HOW TO: Find Allergy-Friendly Food in Japan

Today I'm happy to share with you this fabulously helpful post from Kirsten Adachi of Cooking in Japan. If you have food allergies, and you're living in or moving to Japan, Kirsten has explained, with translations and phrases, everything you need to know. -Ashley

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A while ago someone on Twitter asked about soy free miso and was referred to me for help. After a quick Google search in Japanese I found out that you can buy miso (and soy sauce) made from quinoa. This piqued my interest despite not having any food allergies myself -- just sensitivities to things I don’t really like anyway (dairy and peanuts). I thought that this would be a perfect topic for Surviving in Japan.

Info source: Report from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (2002, 2005)Chart translated from here.

Food Allergens Required to be Labeled   材料7品目 (zairyou nana hinmoku)

Image source

If you look through food allergy information in Japan you will come across a list of seven over and over again. These are: eggs, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanuts, shrimp and crab. Products containing these ingredients are required to be labeled.

Why these seven? According to the allergy handbook produced by the Japan Consumer Affairs Agency these seven allergens can produce the severest reactions (think anaphylactic shock). In Japan eggs, milk and wheat make up 70% of food allergies.

How is Japanese sauce (ソース) different from... sauce? (+Recipe)

Today we have a guest post from Kiyomi, who blogs at All About Japanese Food. She explains the difference between what we call sauce in the West and what Japan considers to be sauce (ソース).  
-Ashley

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Today I would like to introduce a sauce that is unique to Japan, plus a popular recipe that is best accompanied by this particular sauce.

What does ソース(sauce) mean in Japan?

If you are living in Japan, have you ever gone to a supermarket and asked, “ where is the sauce (ソース)?” and the clerk showed you some dark, thick sauce that you had never seen before?  This is what we call ソース in Japan. Unlike “sauce” in English, the ソース in Japanese refers specifically to a black, thick, liquid-type sauce, such as ウスターソース, とんかつソース(濃厚ソース), and 中濃ソース. It can also include other varieties such as 有機 (organic ones) or 塩分カット (low sodium). Other sauces like soy sauce, tomato sauce or mayonnaise are called by their individual names, so they aren't referred to as "sauce" in Japanese.

ソース in Japan

Japanese Phrase Cards for Vegans, Vegetarians, People With Food Allergies, or Other Dietary Restrictions

For those of you who are vegetarians, vegans, have food allergies, or any other kind of dietary restriction, it can be difficult when you're out and about in Japan to ensure that the food you're eating doesn't contain anything you can't eat. Not just for those living here, but travelers as well.

Maki, of the amazing food blogs Just Hungry and Just Bento, created printable pdfs (in A4 or US letter size) with cards that list English phrases for dietary restrictions and their Japanese translations.

She currently has cards for:

• vegetarians
• vegans
• pescatarians
• folks who eat poultry and fish but not meat
• wheat allergies
• dairy/lactose allergies
• nut allergies
• shellfish/shrimp allergies
• soy allergies
• no alcohol

You can also get a "fill in the blank" allergy card.

So the next time you eat out in Japan and aren't sure how to explain to the server what you can or can't have, you can just pull out the appropriate card. Or if you're going to a party or something like that, you can let the hosts know about your dietary restrictions ahead of time by sending along a card.


Happy eating!

Printable cards for communicating dietary restrictions in Japan | Just Hungry

A new twice-monthly veggie box option from now through November

Finding safe, pesticide-free, low or no additive, organic and/or radiation-free produce in Japan can be a challenge at times, especially if your Japanese isn't up to par. Not everyone is interested in this, or cares, I understand, but if this is something that concerns you or if you just want the convenience of a vegetable box, rest assured there are options.

I previously wrote about various places in Japan you can order veggie boxes from, some in English, but most in Japanese. Note that most of these places don't just carry vegetables and fruit, but most also offer meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and/or dry goods. I also explained how to sign up for one of the companies, Oisix, online.

