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Black_Beer_Man · Joined: 26 Mar 2013 Posts: 453 Location: Yokohama

Any ideas why the vegetarian lifestyle has not caught on in Japan? In virtually every industrialized country, there are a fairly large number of vegetarians - at least enough for companies such as Burger King to decide to sell veggie burgers.

In Japan, I have not noticed many restaurants offering vegetarian dishes.

You would think that the artistic community in Japan would also have a fair number of vegetarians.

Anyone know much about the veggie scene in Japan?

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Go to Kyoto.
Kyo ryori is food that focuses on dishes without meat. Japanese did not eat pork and beef in the past mostly.

Solar Strength · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 557 Location: Bangkok, Thailand

If you're not satisfied with your life in Japan, go to Taiwan. They have vegetarian buffets there.

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

I think it hasn't caught on because, culturally, fish isn't considered to be a form of meat here. So there's no driving force to offer fish-free veggie options. If you eat fish, meat-free food is available everywhere.

True veggie food is out there, but it's not so easy to find. Much as vegan food is available in other industrialized countries, but you have to search for it, whereas veggie food is widely available.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Its interesting. As Japan was vegetarian for a good while. Now all vegetable foods like veggie pizza or veggie gyoza have meat in it

steki47 · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 1029 Location: BFE Inaka

Most Japanese will give you some BS line: "meat is delicious", etc.

The Buddhist clergy here eat anything. You can see pizza delivery scooters outside temples.

As others said, Taiwan is much more supportive of vegetarianism. A buddy of mine is one and lives in Taipei. I am not one but enjoyed the dishes I tried.

Personal gripe: Have met several vegetarians in Japan. Some were cool about it and 1. compromised and ate fish or 2. suffered in silence. Quite a few were incredibly nasty and selfish and complained constantly about how Japan did not meet their dietary needs. Yeah, they were a hoot! Evil or Very Mad

Black_Beer_Man · Joined: 26 Mar 2013 Posts: 453 Location: Yokohama

Veggie food may be available, but I have yet to meet a Japanese person who directly says "I am a vegetarian."

I always thought Japanese people followed trendy things fron the West.

Plus, whether you agree with vegetarians or not, there are many facts that support the vegetarian diet (low obesity rates, less heart disease and cancer, lower greenhouse gas footprint). The Japanese generally pick up the best ideas from Western culture and run with them. This one has been missed.

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

RustyShackleford · Joined: 13 May 2013 Posts: 449

Pitarou · Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 1116 Location: Narita, Japan

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Cool Teacher · Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:31 am Post subject:

I think I know about 4 vegeatarians in Japan and one of them eats fish and 2 of them became meat eaters AFTER they left Japan and moved to Australia!!! Shocked

My idea about this is that nobody in Japan is really that interested in vegetarianism and don't really understand it very much anwya. If you said you are a vegatearian then most Japanese will probably think you can eat fish or dashi or katsuo or other fish stocks and stuff they probably just think you don't eat sausages and yakiniku and probably might think it has something to do with health reasons. Wink

If you tell them that you actually feel sorry for the animals then most Japanese will probably go Surprised

or they will think Laughing

Even if you explain the whole Buddhism thing about avoiding eating meat for karma reasons then they will probably go Confused

That was really susrprising about the two vegetarians I knew from NZ who were vegetarian here. They seemed to manage okay but it was difficult for them going out because most food in restaurants could have meat in them. Even "vegetable okonomiyaki" would often have big chunks of pork thrown in there or the rice balls might come covered in katsuo with bits of salmon inside! Laughing

But when they went to Austrailia where I think you can be a vegetarian easy, they suddently started eating barbecue steaks and burgers and spare ribs.!!! Surprised

Not even a slight compromise about gelatine in sweets or the odd fishfinger but straight to dead cow carcasse on the bone which they ripped off with their canine insicors!! Laughing

Anyway, good luck with your food adventures. You can usually find some vegetairan restuatrants in the big cities. Wink

kah5217 · Joined: 29 Sep 2012 Posts: 270 Location: Ibaraki

I had a very hard time trying to get my fellow teachers to understand why I don't eat food that's looking at me (nothing but laughs and shrimp taunts the rest of the night), so I can imagine the kind of trouble moral vegetarians have.

steki47 · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 1029 Location: BFE Inaka

teenoso · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china

Back in the 90s I remember going to a vegetarian restaurant in Kyoto, near the Uni somewhere . So I am surprised the movement has not got bigger.

China has a fair few Buddhist temple canteens that serve only 'mock chicken' etc. made from tofu /doufu. The foreign students here who are Muslim are also well-served by halal restaurants everywhere, owned by Xinjiang and Uigur Muslims from North west China.
Maybe in this respect (only ?) China is more 'accommodating' than Japan ?