- Casual
- Private room
A pioneering natural Indian vegetarian restaurant (the brand dates to 1989) serving spice-forward curries and tandoor naan in a spacious basement near Ogikubo Station. Vegan, vegetarian, halal and five-allium-free menus make it unusually accommodating.
Can I eat here?
Diets our editors confirmed in person· English menu / support
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Vegetarian
私はベジタリアンで、肉と魚は食べません。
Watashi wa bejitarian de, niku to sakana wa tabemasen.
I'm vegetarian — I don't eat meat or fish.
- この料理に肉や魚のだしは入っていますか？Does this dish contain meat or fish stock?
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Details
- Nearest station
- Ogikubo Stn
- Cuisine
- Indian vegetarian / vegan curry
- Price
- ¥¥
- English menu / support
- ✓
- Signature
- Organic vegetable curries with tandoor naan; vegan, vegetarian and halal menus
Nataraj Ogikubo belongs to a restaurant group whose original store, in Takadanobaba, opened in 1989 as Japan's first vegetarian Indian restaurant; that store relocated to this Ogikubo address in 1998, and the kitchen still runs on the same founding idea: curry built entirely from vegetables, legumes and soy meat, seasoned with enough spice complexity that nobody notices the meat is missing.
The dining room sits below street level, a wide, softly lit basement about a minute from Ogikubo Station's south exit, dressed in carvings and decor shipped in from India, with a small stage the restaurant occasionally uses for live music or dance. It seats around a hundred, with private parties of fifty to a hundred guests a routine booking, and children are welcomed, with a kids' menu and infant-friendly facilities.
The naan is made with domestic wheat and natural yeast, then finished in a tandoor — the restaurant's own recipe rather than a generic import. Vegetables come from the group's own organic farms in Yamanashi and Chiba; spinach curry is a standing favorite, and the weekday lunch buffet runs close to entirely plant-based.
On dietary specifics: Nataraj does not carry third-party halal certification, but the kitchen describes itself as halal-only, uses dedicated halal utensils, and is run by a Muslim owner, worth knowing if you need certified rather than accommodated. Vegan, vegetarian and five-allium-free (no onion or garlic) requests are all handled as a matter of course.
Reserve online through Tabelog or Hot Pepper rather than by phone; same-day booking is usually possible. Bring a card if you would rather not carry cash, since all major brands are accepted.
Last verified Jul 2026
Hours and details can change — please confirm before you visit.