If you've already done that and it's working out for you, yay!

If not, but you're still interested in signing up for a veggie box, you might be interested in the service that Wa Navi is providing this year. They're calling it the "Harvest of Hope 2012 Project" and will deliver fresh, low-agrochemical vegetables from Hokkaido Hopeland Farm twice a month starting in May and ending after the harvest season in November. The May order is going out tomorrow so it's too late for that one, but you can start in June. Delivery dates are preset, and you can either sign up for the entire season, or choose when you want to receive a box, as often or as little as you'd like.

The items for each month's box are also set (as an example), but they may vary month to month depending on the weather, market, among other factors.

Here are some examples:

June asparagus (green and white), leafy vegetables (mustard leaf, lettuce, etc), mini tomatoes
July lettuce, broccoli, snap beans, cabbage, green pepper
August tomato, bell peppers, green pepper, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, goya, shishito peppers
September      corn, edamame, kabocha, broccoli, cabbage, tomato, eggplant, green peppers
October potatoes, kabocha, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, daikon
November       same as October

Spices and Herbs in Japan

I've heard people say how difficult it is to find spices in Japan and that you should bring your own. While from personal experience I know there are some spices and herbs (like cilantro) that are a little more difficult to find, especially if you, like me, don't live in Tokyo or another huge city, in general it's not (usually) that difficult, and certainly not impossible to find a variety of spices and herbs in Japan. Yes, even if you live far from civilization.

I've also heard some people complain that if it's not at any local stores, then it's basically impossible. Personally, I think ordering online is far easier and faster than going shopping in person, so while yes, it could require a bit more planning ahead of time for whatever exotic meal you plan on cooking up, I wouldn't consider it "impossible." But to be honest, I just adapt dishes when I can't find what I need and I want to make something I'm craving right away. Although sometimes I crave food from specific restaurants that aren't in Japan, but that's not really relevant.

To each his or her own, though.

You might be looking for spice blends as well, similar to those you got back in your home country. You can find quite a few of these online too, I discovered, but it's really easy to make your own spice blend buying the single spices or herbs and mixing things together.

In this post we'll look at some of the common spice/herb brands in Japan, words that you should know, Japanese translations of spices and herbs, where to find spices and herbs in Japan, and some ideas on how to find some of those more elusive seasonings at the end. So let's jump in!

Spice brands in Japan

Some brands you can find in Japan (some may or may not be available where you live):

S&B エスビー  (also carries an organic line, "smart spice" line, "value" line and fresh herb line in stores)
Mascot マスコット
Gaban　ギャバン
McCormick マコーミック (by Youki) - I've never seen this brand in regular stores, but if you have, let us know.
FAUCHON (フォション) - Technically these fall under the S&B brand, but they are labeled differently than the regular S&B and the organic line.

My local supermarket also has a brand called Eurasia, which carries far more kinds of spices than most of the other brands the same store also carries (such as Gaban and S&B).

Spice shelf at the supermarket (Gaban brand displayed)

The Ultimate Guide to Reading Food Labels in Japan

When I first came to Japan, attempting to read food labels and understand what things were and what was IN what I was buying and eating was a huge obstacle. I could read hiragana, katakana and some kanji, but the majority of the food labels were confusing and I spent extensive amounts of time at the supermarket, smartphone in hand with a Japanese-English dictionary open, trying to decipher ingredients and information. I'd also use the smartphone app, ShinKanji, to search for various kanji and words I couldn't read.

The work paid off, and though now I can't read every single Japanese word without consulting a J-E dictionary or looking up certain kanji, I can usually quickly scan most labels to find what I want to know.

A guide to reading food labels in Japan is also one of the most popular post topic requests I've received. It's something most of us struggle with when we first arrive, and I'd imagine even some of those who are fluent may not have known every word or kanji at first. Deciphering Japanese food labels, the entirety of them anyway, isn't particularly easy, but I've attempted to break them down for you here. Note that I have not covered various ingredients aside from common allergens, as that's something to cover in a separate post (or more than one). This one is already long!

