There are a lot of vegan and possibly vegan sweet and salty snacks in convenience stores, but it’s harder to find main dishes and savory foods. You probably shouldn’t waste your time staring at the bento, oden, and bread/pastry sections.
There is an offshoot of the Lawson chain of convenience stores called Natural Lawson. Although a few products from Natural Lawson can be found in regular Lawson stores, it’s worth it to go to Natural Lawson if there are any near you. Natural Lawson stores are currently located in the following areas: Chiba Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Tokyo. They carry a wider selection of products for vegans than any other convenience store. Check our Natural Lawson section to see some of the products you can find there.
Below are some of the vegan foods we have found which you can use as a general guide. The products available at a particular store will vary according to location and season. If we are aware that a product at a certain store is not vegan, we have noted this.
Some foods contain flavoring and emulsifiers which may be animal-derived or sugar that may be bone-char processed. We have marked below wherever we have information on how these ingredients were made.
Each major chain of convenience stores also has a website where you can find information in Japanese about its products, including allergen information about the unpackaged food it sells (e.g. fried food). Some of the pictures below are from the convenience store websites.
Unfortunately, due to labeling laws in Japan, it’s possible for foods to contain small amounts of fish powder and other ingredients for flavoring without being written on the label if the amount is small enough. This can sometimes be marked as その他, “sono ta,” meaning “other.” Also, the convenience stores can change the ingredients of their own items like rice balls and steamed buns at any time without notice, and the new ingredients won’t necessarily be noted on the label if the amounts are small.
Beginning in late 2019/2020, a few certified vegan bento were available at selected convenience stores in Tokyo and Kanagawa. However, since items tend to be changed quickly at Japanese convenience stores, check carefully below to see if any items like this are currently available.
• Vegetable penne/ベジタブルペンネ vegan pasta bento (certifed vegan by VegeProject Japan) was available as of October, 2019 at nine 7-11 stores in Tokyo. Find out more about the product at fooddiversity.today. It’s in the frozen section of the store. The store staff can heat it up for you in the microwave. It is not clear if the product is still being sold as of 2021.
Ingredients: Pickled tomato puree, mix vegetable (zucchini, red pepper, yellow pepper, eggplant), macaroni, onion, vegetable oil, tomato paste, salt, garlic, spice, sugar/thickener (modified starch, xanthan), pH modified (including wheat containing materials).
Get it at:
Edogawa nishi kasai 4-chome store
Edogawa nishi kasai 7-chome store
Edogawa naka kasai 3-chome store
BREAD
An exception to the rule of it being a waste of time to look for vegan bread in convenience stores, this was found in a branch of NewDays convenience store in July 2020.
• Pasco Choujuku Foccacia/ パスコ 超熟フォカッチャ. Ingredients: Wheat flour (domestically produced), olive oil, ferment, salt, sugar, brewed vinegar, bread yeast, malt extract, rice flour.
Product contains wheat and dairy.
This product has a “contains dairy” warning on it. According to the company, people with allergies should beware because products containing dairy are made in the same factory, so it might contain dairy as cross-contamination, but they stated that this product does not contain dairy or any animal products as part of the actual ingredients.
In May 2021, two flavors of the Bagel & Bagel items from the bagel and bagel sandwich chain, sold at NewDays convenience store, didn’t have obvious animal ingredients. The ingredient lists are the same as the ones posted on the Bagel & Bagel website, so the items may be identical to the ones that can be picked up at Bagel & Bagel stores. Check our Fast Food, Bagel & Bagel section to find their other items (also available by online ordering) that don’t have obvious animal ingredients listed.
The source of the emulsifier and enzymes is unknown. The blog Gentle World (English), quoting from the Vegetarian Resource Group (neither are Japan-specific) says enzymes in bread may or may not be vegan.
• Bagel & Bagel Blueberry Bagel/ブルーベリーベーグル. Ingredients: Wheat flour (includes wheat), sugar-pickled blueberries, blueberry sauce (blueberry pulp, sugar), sugar, baker’s yeast, salt, wheat protein, molasses, yeast extract/thickener (modified starch, polysaccharide thickener), acidity regulator, emulsifier, flavoring, vitamin C, enzymes.
• Bagel & Bagel Maple Walnuts Bagel/メープルウォルナッツベーグル. Ingredients: Wheat flour (includes wheat), granulated sugar, walnuts, baker’s yeast, brown sugar, salt, maple sugar, wheat protein, molasses/emulsifier, vitamin C, flavoring, enzymes.
