Dairy-free, nut-aware & allergy-safe dining in Tokyo

The good news

Traditional washoku leans on rice, fish, soy, vegetables and dashi — so dairy is rare and tree nuts/peanuts are uncommon in classic dishes. Sushi, sashimi, grilled fish, soba, simmered vegetables and most rice dishes carry little dairy or nut by default. That makes Japan, in many ways, an easier place to eat dairy-free than the West.

Where dairy hides

Dairy shows up mainly in yoshoku (Western-influenced Japanese food) and bakeries: butter on grilled corn or scallops, cream croquettes, gratin, and the milk and butter in bread, pastries and many desserts. A matcha latte or a creamy soup is the obvious culprit; a bowl of soba is not.

Where nuts & sesame hide

Tree nuts and peanuts are far less central than in many cuisines, but *sesame (goma) is everywhere — in dressings, gomadare dipping sauce, sprinkled on rice and vegetables, and in many sweets. Peanuts appear in some dressings and snacks; walnuts and ginkgo (ginnan*) turn up in seasonal dishes. If you react to sesame, treat it like a major allergen here and ask about every sauce.

How to reduce risk

• Name the ingredient, not just the label. "Does this contain milk/butter?" or "Does this contain sesame/nuts?" beats "Is this allergy-friendly?"
• Carry a written phrase card (see our dietary phrase card) — a clear Japanese sentence is far more reliable than spoken English.
• For a severe allergy, choose dedicated kitchens. A vegan kitchen like Saido or Sasaya Cafe is dairy-free by definition; a certified gluten-free kitchen like T's Kitchen controls its ingredients tightly; the plant-based bakery Universal Bakes makes everything without eggs, milk or butter.
• Say the magic words for a serious reaction: arerugii ga arimasu. shouryou demo kiken desu. (I have an allergy; even a small amount is dangerous.)

No restaurant outside a certified allergen-free kitchen can guarantee zero cross-contamination, so for anaphylaxis-level allergies, plan ahead and confirm directly.