I should note that food labels in Japan aren't always consistent, as you'll see below, and although, for example, you'll usually see information about the total calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and similar main nutrients, you won't always see much about other minerals or vitamins (though things like fortified cereals, breads, etc., often list these).

I've also tried to include a variety of words you'll see, but some terms/phrases are worded slightly different, although the meaning is generally the same, e.g., "賞味期限" and "消費期限" both mean "best before; best eaten by" or the expiration date.

Also note that throughout the post I have not broken down kanji and words as I normally do - instead, the vocabulary charts break them down, so please reference the charts for a breakdown. (You can also use the "find" feature on your browser and copy/paste a word you want to see in the chart to find it quickly.)

So let's get on with it: how do you read food labels in Japan?

HOW TO: Sign up for a Veggie Box in Japanese (Oisix)

For those of you who read Where to Get Veggie Box, Food Delivery Service in Japan and want to sign up for one, the following is a basic tutorial of how to sign up for Oisix. Note that, if you run into any issues, you'll have to communicate these in Japanese (or have a friend help you). Also note that, for Oisix anyway, if you want to change your box, you must do so by a certain day (typically a few days before) and if you want to cancel, also beforehand (around 2 days, depending).


How to sign up for the Oisix Veggie Box

Step 1: Go to Oisix.com and click the large yellow button on the left that says さっそく使ってみる, as indicated below.

Where to Get Veggie Box, Food Delivery Service in Japan

During my first year in Japan, I tried to find a vegetable box service. I had wanted to start one while I was still living in the States, but for a few different reasons it didn't happen. So, along with my search for a farmer's market in Japan, I looked for a place I could order a veggie box from, though this proved to be difficult.

I used Warabe Mura (mentioned below) for a while, as they had a way to order in English, and I liked their service, although there were always a few things in the box I couldn't eat (such as tomatoes - I'm allergic), so it would have been nice to customize the box.

We had been meaning to start getting a veggie box again but didn't get around to it until after 3/11 when we became concerned about harmful radiation levels in the food we were buying (as I was pregnant at the time). We live in Shizuoka, but most of the produce here, aside from locally-grown stuff, usually comes from Hokkaido and the Tohoku region. We buy local as much as possible anyway, but I was also just wanting the convenience of a weekly box, especially with a baby on the way. After some research, we decided to go with Oisix (more about why below).

So, if you're pregnant or have a little one at home, or maybe you're sick or injured and can't get to the store easily or at all, you might want to try a vegetable box or food delivery service.


Costs and Specifics 

The details for each of these varies to some extent. Some require a registration and/or membership fee; some offer a free or discounted trial for one or more weeks; some offer pay-on-delivery, others bill each month and you pay at a convenience store or bank, some take credit cards, and some will do automatic withdrawal from your bank account. Some companies and organizations offer free and/or discounted delivery to pregnant women and mothers with young infants. Most of these also require signing up (i.e. filling out a form on their site).

Price per box depends on how many items are included in each box. A small box for a single person with only a 3-6 items or so may, for example, cost around 1500 yen, or a large box with 10-12 items (including eggs) may cost 3500-4000 yen or more. We pay on average around 3500-4500 yen for our weekly box (maybe 10 items or so) from Oisix, which includes things like butter and yogurt on top of fruit and vegetables. The standard box from Oisix is around 6000 yen, but we change everything out for stuff from the "baby and kids" section (more on that below). We've found that this has actually helped us cut down on grocery expenses in general, even though we still go to the store for other things throughout the week.

Considering that many delivery companies offer organic produce and free-range meats, chicken, eggs, etc., the price can be higher for these items than what you might typically find at the store (although you can certainly find these items in many local stores or at nearby farmer's markets as well). I think the convenience and health factor outweigh the price, although it really depends on your personal preference.

