At a glance
- Download the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan’s Korean-language food allergy communication card and mark your allergens and whether cross-contact is possible.
- Unlike packaged foods, restaurant meals cannot be assumed to have uniform allergen labeling. If staff cannot give you a clear answer, don’t eat the food.
- For halal or vegan food, decide what you’ll accept regarding stock, mirin and alcohol, gelatin, and shared cooking equipment, then ask the restaurant specific questions.
Day by day
Suggested itinerary
See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.
Prepare the Consumer Affairs Agency’s Korean-language communication card and an emergency plan, and save alternative places to eat near your accommodation.
Ask specifically about allergens, stock, sauces, fryers, and cooking equipment. If you can’t get a clear answer, don’t order.
Stop eating and follow your medical plan. For a severe reaction, call Japan’s emergency number, 119, immediately.
Places and meals
Clearly explain prohibited ingredients, stock, and the possibility of cross-contact from cooking equipment
Google MapsCheck ingredients and cross-contact through the official menu and staff’s answers
Google MapsHow to fit it in
If you have dietary restrictions, choose a restaurant in the same area as your accommodation that has an official menu and a way to ask questions in advance, rather than prioritizing a famous spot.
Reality check
First look for restaurants near your accommodation where you can easily explain your dietary restrictions. Carry sealed food whose ingredients you’ve checked yourself in case you can’t find a suitable meal.
Set aside 1 hour before your first meal to contact restaurants and buy backup food, and avoid scheduling meals right up against your next activity.
Include sealed backup food, places to buy alternatives, restaurants you can contact, and storage for emergency medication in your budget. Prioritize being able to confirm what’s safe over having a wide menu selection.
Don’t treat staff’s good intentions or a translation app’s answer as a guarantee that the food is safe from allergen cross-contact. For a severe allergy, follow the emergency plan you made with your healthcare provider and use your prescribed medication.
If plans change
Don’t rush to choose another open restaurant. Eat the backup food whose ingredients you’ve checked yourself.
If you feel unwell or it’s hard to communicate, return to your accommodation and eat the food you brought.
Small tip
Terms like “Muslim-friendly” and “vegetarian options available” do not guarantee that a restaurant meets your personal standards. Check allergy safety separately from religious or lifestyle choices.
Final check before departure
- Before departure, check official operating details and reservation requirements for dietary restrictions in Tokyo
- Mark questions about allergens and cross-contact on a Japanese-language card, and share it with your travel companion
- Save nearby shops that sell sealed backup food, when to call 119, and your travel insurance procedures
- Leave 30 minutes free after your first meal, and carry and store prescribed medication as directed by your healthcare provider
- Agree with your travel companion that if a restaurant can’t give a clear answer, you’ll skip ordering and eat the sealed backup food you brought
Verification date: 2026-07-30. The Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan explains the risk of unintended allergen exposure when eating out and the need for clear communication. Download its Korean-language communication card before your visit, and check restaurant hours and transit routes separately.
Information checked: 2026-07-30