Fucha Ryori Bon

Fucha Ryori Bon has served fucha-ryori — the Buddhist banquet cuisine that Obaku Zen monks brought from China roughly 360 years ago — from the same address in Ryusen, a quiet temple district near Asakusa, since it opened in the spring of 1959. John Lennon and Yoko Ono are among the diners who have eaten here over the decades, drawn by a menu built entirely without meat, fish, onion, or garlic.

The courses (¥6,000–¥10,000) arrive dish by dish under lidded bowls, each one uncovered at the table as a small reveal. A soy-based “mock eel” glazed in a sweet, smoky sauce is the dish regulars ask for by name, alongside unpen, a stewed vegetable classic that traces directly back to the Obaku temple kitchens of 17th-century Uji. Seating is in private tatami rooms — some fitted with sunken floors and chair-height seating for guests who can’t sit on the floor for a full course — looking out over a small interior garden through low windows, with exposed beams and bamboo giving the rooms a quiet, worked-wood warmth rather than a museum stillness.

Because this is temple food rather than a modern vegan restaurant, the kitchen treats the ban on onion, garlic, and other pungent ingredients as a religious rule, not a dietary trend — worth knowing if you’re vegan for health reasons rather than tradition, since the flavor profile leans toward umami built from vegetables and kelp rather than the alliums many diners expect.

Practical note: every seat is reservation-only (call 03-3872-0375; same-day cancellations are charged), staff explain each course as it's served — you'll get an English overview leaflet rather than an itemized English menu — and credit cards are accepted at dinner only — bring cash if you’re coming for lunch. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Iriya Station.