Shipping costs vary depending on your location (of course), but it's pretty cheap, and many offer free delivery over a certain amount or for certain items.


Online Food Delivery and Vegetable Box Companies in Japan

All links are Japanese unless noted otherwise.

Oisix  (おいしっくす) - Carries (organic) produce, dry goods, meats, eggs, fish/seafood, dairy and more. Has a "baby and kids" section for radiation-free items. Can sign up for weekly vegetable box (size customizable) and can also modify contents (as long as you do it by the deadline each week). Oisix is one of the most popular food delivery services in Japan. Delivers all over Japan.

Radish Boya  (らでぃっしゅぼーや)  - They deliver a weekly set vegetable box with options for fruit and eggs, offered in different sizes depending on how many people you are buying for, and a catalog of various other items to add if desired. Delivers all over Japan, and certain areas are delivered via their own courier service.

Radish Lawson Supermarket - I just discovered this site today: a combined online store of Radish Boya and Lawson selling the same stuff as Radish Boya and even more dry goods and personal care products, courtesy of Lawson. AND, you can shop entirely in English (although the English is a little strange at times; "naughty carrots" anyone?). Link is English.

Warabe Mura - English site (well, catalog). They offer a set vegetable box in addition to other health food items, similar to Tengu Natural Foods.

Daichi wo Mamoru kai  (大地を守る会)  - Sell (organic) produce, dry goods, meats, eggs, fish/seafood, dairy, among other things. Has a radiation-free kids' vegetable box (and regular boxes as well). Delivers all over Japan.

Pal System Co-op (パルシステム) - After signing up, each week you choose items from a catalog (organic produce, meats, fish, dairy, some dry goods, and meals) and they deliver. Can place order online as well. Only for the Kanto region and Shizuoka, Yamanashi, Fukushima.

Co-op Net  (コープネット) - Related to the store of a similar name in the Kanto region and Shizuoka and Yamanashi. Produce, meat, fish, dairy, dry goods, meals, among other items. Shop for what you want online and a box is delivered once a week. Ouchi Co-op, for Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Yamanashi, can be found here. Co-op deli, for the rest of Kanto, can be found here.

Co-op Kobe  (コープこうべ ) - For those of you in the Kansai area, another co-op that offers weekly delivery of produce, meats, meals, fish/seafood, dairy, etc. They deliver to all of Hyogo, Osaka and Kyoto cities and a few other cities in the general area.


For a few more food home delivery services in addition to the ones above, check out this link (Japanese).

Do you use a home food delivery service or get a weekly veggie box? What company or organization do you use? Have any other suggestions you think should be on this list?

For those of you wanting to sign up for a veggie box delivery with a Japanese site, check out this tutorial for how to sign up for a veggie box with Oisix.

Costco, Ikea, and more from Yoyo Market

Note: I wasn't asked or paid to write this post. Like I've said before, I will not promote things on Surviving in Japan unless I think it's a good service or resource for readers. Even when I have a sponsored post of any kind, it will only be because I think it's a good product or service that would somehow be helpful to others living in Japan, and I will make sure that's clear within the post.

You likely already know of some online supermarkets in Japan selling Costco food and imported goods (The Flying Pig and Foreign Buyer's Club), especially as I've mentioned them in some previous posts, but today I'd like to introduce a newer online store offering a lot of similar food and services, and even a bit more - Yoyo Market.

HOW TO: Find kale in Japan

Finally! At long last, I've discovered how to find kale in Japan. It seems as though it should be simple, right? You can purchase boxes and packets of 青汁 (あおじる, aojiru, green vegetable drink, often in powdered form) everywhere - in supermarkets, drugstores, specialty shops. Searching for "ケール" (kale) on the internet results in page after page of results for aojiru. And sure, aojiru is great, in all its dry, powdered kale glory. (For those that don't know, aojiru is also sometimes comprised of barley grass and other green type vegetation). Aojiru is great to mix in smoothies, with milk or soy milk, or just with plain water. I'm a huge fan of aojiru, but I figured with the prevalence of this magically healthy drink, finding actual kale leaves would be no problem.

