Staying Vegetarian in Japan - Guide + Wallet Card (Printable PDF)

Japan looks easy for vegetarians. It is not. Dashi, a stock that can be made from fish, ends up in the soup under your tofu, the sauce under the pickles, and the egg in your sushi. "I am vegetarian" can get you a salad with ham strips in it. This guide teaches you the vegetarian Japanese that actually works: what to say, what to listen for in the answer, how to read a convenience-store label in ten seconds, and where to find meals you can check. Inside: the one polite sentence that covers meat, fish, seafood AND fish stock, plus the shorter casual version people actually use. A print-ready wallet card (85 x 55 mm) in Japanese and English, with a vegan swap line. Staff-answer glossary: what "daijoubu desu" can mean for your dinner. Konbini survival guide: onigiri, bread, and the label words that matter. Chain-by-chain orders to try, including Coco Ichibanya's vegetable curry. Temple food, ramen reality, and what to know about shojin ryori. Three Osaka picks from the author of Osaka Club. You get two PDFs: a 12-page guide (A5, phone-friendly) and the 2-page wallet card, ready to print. This is for vegetarians and vegans, not a guide for severe allergies. Menus change, so confirm with the restaurant. Published by JK, a vegetarian who lives in Osaka.