How our allergen data works

Reading the containment labels

For each menu item, we show how each allergen is present using these labels.

Contains

Used as an ingredient. This includes cases where it is definitely present through another ingredient, such as soy or wheat from soy sauce.

Contains (indirectly)

Not listed under this name itself, but definitively present, recorded under a broader category (such as tree nuts) that covers a listed item.

Possible cross-contamination

May be unintentionally present in trace amounts through shared equipment, utensils, or frying oil.

Unknown

Not stated in the source and not confirmed. This does not mean it is absent.

Not marked (blank in the source chart)

The chart has a column for this item but no mark, and we have not yet ruled how that state should be read (for example when the chart uses a symbol it never defines). It is not a confirmed "does not contain".

Does not contain

The source states in its own words that the item is not used, or the chart has a per-item column left unmarked and we read that as "not used as an ingredient". Each page's legend says which of the two applies. This is not a guarantee against unintended cross-contamination.

In search, we exclude venues whose only matching items are labelled "Contains" or "Contains (indirectly)", while "Possible cross-contamination", "Unknown", and "Does not contain" remain as candidates ("Possible cross-contamination" is shown with a caution).

What "Officially reviewed" means

“Officially reviewed” means we have confirmed that the account belongs to the company or shop that runs this listing, and that the operator entered the information themselves. It never appears on a page we transcribed from published material. It does not mean we checked the information itself. Its absence does not mean the information is wrong — only that the operator has not entered and confirmed it.

Reading the disclosure status

The badge says how far the published document's coverage reaches across the 29 items. “Only some items published” and “Mandatory items only” share a colour, because neither is reliably more informative than the other. How much of the menu the document covers is a separate question, shown beside it as “Part of the menu”.

Mandatory and recommended items

Published for the items required to be labelled and for the recommended ones as well. Editions range from 27 to 29 items, so check the item count shown on each page.

Mandatory items only

Only the items required to be labelled are published. The chart says nothing at all about the 20 recommended items such as sesame, soy and apple — that is not the same as saying they are absent. Depending on the chart's edition this can also be 8 items, fewer than the current 9 mandatory items (which include cashew).

Only some items published

The published document covers only some of the 29 items. The number can be higher or lower than under “Mandatory items only”.

Published, items unclear

Allergen information is published, but which of the 29 items the document covers has not been established — either the document itself does not say, or we have not checked yet. This is not “free of” and not “out of scope”: for a per-item answer, follow the document or ask the venue.

Part of the menu

The published document covers part of what is served rather than the whole menu. This is a separate question from how far the items reach, and a listing can carry both; each page says which part is left out.

Not found online (checked)

We could not find it online, including on the official site. The venue may still keep a printed chart in store. Not finding it does not mean the food is free of allergens.

Not online, but obtainable

We could not find it on the web, but where to get it is stated — a printed chart in store, the counter, or a contact desk. The information is not missing; it just does not live online. As elsewhere, not finding it does not mean the food is free of allergens.

Declared on the packaging

What is sold here is packaged processed food, which by law must declare its ingredients and allergens, so you can check on the product itself. We could not find a per-product list published online. The declaration is mandatory for Japan's designated allergens; whether the recommended items are listed is up to each company, and items packed to order or sold loose are outside the requirement.

Not verified

We have not yet checked whether anything is published.

Allergens we cover (29 items)

We cover the 29 items defined by Japan's food labeling standards: the mandatory "specified raw materials" and the recommended "items equivalent to specified raw materials".

Regional labeling standards, and what the Japanese table can answer

Which allergens must be declared depends on where the rules were written. The per-menu tables on this site are compiled from documents published by Japanese operators, so their columns follow Japan's list. Below is what each region requires, and which Japanese columns can answer for it.

Why does the Japanese table have no column for some items?

Because the rules differ. An item that must be declared in one region may not be on Japan's list at all. When that happens, the document was never asked about it, so the table has no column for it. A missing column does not mean "not contained" — it means nothing is known. If you avoid such an item, do not judge from this table: check with the restaurant directly before visiting.

What "only partly answerable" means

Japan sometimes defines an item more narrowly than another region does. Picking the broader item leaves you with only the narrower Japanese columns, and the document says nothing about the rest. The lists above name, per item, exactly which columns the answer speaks for. Treat everything outside them as unconfirmed, not as absent.

On a listing's page you can pick the labeling standard for your region, select allergens from that region's list, and see whether that venue's document can answer for them.

Regulatory changes and when they applied

Japan's April 1, 2026 revision to the food labeling standards moved cashew nuts from recommended to mandatory labeling and newly added pistachio to the recommended list, bringing the total to 29 items. The transition period for packaged-food labeling runs until March 31, 2028, during which allergen charts may mix 27-, 28-, and 29-item versions. AllergySearch handles information on the basis of these 29 items.

This regulatory summary is current as of April 2026.

How current the information is

We refresh listings from each operator's published material on a regular schedule. Near the heading of every listing page we show the date the material itself states it is current as of (nothing is shown when the document does not state one). We follow regulatory changes, but always confirm current details with the venue's own information or in store.

Frequently asked questions