青汁, aojiru

Not so. To date, I have yet to see kale in any supermarket, farmer's market (in my area) or online. I've tried other ways of searching, but to no avail. Until yesterday, when I thought to try searching again, but this time for "kale leaves" specifically, and lo and behold, real results! For the record, I found these two phrases the best to use when searching for real kale leaves online:

ケールの生葉  or  ケール生葉　

HOW TO: Find cheese in Japan

Most expats in Japan know how difficult it can be, at times, to find cheese (and I don't mean the Japanese types of cheese). Even when you do come across something like cheddar, it's often more expensive and smaller in size than a giant block you could easily buy in the U.S., for example, for the same price. (And I'm sure size and cost of cheese varies by country all over the world). Strangely enough, ever since I got pregnant, minus the three weeks of smoothies and saltines, I've been craving various American-type foods (which I don't normally crave very often). Lasagna and enchiladas especially. Ok, so those aren't inherently American, but who are we kidding, how much food can the U.S. claim as its own? Aside the altered versions of food from other backgrounds... the kind of food that means "comfort" to me - like my aforementioned lasagna).

Now, both of those meals require a decent amount of cheese, and specialized in the case of ricotta cheese for lasagna. I can easily find cheddar, bagged parmesan and similar cheese at my local supermarket, though the amount of cheddar is quite small and costs around 500-700 yen. One of the closest import stores actually carries cheddar (and various other cheeses you won't find at a local supermarket), and the cheddar blocks are twice as large and only cost around 400 yen (or more depending on the brand you get). Ricotta is impossible to find locally I've found (if different for you, please share below). One of two nearby import store carries ricotta, though for a hefty price at 900 yen (250 grams). Needless to say, lasagna will not be a frequent meal in our home (but it was worth it then).

Before we talk about how to find the cheese you want, let's go over some cheese terminology - that is, Japanese translations. Note: I did NOT include every possible type of cheese in this list. I'm not a cheese connoisseur by any means, but I figured these were more or less commonly eaten. And no worries, cheese names are typically written in katakana, so if you can make out the sounds, you can (usually) easily find the cheese you are looking for.

what are your favorite Japan food blogs?

Someone asked me earlier today on Twitter for some Japan and Japanese food-based blogs (in English, with recipes). Granted, when you first come to Japan you may not know what to do with the variety of new ingredients (unless you had access to them in your previous location). Of course, there are also plenty of ways to locate food you're familiar with to make a wide variety of recipes.

Homemade sourdough whole-grain pancakes...

In my experience, I have found myself hardly limited to what I can make here. Yes, some recipes cost a bit more than what I may have spent on them in the U.S., but overall, I've found a happy medium. My husband and I cook not only Japanese food, but a wide variety of other cuisines, with a special focus on natural/healthy/organic. (My RSS food blog list is so. long.)

So, I'd like to introduce to you some of my favorite Japan food blogs, and if I miss any of your favorites, please share them in the comments! (I know there hundreds and hundreds of food blogs out there, and many more food blogs covering restaurants and the like, but for now, let's just focus on those providing recipes).

where to find bulk, inexpensive nuts, seeds, spices and dried fruits

As I prepare for my weekend trip to Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture), I thought I would leave with a brief post, before updating about Hakone sometime next week. (And yes, it is finally cherry blossom season! Note picture.)

