Eating/Drinking Gluten Free in Japan

y2jake215

Hey guys, I'm going on a trip to Japan in a couple weeks, and unfortunately have celiac disease so I have to be pretty careful about what I eat (avoiding gluten, which is in wheat, barley, rye, and you usually avoid oat for cross contamination purposes).

It's a bummer on vacations where you want to just eat everything but what are you gonna do. I was hoping some of you guys would have some advice about what I can or can't eat in Japanese cuisine, and, this is a long shot I know, but any places that might understand my dietary restrictions. I've been told that Japan does not really have much knowledge of gluten allergies so it might be tough. I'd also appreciate some advice on what kinds of alcohol might be widely available (I'm guessing sake might be my best option? I hope I don't hate it)

If it matters, I'll be mostly in Kyoto I believe, with a day or so in Osaka

Thanks!

ceres

I'm far from being an expert on the ins and outs of Japanese food, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of the more traditional stuff is going to be made with rice or rice flour. If you are interested in soba that's made using buckwheat. Sometimes it's a mix of wheat and buckwheat though, so you have to ask. Tempura is traditionally made with rice flour from way back when, but I think now it's mostly made using wheat.

All that said, google brought up this site about trying to eat gluten free there.

Here's another site that talks about experience traveling with the condition and has some words to look for if you're reading ingredients on a package.

I googled "gluten free food in Japan" for a fairly extensive list of sites and blogs.

y2jake215

ceres wrote: »

I'm far from being an expert on the ins and outs of Japanese food, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of the more traditional stuff is going to be made with rice or rice flour. If you are interested in soba that's made using buckwheat. Sometimes it's a mix of wheat and buckwheat though, so you have to ask. Tempura is traditionally made with rice flour from way back when, but I think now it's mostly made using wheat.

All that said, google brought up this site about trying to eat gluten free there.

Here's another site that talks about experience traveling with the condition and has some words to look for if you're reading ingredients on a package.

I googled "gluten free food in Japan" for a fairly extensive list of sites and blogs.

these are all great, especially that legalnomads.com one, thanks! I tried googling a week or so ago and don't remember finding much, but I'm kind of baffled as to why that happened because doing so now is bringing up, like you said, tons of things.

Darkewolfe

That card the person printed on the second link looks like something you should make yourself. Just start every restaurant interaction showing it to them.

Cabezone

FYI fermented soy sauce is effectively gluten free, even ones with wheat as an ingredient. Tamari style has no wheat as an ingredient regardless.

baudattitude

Family restaurants (Jonathan's and the like) will absolutely have an allergen menu. Downside is you probably don't want to go to Japan and eat at the local equivalent of Denny's but upside is not dying?

MagicToaster

"Kore wa (point at food) guruten haiteru?" is how you would ask if something contains gluten.