Can I eat this in Japan? A vegan Japanese label guide

Why Japan labels are hard

Food can look plant-based and still contain fish stock, bonito, milk powder, gelatin, or animal fat. Feny helps you spot the words worth checking.

Key Japanese vegan label terms

だし (dashi) is a stock base that may be plant-based or fish-based, so check the source.

かつお節 (katsuobushi, bonito flakes), 煮干し (niboshi, dried sardines), 魚介エキス (gyokai ekisu, seafood extract), 魚醤 (gyoshō, fish sauce), えび (ebi, shrimp), いか (ika, squid), and 貝 (kai, shellfish) are not vegan.

卵 (tamago, egg), 乳 (nyū, milk), 乳糖 (nyūtō, lactose), 乳清 or ホエイ (nyūsei / hoei, whey), and バター (batā, butter) are not vegan.

ゼラチン (zerachin, gelatin), はちみつ (hachimitsu, honey), ラード (rādo, lard), 豚脂 (tonsi, pork fat), チキンエキス (chikin ekisu, chicken extract), ビーフエキス (bīfu ekisu, beef extract), and 動物性油脂 (dōbutsusei yushi, animal fat or oil) are not vegan.

Scan a label with Feny Verify

Feny Verify reads the actual ingredients on any Japanese label and returns a confidence-rated vegan verdict in seconds. Start at https://www.joinfeny.com.