7 Traditional Japanese Foods To Try In Kyoto That Are Vegan Friendly

Traditional Japanese Foods To Try

While it’s getting easier to travel as a vegan, and find foods that you can enjoy no matter where you are, some worry about eating in Japan. It’s the country of Wagyu beef and pork ramen bowls, so can you get a good vegan meal when you visit Kyoto? 

You really can, and there’s more out there than you’d think. After all, Japan is a country with a large population of Buddhist monks, so there’s lots here to enjoy. Here’s just a few of the dishes that you need to try on your next trip. 

1. Yuba

Yuba is well known in Kyoto, and totally vegan friendly. Yuba is also known as bean curd or tofu skin, and is a dish that can be served in a variety of ways. 

The dish is made with the skin that’s created when boiling soy milk. This makes it chewy yet silky, and is considered to be delicious.

You can try it on its own, or with vegetables. You’ll often see it being served with a rice bowl, and it’s a great lunch when you’re exploring the city. 

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Whole Wheat Bread By Tangzhong Method

Recipe by Sonia Gupta

Chinese use Tangzhong Method to get softer, lighter and fluffier bread. These breads have long shelf life without using any chemical or preservatives. Japanese originally developed the Tangzhong method.

It is also known as Tangzhong Roux or water roux method. In this method, we mix 1 part of the flour with 5 parts of water and make a smooth paste.

Check out this recipe

2. Gyoza

Gyoza is most well known for containing meat, but these dumplings can often be found full of tasty local vegetables on Kyoto. For example, you can find them in Pettirosso, which serves mostly vegetarian and vegan fare. 

Their gyoza has a vegan ricotta style filling, which has become highly popular with guests. They do change their menu out a lot, but it’s still a firm favorite with their guests. 

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Japanese Style Sesame Beans And Carrot

Recipe by Kirti Misra

Being a mom and an entrepreneur means I have to be innovative and quick in making what ever I make. While I was searching over the net for kids friendly recipes, I found this very interesting recipe where beans were stir fried in this style. And my mom instinct added one more veggie – ie carrot. Check out the easy recipe.

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3. Matcha

Matcha is a green tea powder that’s most typically used for tea, but you can find it in a huge variety of snacks in Kyoto. “Sweets, muffins, beer and chocolate have all got the matcha treatment in recent years” says Andrea Jones, a travel writer at Custom Essay and Term Paper Help. “As such, there’s no shortage of things that you can get with matcha in them.”

In Kyoto specifically, you can try vegan matcha pancakes at Ain Soph Journey. These are light and fluffy pancakes that are the best sweet treat. They’re also gluten free, which is an added bonus. 

4. Taco Rice

Taco rice isn’t a real ‘traditional’ Japanese food, but it’s highly popular in Japan right now. The dish as enjoyed by Japanese people was perfected in Okinawa, and it’s now served all over the country. 

You can find a vegan version on Kyoto at Mumokuteki, which uses plant based meat along with lots of rice, salad, and vegan sour cream. It’s something you’ve got to try on your trip. 

5. Sushi

Yes, sushi really can be made to be vegan friendly. “Obviously, most sushi in Japan will be cooked with fish stock, known as daishi, but you can find vegan sushi in Kyoto” says food blogger Kyle Barrow at Best Essay Writing Services and Order Essay. “You just need to know where to look.”

You’ll find vegan sushi in Ajiro, where you can enjoy traditional Japanese dining. You’ll sit on tatami mats and be served dishes one after the other, with no set menu. It’s a unique experience, and all meals are made with local ingredients. 

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Black Rice Sushi

Recipe by Sweta Biswal

Black Rice Sushi is a very healthy and vegan version of the Japanese delicacy. Made with a filling of tofu, avocado, carrot and cucumber, it is low on calories as well as quite filling due to the black rice. This is one recipe that can easily be made a part of one’s lunchbox. I am skipping the Nori sheets as I want to keep it completely vegan.

Check out this recipe

6. Wagashi

Wagashi is Japanese confectionery, and the good news here is that it’s often vegan by default. These miniature sweets will be served with matcha green tea, and the pair complement each other very well. 

If you want to try it for yourself, you can go to any tea house in Kyoto. They’re highly recommended as part of your Japan trip, as the atmosphere is something that you’ll want to experience. 

7. Shojin Ryori

This is known as ‘temple food’, and is a plant based diet that was created in Buddhist temples. It typically consists of ingredients like yuba, tofu, and local vegetables. 

If you want to try shojin ryori for yourself, then it’s recommended that you go to a temple to try it. Some restaurants will say their shojin ryori is vegan, but they actually use dashi in it. 

There are so many tasty vegan dishes to try in Kyoto, you just need to know what you’re looking for. Now you have an idea of what’s out there, you can enjoy the best of Japan’s cuisine while still eating vegan. 

Jenny Han is a writer at Dissertation Help and Essay Services. She’s a food writer who covers dishes from all over the world. She’s also a writer with Coursework Help.

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