My sister May is back in the studio for another episode! This time, however, May interviews me instead of me interviewing her. We chat about being vegan in Japan– the hurdles I faced with family, the perception of veganism in Japan, what/where we ate, and more.
May’s IG: @vegasdining
May’s blog: vegasdininginsta.wordpress.com
May’s Vegas Dining Facebook Page: facebook.com/vegasdining
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Music by Ellis Delta: https://www.soundcloud.com/ellisdelta
Follow me on Instagram: @annawildman
Email me: annanwildman@gmail.com
SHOW NOTES:
How to say no meat/fish/dairy in Japanese:
- No meat: NIKU-NASHI
- No fish: SAKANA-NASHI
- No dairy: NYUU-SEI-HIN-NASHI
Places we visited with all ingredients listed:
- Andersen
- Soup Stock
- Department store food vendors (on the B1 floor)
- Isetan, Mitsukoshi, Loft, Takashimaya, etc.
- Most other chains will have lists available too. Just ask, “Zairyou-no-risuto-wa-arimasuka?”
About Koya-san:
- Buddhist temple village in Wakayama prefecture. Stay at one of the temples to enjoy exclusively vegan food! (Monk’s cuisine is called shojin-ryori, which is 100% vegan)
- We stayed at Jofuku-in (loved it!)
- For more info: http://www.japan-guide.com
Vegan restaurants we went to in Tokyo:
- Nagi-shokudo (In Shibuya)
- T’s Tan-tan Ramen (Inside Tokyo station)
- Not mentioned in the podcast:
- Cafe the 6BT (In Roppongi. Loved it; come for dinner. All you can drink for 900 yen!! Vegan ramen, dinner sets, etc)
- Veganic To Go (In Roppongi. Super cute. Lots of veggie burgers and rice bowls. Come for lunch.)
- Chabuzen (In Shimokitazawa. Tiny place, run by one guy in what seems like his own kitchen/house. Japanese/Indian curries, noodles, and more. I really liked it and would go back for sure.)
- For a full list of vegan/vegan-friendly places in Japan: https://www.happycow.net/asia/japan/
Japanese vegan treats/sweets:
- Warabi-mochi (bracken-starch mochi)
- Yokan (jelly-like dessert made w/ red bean paste, sugar and agar)
- Mochi (check ingredients; most are vegan but some aren’t)
- Zenzai (red bean soup w/ mochi)
- Senbei (rice crackers; some use fish dashi so check the ingredients for “katsuo” or “katsuo-bushi,” which are fish products)
