Show-to-staff phrasebook
Pick your diet and hold your phone up to the staff. The exact Japanese to say what you can’t eat — plus the hidden traps (dashi, mirin, wheat in the soy) that catch first-timers.
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Vegan
私はヴィーガンです。肉・魚・卵・乳製品は食べられません。
Watashi wa vīgan desu. Niku, sakana, tamago, nyūseihin wa taberaremasen.
I'm vegan. I can't eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy.
- 出汁に魚やかつおは使っていますか？Is there fish or bonito in the dashi (stock)?
- 野菜だけで作れますか？Could you make it with vegetables only?
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What to watch for in Japan
- Dashi (fish stock) — in miso soup, simmered dishes, soba/udon broth, many sauces
- Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) sprinkled on top of vegetables and tofu
- Egg in tempura batter, mayonnaise, and ramen toppings
- Honey and gelatin in desserts; lard or chicken stock in ramen broth