In a post last week, I mentioned an online retailer for nuts and seeds, though I omitted the name until I received the products and could give it a proper review. My box from Ohtsuya arrived within a few days, as per the wonderful norm of shipping in Japan. True to size, I pulled out one kilogram bags of raw almonds and walnuts, and 500 gram bags of kabocha (pumpkin/squash) seeds, coconut slices and raisins. All the goods were in great condition and delicious in the homemade granola. Being that I'm quite satisfied with this purchase, I will be ordering more - soon. So, if you have a hankering for nuts, but don't wish to spend a fortune on them, or want them raw so you can roast them yourself, I would recommend checking out Ohtsuya. I also discovered that they carry a wide selection of dried spices and herbs, on tops of the dried fruits, seeds and nuts. Ordering spices in bulk? Easier on the wallet, and the environment.

So, a few tips concerning Japanese for using Ohtsuya (aside using your trusty dictionary and Google translate of course).

ナッツ (nattsu) - nuts
スパイス (supaisu) - spices
ハーブ (haabu) - herbs
ドライフルーツ (dorai furuutsu) - dry fruits
シー ド (shiido) - seeds
実 (み, mi) - seeds

Another thing to keep in mind when looking up spices or some of the other products: though most names will be taken from English and thus sound similar, some will have completely different names. So, for example, almonds are アーモンド (aamondo) in Japanese. They sound similar. However, bay leaf or leaves, are actually ローリエ (roorie) or ローレル (rooreru)  in Japanese.

And now, I must finish packing. Hakone adventures start bright and early in the morning!

Japanese words to know when ordering online

It's been almost a month since I last posted, leaving me to wonder why I let all that time get away...

Dinner tonight was curry, as in カレーライス, or "kare raisu (curry rice)." Japanese curry is a somewhat stew-like curry, brown with orange carrot blobs and/or yellow potato blobs and/or beef/chicken/pork chunks, etc. The spiciness ranges from mild to "hot," although hot wouldn't necessarily be as spicy as Thai curry. I find curry to be incredibly addicting, and though I ate it in the States before coming to Japan, my way of cooking it has become much more "Japanese," as I attempt to emulate the various delicious curries found all over the country.

Since today was a dreary, wet, cold March day, I thought curry sounded perfect for dinner. Around 5 p.m. I started the process of chopping onions and sauteing them, whilst I minced garlic and ginger and gathered the rest of my ingredients from around the kitchen. The onions began caramelizing, so I threw in the ginger and garlic, followed with water, stock, a bay leaf and star anise. That all simmered nicely as the flavors amalgamated. About an hour later I put the still-somewhat-frozen chicken in the pot as my husband returned home, soaking wet. Since the chicken was so cold, I turned the stove up and put the lid back on to get everything heated quickly without allowing bacteria or anything to form. Well, as I got caught up in talking with my husband per the usual end-of-the-day conversations, I completely forgot I had left the burner on high, and sat down to read some food blogs while I "waited" for the chicken to "slowly" cook.

Vitamins and Supplements in Japan

Updated November 22, 2011. What about those nutritional extras that many of us employ, particularly when our bodies mount attacks against us? (and really, does anyone else agree that Vitamin C is almost like eating candy? Tart, orange-y candy?) Are they easy to find in Japan? How difficult is it to find what you need?

Before coming to Japan, I asked a few people about what I should or shouldn’t bring. One person said she usually had her family send her vitamins. My reaction was something like: Seriously? I'm going to a country that doesn't believe in VITAMINS? 

what do I eat!?

As a native Washingtonian, I grew up surrounded by great food - the fresh seafood, ripe, juicy apples, and a plethora of tart, sweet berries. After high school, when I moved to Seattle for college, my new found food independence couldn't have established itself in a better city. Farmer's markets, organic food stores, a wide ethnic variety of restaurants and one of my absolute favorites - Uwajimaya, the Asian food market in the International District. My taste for quality food developed, along with my chopstick usage skill. When restaurants were too expensive (especially at the end of a paycheck cycle), I found it easy to pick up a pre-prepared meal from Whole Foods or PCC on the way home from work. This, along with my time-consumed schedule of work and school, kept me from pursuing cooking and baking as much as I would have liked.
That changed when I came to Japan.