RICE BALLS (ONIGIRI)
Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to determine which rice balls are vegan by reading the ingredient list. Fish powder or seafood is often used to flavor the rice balls, and if it is used in a small amount and is not one of the allergens legally required to be marked by law, it is often not written on the package anywhere, including the ingredient list. Only contacting customer service will get you information about which rice balls have off-label animal ingredients.
It seems that salt onigiri and ume (pickled plum) onigiri are the most likely to be vegan, whereas kombu (seaweed) is likely to contain fish powder to flavor the kombu. However, some ume onigiri do have katsuo (skipjack tuna fish stock) used to flavor the ume and it’s been reported that some salt onigiri also contain fish stock.
Some information about onigiri courtesy of the Vegana No Japão blog (now defunct).
Current list of rice balls confirmed NOT to have animal ingredients:
7/11:
• Salt onigiri (銀しゃりむすび塩むすび)
There is also another version of this product in some 7-11 stores that says on the front of the package it uses kombu dashi/昆布だし. 7-11 stated in an email that it uses kombu dashi and does not use animal ingredients and that this product in their stores does not contain animal ingredients. However the mail included the sentence なお、原材料について全てを遡っての確認は出来ておりません。さらに、使用原材料は断りなく変わります。From autotranslate: In addition, it is not possible to check retrospectively everything about raw materials. Furthermore, the raw materials used will change without notice.
Family Mart:
• Ume/pickled plum (手巻 紀州南高梅)
Lawson:
• Niigata Salted Koshihikari Rice Ball (新潟コシヒカリおにぎり 塩にぎり)
• Ume/pickled plum (紀州南高梅)
Current list of onigiri confirmed TO have animal ingredients:
7/11:
Their rice balls vary in ingredients by region. For the Aichi region:
• Pickled plum/ume (手巻 おにぎり熟成仕立て紀州南高梅たたき梅): contains katsuo dashi (skipjack tuna powdered stock).
• Kombu seaweed (手巻おにぎり二段階仕込み日高昆布): contains katsuo dashi (skipjack tuna powdered stock)
Family Mart:
• Kombu seaweed (手巻 北海道産昆布): contains animal products
Lawson:
• Kombu (日高昆布): Contains katsuo dashi (skipjack tuna powdered stock) and scallops.
c
Unconfirmed:
Daily Yamazaki:
Their past item, pickled plum/ ume (九州産たたき梅), was confirmed NOT to have animal ingredients. It appears to have been replaced with another, similar item called the pickled plum/ume (紀州南高梅) (photo below). We have not checked with the manufacturer if this one has off-label animal ingredients or not.
Daily Yamazaki:
Their previous item, seaweed/ kombu (日高昆布), was confirmed TO have contained animal ingredients, so it was not vegan. The label says “新発売/shinhatsubai,” meaning “now on sale,” but the item name is the same as before. It’s likely that this new version still has animal ingredients, but we have not contacted the manufacturer to confirm.
Mini Stop:
Their previous item, Ume/pickled plum (おにぎり (紀州梅)), was confirmed NOT to have contained animal ingredients. It appears to have been replaced with another item, the Kishu Nanko Plum onigiri (紀州南高梅) (photo below). We have not checked with the manufacturer if this one has off-label animal ingredients or not.
Mini Stop:
Their previous item, kombu with shiso (おにぎり北海道産昆布 (しそ)), was confirmed NOT to have contained animal ingredients. It appears to have been replaced with another item, the Hidaka Kombu Kelp onigiri (日高昆布) (photo below). We have not checked with the manufacturer if this one has off-label animal ingredients or not.
SUSHI
INARI ZUSHI
Inari zushi (rice in a tofu pocket) is often available in convenience stores. Unfortunately, people who contacted them to inquire found that all the major convenience stores use katsuo dashi (powdered skipjack fish dashi) to flavor the tofu wrap of their inari zushi. It’s not listed in the ingredients or is listed as an ingredient like その他 (“sono ta,” meaning “other”).
FERMENTED SOY BEAN (NATTO) ROLL
Natto bacteria, which is used to ferment natto beans, is grown on plant matter, fish, or gelatin in Japan. So, animal parts can be used in the production, even though this won’t be written on the label.
NOODLES
The following product was found in a Family Mart in May 2021. Roasted sesame was used to create the sauce. It is meant to be eaten cold, without cooking. Open the noodle container and throw out the water, then add the sauce to the noodles and eat.
