Japan's Allergen Labeling System: What the 9+20 Items Mean for Visitors
Japan mandates allergen labels for 9 items; 20 more are voluntary. How to read Japanese food labels as a visitor.
Last updated: 2026-08-07
Dining-out Allergy Guide
Understand allergen labeling, read published sources, and prepare questions to confirm with restaurants before eating out.
Understanding the labeling system
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What allergen labeling is required for, and what it is not. Packaged food, loose food and restaurants are treated differently, so this is the section that makes the others easier to read.
Eating out in practice
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How to read an allergen chart, and what to say at the counter. Practical ground for restaurants, where no labeling duty applies — takeaway and travel included.
Eating Out in Japan with Food Allergies: A Practical Guide
Restaurants in Japan have no duty to label allergens, but major chains publish voluntary charts. How to eat out safely.
Last updated: 2026-08-07
Tools and Apps for Managing Food Allergies in Japan
A practical toolkit for allergic travelers in Japan: the official communication sheet, chain charts, apps, and cards.
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How to Read a Japanese Chain's Allergen Chart
Japanese restaurant chains publish allergen charts. Where to find them, how the symbols work, and what the fine print means.
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How to Communicate Your Food Allergy at Restaurants in Japan
Simple Japanese phrases with romaji, an allergen word table, official multilingual allergy cards, and emergency basics.
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An Allergy Card in Japanese: Phrases That Actually Work
Ready-to-copy Japanese sentences and allergen vocabulary for a printed or phone allergy card that staff understand.
Last updated: 2026-09-20
Hidden Allergens in Japanese Cuisine: Dashi, Soba, Sesame and More
Fish stock, buckwheat tea, sesame oil: where allergens hide in Japanese food and when the label will not warn you.
Last updated: 2026-08-07
"Vegan" Is Not "Allergen-Free": What Plant-Based Labels Mean in Japan
Vegan and plant-based labels in Japan are voluntary claims, not allergen guarantees. What they do and do not tell you.
Last updated: 2026-08-18
If You Have a Reaction in Japan: Emergency Basics for Visitors
Calling 119, language support, finding hospitals, insurance, and Japan's medication import rules — logistics for visitors.
Last updated: 2026-08-18
By allergen (mandatory items)
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The nine items Japan requires to be labeled, one at a time: where each tends to be used when eating out, and the forms it appears in.
Traveling in Japan with a Tree Nut or Peanut Allergy
Japan has no tree-nuts category — each nut is named separately, and some are not covered at all. How to read the gaps.
Last updated: 2026-09-20
Shellfish and Fish Allergies in Japan: A Different Map from Home
Japan has no shellfish, molluscs, or fish category. What its species-by-species list covers, and what it never asks.
Last updated: 2026-08-18
Gluten-Free in Japan Is Not the Same as Wheat-Allergy Safe
Japan labels wheat as an allergen, not gluten. What that gap means for celiac travelers versus wheat-allergic ones.
Last updated: 2026-08-18
By restaurant type
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Convenience stores, theme parks, and ramen or sushi counters. Equipment and service differ by venue, and so do the things to watch for.
Convenience Stores in Japan: The Most Label-Reliable Way to Eat with Allergies
Packaged convenience-store foods in Japan carry mandatory allergen labels. How to scan them fast, and the gaps to know.
Last updated: 2026-08-18
Visiting Japan's Theme Parks with Food Allergies: Disney and USJ
What Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan publish for allergic guests, and how to prepare.
Last updated: 2026-09-30
Ramen, Sushi and Tempura: What to Ask Before You Order
Genre-by-genre allergen questions for ramen, sushi and tempura in Japan: broths, batter, shared oil and cross-contact.
Last updated: 2026-08-18