Japan, 日本
It’s easy to imagine Japan as a coeliac’s dream thanks to its focus on fresh, simple ingredients and naturally healthy dishes. But the reality is that much of the cuisine is soy-sauce based, processed with wheat, or prepared in environments where cross-contamination is common. Awareness of gluten allergies and coeliac disease has traditionally been low, which can make eating safely a real challenge. That said, don’t let this stop you from visiting this incredible country!
The main reason gluten-free travel can feel difficult is that diagnosed coeliac disease and gluten intolerance are uncommon in Japan so the need for gluten-free options simply wasn’t on the radar for a long time.
But here’s the good news: things are changing!
Over the last few years, as tourism has surged, Japan’s major cities have started recognising the demand for gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan food. As a result, more and more gluten free restaurants and bakeries are opening. You can now find safe versions of beloved Japanese dishes that were once considered entirely off-limits.
It’s still important to plan ahead and stay cautious, but travelling gluten-free in Japan is becoming easier every year. And with the growing number of thoughtful, accessible options, exploring the food culture is more possible - and more exciting - than ever.
Click below on the cities I've been to for restaurant, bakery & cafe reviews, and scroll further down to see my general restaurant tips, what type of convenience store food you can eat, and which characters to look out for when reading labels + a link to a great allergy card!
Restaurant Tips!
Eating out in Japan as a gluten-free traveller can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but with the right prep it’s honestly so much easier than it used to be - and way more delicious. Over the past few years, Japan has seen a big rise in gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-aware restaurants, especially in major cities. With that in mind, here are a few simple tips that made my trips smoother, safer, and a whole lot more enjoyable.
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Always book restaurants when possible - even small places often rely on reservations.
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Check each restaurant’s Instagram for opening hours - schedules change often, and Japan has many public holidays. (I’ve linked Instagrams throughout my guide.)
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Carry cash just in case - some cafés, bakeries, and local spots still don’t accept cards.
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Bring a translation/allergy card - I use the Equal Eats gluten-free/coeliac card and it makes communication so much easier.
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Look for gluten-free + vegan or vegan-friendly places - these often have the safest options.
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Don’t worry too much - it’s genuinely getting better every year, and new gluten-free spots are opening all the time.
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Click the image to check out the Equal Eats Allergy Cards, you can get them in 50 languages!
Use code: MORGANMCKENZIEM for 10% off.
Convenience Store (Con-bi-ni)
In Japan, every corner has a conbini, or convenience store, such as 7/11, Family Mart, and Lawsons. These are immaculately presented and always stocked with fresh and cheap food, used a lot for work lunches or quick dinners.
For a Coeliac, you have to develop a keen eye for the kanji (Japanese characters) that represent wheat, barley, and malt. That can seem like a big task at first, especially if you don't speak a lick of Japanese, but trust me, you get used to it pretty quickly. I would also strongly recommend downloading the google translate app and using the photo feature for the ingredients lists.
Below is a quick guide of the characters to look out for, please feel free to screen shot.
Wheat -小麦
Barley - 大麦
Malt - 麦芽
Wholewheat - 全粒小麦
Wheat Starch - 小麦澱粉
Soy Sauce - 醤油
Processed Starch - 加工澱粉
Gluten - グルテン
Here are some examples of gluten free food available at the conbini
Here are some examples of labels on food packaging
This is an example of allergy warnings on packaged food. Unfortunately not all foods have this helpful blue box yet, but it's much quicker than looking through the ingredients list.
The top of the blue box say's 27 allergens (Japan has 27 standard allergens instead of 14), and inside the blue box it states the allergens are milk, soy, chicken, pork, and pork gelatin. At a glance you might think it's gluten free.
However, in the blue writing at the bottom it says that it is made in a factory that handles wheat, egg, and shrimp.
Don't be discouraged, once you get the hang of using the google translate map it's a relatively quick process to find out what you are able to eat!
This is an example of fresh food labeling on an onigiri, or rice ball.
Unfortunately, many rice balls are not gluten free as the flavours often contain soy. Your best bet is to look for salted, plain salmon, or even pickled plum flavoured onigiri.
As you may notice, it's a little bit more difficult to pick up on the ingredients to the untrained eye. Sometimes you will find that all the allergens are listed in the last bracket of the ingredients. In this one it states that wheat and soy are present!