This product is made by a company called Kibun. In 2018, we confirmed that the previous version of this product, Tofu Noodles in Sesame Sauce, (sold by Kibun itself, not under the Mom’s Dining Room label at Family Mart) used amino acids made of plants, however, the manufacturer could not confirm if the sugar used in the product was bone-char processed or not. It’s not clear if this same information is still applicable to this version that Kibun produced for Family Mart, however the ingredient list and allergen information on the package is still the same as the previous version, so the information about the amino acids and sugar may still be valid as well.
• Mom’s Dining Room Kibun Tofu Noodles in Sesame Sauce/お母さん食堂 焙煎ごま入り ごまだれ付き 胡麻だれ とうぶそうめん風. Ingredients: 【Noodle-shaped tofu】 Soybean (USA, Canada), starch components, salt/thickening materials (processed starch, sodium alginate, polysaccharide thickener), coagulant (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride) (Product contains soybeans.)【Attached Sauce Packet】 Sugar, soy sauce, salt, sesame seed paste, sesame oil, yeast extract/seasoning (amino acid etc), thickener (processed starch), coloring (caramel), flavoring. (Product contains wheat, sesame and soybeans.)
Of the 27 specified allergens, product contains wheat, sesame and soybeans.
The tofu noodles are processed on shared equipment with items containing egg.
However, the regular flavor of Mom’s Dining Room Kibun Tofu Noodles is not vegan as it contains skipjack tuna/かつお/katsuo and mackerel/さば/saba.
A Korean company called Nongshim sells a product called Shin Ramen.
Per the company as of February 2020, the bag version of Nongshim Shin Ramen made and sold in Japan does not contain animal ingredients. The bag version is sold in 7-11 convenience stores and you can also find a three-pack for sale online. A five-pack is also available in Don Quixote. However, there is an imported bag version (from Korea) that contains eggshell calcium/卵殻カルシウム, beef seasoning/ビーフシーズニング and pork bone seasoning/豚骨シーズニング. All are listed on the ingredient list in Japanese. This nonvegan version has been spotted on Rakuten and at Carnival import store, but not in any convenience stores. Check the ingredient list of the bag version before you buy.
• Nongshim Shin Ramen/Nongshim シンラーメン. Fried noodles: Flour, starch, vegetable oil, salt, vegetable seasoning. Soup: Flavor seasoning, salt, chili seasoning powder, sugars, soy sauce, yeast seasoning powder, pepper, garlic powder, miso, shiitake powder, onion flavor powder, ginger extract. Toppings: (Bok choy, shiitake, seasoned soy protein, carrot, green onion, chili flake)/processed starch, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), lye water, thickener (gum arabic), emulsifier, spice extract, antioxidants (vitamin E, green tea extract), acidulant, niacin, vitamin B1, iron, vitamin B2, folic acid.
Product includes wheat and soybeans.
Products containing pork, beef, sesame, soba, egg, dairy, peanuts, shrimp, crab, chicken, squid, and mackerel are processed in the same factory.
Here are photos of the made-in-Korea version that contains eggshell calcium/卵殻カルシウム, beef seasoning/ビーフシーズニング and pork bone seasoning/豚骨シーズニング.
There are also a cup version and a mini cup version out on the market. It’s unclear if they’re sold in convenience stores or not, but per the company, the large cup version has sardines/イワシ off-label. The mini cup version has multiple animal ingredients listed in the ingredient list.
You can buy ready to eat soba (buckwheat noodles – on the left hand side below) and udon (wheat noodles – on the right hand side below) in Japanese convenience stores. These noodles are usually vegan; just check for egg white (卵白).
The dipping sauce that comes with the noodles is made with fish sauce as standard. You can replace the sauce with soy sauce. Soy sauce may be available at the convenience store counter, but it can be useful to carry your own with you. You can buy very small bottles of soy sauce at supermarkets and some convenience stores.
Here are a few photos of some soy sauce in small 100ml bottles that can be found in convenience stores. Under pressure from PETA, Kikkoman agreed to stop animal testing as of 2015, except when accountable to public safety or to comply with the demands of government authorities. The Kikkoman animal testing policy is here (English):
• Kikkoman Special Reduced Salt Soy Sauce/キッコーマン 特選丸大豆減塩しょうゆ. Ingredients: Soybeans (not genetically modified), wheat, salt/alcohol, acidulant, vitamin B1.
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
• Kikkoman Special Soy Sauce/キッコーマン 特選丸大豆しょうゆ. Ingredients: Soybeans (US) (not genetically modified), wheat, salt.
