Vegetarian, vegan and halal food at the konbini
Hidden pork, fish stock and alcohol, and the Japanese words to look for on labels.
Finding vegetarian or halal food at a konbini is possible but takes label reading. Many items that look plain use fish stock, pork extract, gelatin or mirin (sweet rice wine). The diet flags on this site come from product names only, so treat them as a first filter, not a guarantee.
Words to look for on the label
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 豚 / ポーク / ラード | pork / pork / lard |
| ポークエキス | pork extract |
| 牛 / ビーフ | beef |
| 鶏 / チキン | chicken |
| ゼラチン | gelatin |
| 魚介 / かつお / だし | seafood / bonito / stock |
| みりん / 酒 / 洋酒 | mirin / sake / liqueur |
| 卵 | egg |
| 乳 | milk |
Easier picks
- Fruit cups, plain nuts and salted edamame
- Plain or salted onigiri (check for fish stock in the seasoning)
- Bread and sweets without gelatin or liqueur on the label
- Bottled tea, which is almost always just tea
On the home page you can hide items whose names mention pork, meat or seafood, or alcohol.
Further reading
- A Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Japan (Japan National Tourism Organization)
- Muslim Travelers in Japan (Japan National Tourism Organization)