Ask anyone you know who has traveled to Japan and you will likely hear a lot of positive things and interesting stories. While every traveler has unique experiences when visiting the place, there are some things that many can probably relate with like how not speaking the language can be a challenge, especially when looking for veg-friendly dining options. This can be a bit daunting for vegetarian or vegan travelers, but should not stop you from going anyway. So what is it like to be a veg traveler in Japan? There is no one-size-fits-all description for it, but here are some things worth keeping in mind.
All the gorgeous places to go and see
The juxtaposition of old and new is one of the many fascinating things that make Japan a wonderful place to visit. It is home to ancient temples and shrines many of which are nestled in the midst of the bustle of highly urbanized cities. World Heritage Sites abound like the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, Itsukushima Shrine, and Mount Fuji to name a few. Not to mention the mesmerizing nature scenery, captivating matsuris (local festivals), delicious traditional Japanese cuisines, impressive robotics and technology, and all the quirky things you will find. There are simply so many beautiful places to go for great adventures.
The growing number of tourists
Japan is the fifth top destination in Asia-Pacific in 2016 according to the World Tourism rankings. And the number of tourists is expected to rise leading to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. So how is this relevant to a veg traveler? You will now have a bigger search pool for if you want to try and find a vegetarian or vegan travel buddy. It could also lead to more tourist-friendly changes in the country to make your trip even more convenient. Case in point, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) has introduced new symbols that will be used as standards for foreign-language maps to make it easier for tourists to navigate and find what they need.
The delicious veg-friendly Japanese foods to try
The language barrier can be a real challenge when looking for vegetarian or vegan eats. What you mean could get lost in translation. But this is something you can avoid with a little bit of foresight and research. There are translation apps like the iTranslate Voice, Japanese Translation, Offline Japanese English Translator + Bilingual Sentences, and Waygo Translator & Dictionary that you can download for free to help you figure out your way through conversations. For veg-friendly foods, you can try the shojin ryori or traditional Buddhist food served in temple lodgings called shukubo or in some restaurants across the country. The zaru soba (cold soba or buckwheat noodles) and wide array of tofu dishes are also a must-try. Some dishes can be quite tricky, especially if you are eating out in local restaurants or hole-in-the-wall eateries where you may have trouble expressing what type of food you are looking for. They may look vegetarian or vegan, but the cooking stock used to prepare the dish or the broth used for the soup known as dashi may be made from fish. Your best option is to order something with dashi made from kelp which is a type of seaweed.
Being a vegetarian or vegan traveler in Japan nowadays is much easier thanks to all the resources available to make your trip much easier. You can equip yourself with tools and apps like translation and veg restaurant finders. Finding a travel buddy or meeting with vegan and vegetarian locals who can share with you some recommendations and tips can also make your trip more fun and convenient.