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
CURRY
The product page on the 7-11 website for the following curry says “動物性原材料不使用,” no animal ingredients used. It is a premade retort pack curry, ready to be heated and served.
• 7-11 Keema Curry with Soy Meat/7-11大豆ミートのキーマカレー. Ingredients: Sautéed onion (produced in China), tomato paste, processed soybean product (defatted soybeans, oat fiber), fried eggplant, granulated vegetable protein, vegetables (red bell pepper, garlic, ginger), onion powder, concentrated carrot juice, corn oil, curry powder, spices, sugar, salt, onion extract, yeast powder/seasonings (amino acids, etc.), thickener (processed starch), caramel coloring, calcium sulfate, citric acid, calcium lactate.
SALAD
Vegan salads are available at most convenience stores, however you should check the salad carefully before you buy it because there are often things like small fish, meat or egg included in the salad. You also need to be careful with the dressing. It’s difficult to find vegan dressing in convenience store salads/sachets and restaurants in Japan, but supermarkets do have a good selection of possibly vegan choices. It can be a good idea to carry your own salad dressing with you. Choose something that does not need refrigeration, such as balsamic vinegar.
According to the website of the Japan Vinegar Institute Headquarters, brewed vinegar is made from things like grains such as rice, wheat, and corn, fruits, vegetables, sugar cane, honey, alcohol, etc., Therefore there is a possibility brewed vinegar is not vegan as it may contain honey. The salad dressings listed below all contain brewed vinegar.
Many convenience stores also sell bags of salad and whole tomatoes, if you would like to make the salad yourself.
Lawson:
This salad does not come with dressing (Dressing sold separately/ドレッシング別売り).
• Corn Salad/シャキッと コーンサラダ. Ingredients: Cabbage (domestically grown), corn (America), carrots (domestically grown), leaf lettuce (domestically grown), red cabbage (domestically grown).
Family Mart:
• Prewashed Salad Mix/洗わずそのまま食べられる緑黄色野菜ミックス. Ingredients: Carrots (domestic), daikon radish (domestic), lettuce (domestic), spinach (domestic), romaine lettuce (domestic), green leaf (domestic), sunny lettuce (domestic), radicchio (American/Mexican), Japanese mustard greens (domestic), red cabbage (domestic), red bell pepper (Korean), yellow bell pepper (Korean).
In a review of the individual salad dressing packets at Family Mart, Lawson, Natural Lawson, 7-11, and NewDays in May 2021, we were only able to locate the following products that appeared to possibly be vegan from Family Mart and 7-11. Lawson, Natural Lawson and NewDays only had individual dressing packets with animal ingredients like fish, egg and meat.
Photos taken May 2021.
• Family Mart Japanese-Style Dressing/ファミリーマート 和風ドレッシング. Ingredients: Sugar, edible vegetable oil, soy sauce, brewed vinegar, onion, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, salt, roasted onion paste, dried red bell pepper/seasoning (amino acids etc.), polysaccharide thickener, spice extract, flavoring.
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
• Family Mart Reduced Sodium Japanese Dressing/ファミリーマート 減塩和風ドレッシング. Ingredients: Edible vegetable oil (contains soybeans, domestically produced), sugars (sugar, high-fructose corn syrup), brewed vinegar, soy sauce (contains wheat), processed soy sauce product (soy sauce (pure brew soy sauce)), dried onion chips, fermented rice seasoning, processed olive product, salt, roasted onion, red bell pepper/seasoning (inorganic salt etc.), thickener (xanthan), polyglutamic acid, iron gluconate.
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
• 7-11 Japanese Style Dressing/和風ドレッシング. Ingredients: Soy sauce (domestically produced), onion, sugar, brewed vinegar, edible vegetable oil, salt, dried onion, concentrated apple juice, onion extract, roasted onion paste, thickening polysaccharide, spice extract.
Product contains wheat, soybeans and apple.
The bottled Family Mart Collection Roasted Sesame Dressing/焙煎ごまドレッシング and Japanese Onion Dressing/和風たまねぎドレッシング are unfortunately not vegan. The Family Mart Roasted Sesame Dressing has egg yolk/卵黄/ranou and the Japanese Onion Dressing has skipjack tuna fish extract/かつお節エキス/katsuobushi ekisu.
Photos taken in June 2021.
Some stores also have a cup with things like carrot, cucumber and dip. The dip is not vegan at any of the convenience stores.
