

Kyoto (Extended Stay)

Days 14, 15, 16

CHOICE

チョイス
¥¥¥

Vegan & GF Japanese/International

Northern Higashiyama

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryEverything — 100% vegan AND 100% gluten-free establishment. Ramen, burgers, cakes, all safe.

Entirely dedicated vegan/GF restaurant. 32 seats. Closed Thursdays.

View restaurant

Gion Soy Milk Ramen

祇園豆乳ラーメン
¥¥¥

Vegan GF Ramen

Gion (Higashiyama)

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must trySoy milk ramen with rice noodles — the only dedicated GF ramen restaurant in Japan

Celiac-certified. Also has GF gyoza, curry rice, and vegan cakes. 11:00-20:30 daily.

View restaurant

TOUSUIRO Gion

豆水楼 祇園店
¥¥¥

GF Kaiseki (haute cuisine)

Gion

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan kaiseki 'Rokuhara' course (¥7,500) — multi-course Japanese haute cuisine in a 130-year-old merchant house

Requires advance reservation (3 days for GF preparation). A once-in-a-lifetime meal.

View restaurant

Moon and Back Ramen Bar

ムーンアンドバック
¥¥¥

Vegan Ramen

Near Nishiki Market

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must trySpicy Tandan Ramen — white sesame broth with bok choy and tofu skin

GF rice noodles available (+¥275 surcharge). Two Kyoto locations.

View restaurant

Yoshuji

よしの字
¥¥¥

Shōjin Ryōri (Buddhist)

Kurama

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegetarian noodle bowls and set lunch in a traditional farmhouse with irori fire pit

3 min from Kurama Station. English menu. Mostly naturally GF. Closed Tuesdays. Call ahead to confirm GF.

View restaurant

Hakone

Days 17, 18
⚠️
Survival tips

Hakone is tough for GF. Most restaurants use standard soy sauce and dashi. Your best bets: Nukafuku (100% GF, Gora area), ryokan meals (request GF 2+ weeks ahead), and konbini onigiri. Pack tamari packets and GF snacks from Kyoto before arriving. The Amasake Tea House on the Old Tokaido Road serves amazake (fermented rice drink) which is naturally GF and vegan.

Nukafuku

ぬかふく
¥¥¥

GF donuts & vegan snacks

Gora

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryRice bran donuts — rotating daily flavors, all 100% GF

Owner speaks excellent English and understands celiac. Also has vegan sausages, smoothies, dango. Takeaway only.

View restaurant

Shika-jaya

しか定家
¥¥¥

Traditional tofu & yamaimo

Hakone-Yumoto

✗ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryOkabe Zen course — fully vegan tofu set

Bring your own tamari — standard soy sauce has wheat. Staff experienced with modifications. Closed Thursdays.

View restaurant

Matsumoto & Nakasendo

Days 19, 20, 21
⚠️
Survival tips

Matsumoto is surprisingly good for GF because of its soba culture — 100% buckwheat (juwari) soba is naturally GF. Always confirm 'juwari' (十割) not 'nihachi' (二八, which is 80% buckwheat + 20% wheat). On the Nakasendo trail: pack ALL food from konbini before starting. The only trail stop is Tateba-jaya which offers free matcha (GF). In Tsumago: gohei mochi (grilled rice on a stick with sesame/walnut sauce) is naturally GF and vegan — confirm no fish broth.

Takagi Soba

蕎麦 たかぎ
¥¥¥

100% Buckwheat Soba

Near Matsumoto Castle

✓ GF✗ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryJuwari soba (100% buckwheat noodles) — naturally GF. Request plain or with salt instead of soy sauce.

Buckwheat is NOT wheat — it's naturally gluten-free. This shop uses 100% buckwheat, no wheat filler. Staff very knowledgeable.

View restaurant

Asian Station

アジアンステーション
¥¥¥

Nepalese/Indian

Central Matsumoto

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan curry with rice — naturally GF. Excellent naan but skip it (wheat).

#8 of 998 restaurants on TripAdvisor, 4.9 rating. Only a few tables — book ahead. Owner very allergy-aware.

View restaurant

Menshoshinbusakiya

麺小新ぶさきや 松本店
¥¥¥

GF Ramen

Matsumoto

✓ GF✓ Vegan✓ Veg
Must tryVegan ramen with brown rice noodles — specifically designed for celiac diners

Staff extremely knowledgeable about celiac disease. Small chain with 4 locations in Japan.

View restaurant