Convenience stores will sometimes have french fries and/or hash browns in the hot food section near the registers. In general, all the hot food will be cooked in common fryers (including items that contain animal ingredients). Exercise caution if you have food allergies or intolerances. It is common for these foods to contain palm oil.
HASHED POTATO
7/11:
• Hashed potato/ハッシュポテト. Ingredients: Potato (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, dried potato, wheat flour, glucose/spice extract.
Product contains wheat and soy.
As of July 2019, 7-11’s customer service stated that animal ingredients are not used for the hashed potato.
The vegetable oil used in the hashed potato consists of rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil.
In addition, the frying oil used at Seven-Eleven stores is rapeseed oil and sunflower oil, but it also contains an ingredient derived from palm oil.
They also stated to please keep in mind that the product standards and ingredients used could be changed without notice.
Photo from website.
Family Mart:
• Hashed Potato／ハッシュドポテト. Ingredients: Potato, vegetable oil, salt, dried potato, onion powder, glucose, flavor, sodium pyrophosphate.
As of July 2019, customer service stated that animal ingredients (including meat, fish, dairy products and eggs) are not used.
The oil used in the hashed potatoes themselves is rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil or sunflower oil (depending on season and cost).
Until late July 2019, the Family Mart website stated that their fried items were fried in palm oil, however, that information seems to have now been removed from the website. However, their customer service confirmed that the oil used to fry the items still contains palm oil. They will not divulge the exact composition of the frying oil, however. As of a review of the allergy information for the Family Mart fried foods on 9/2/2021, the product does not contain any of the 28 allergenic substances.
Photo from website.
FRENCH FRIES
Fried potatoes in the hot foods section of the convenience store, by the register, are a ‘maybe’. Per the allergy information on the 7-11 website, their French Fries and Double Potatoes only contain wheat and soy out of the 28 specified allergens, but as always the oil and seasoning used may be an issue.
Photos from website.
Customer service has stated that the oil used in the fried potatoes themselves is rapeseed oil.
Until late July 2019, the Family Mart website stated that their fried items were fried in palm oil, however, that information seems to have now been removed from the website. However, their customer service confirmed that the oil used to fry the items still contains palm oil. They will not divulge the exact composition of the frying oil, however.
As of a review of the fried foods section of the Family Mart website, this item is not shown as of early September, 2021, and therefore may not currently be available.
Photo from website.
As of a review of the allergy information for the Family Mart fried foods on 9/2/2021, the fast food allergen chart only shows soybeans as an allergen for the Lightly Salted Koro-Jaga with Salt from Goto-Nada/ころじゃが（五島灘の塩味）. It is a limited-quantity item.
• Lightly Salted Koro-Jaga with Salt from Goto-Nada/ころじゃが（五島灘の塩味）.
Photo from website.
There are also frozen french fries that are meant to be microwaved as-is in the package. Some examples are shown below.
Family Mart:
• Mom’s Dining Room French Fries/お母さんの食堂フライドポテト. Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, salt, glucose/sodium pyrophosphate.
Product contains soy.
Lawson:
• Lawson Select French Fries/ローソンセレクトフライドポテト. Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, dextrin, salt, rice flour, starch, glucose/modified starch, leavening agent, thickener (xanthan gum), carotenoid pigment.
•7-11 Microwave French Fries/レンジでフライドポテト. Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, glucose/sodium phyrophosphate.
Product contains wheat.
• 7-11 Shoestring French Fries/ 細切りフライドポテト. Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, glucose/sodium pyrophosphate. (Product contains wheat.)
As of February 2020, 7-11’s daigaku imo (a sweetened potato dessert) has honey, so is not suitable for vegans.
EDAMAME
These salted young soy beans in the pod are available in most convenience stores, but the best bets are 7-11 and Family Mart.
FOOD TO MAKE A MEAL
If you are able to cook for yourself while you are in Japan it is handy to know that you can buy the ingredients to make a basic vegan meal – vegetables, tofu and cooked rice – at a convenience store! There are often bags of cut vegetables as well as whole vegetables like potatoes, carrots and eggplants. Just be sure not to accidentally purchase one mixed with meat, for example 7-11’s spinach with bacon (labeled as such in English on the front of the package).
Family Mart:
Photos of Mom’s Dining Room Colorful Veggie Mix taken in May 2021. The mix is prewashed and can be used as-is.
• Mom’s Dining Room Colorful Veggie Mix/お母さんの食堂 洗わずそのまま食べられる彩り野菜ミックス. Ingredients: Daikon radish (domestically produced), lettuce (domestically produced), green leaf lettuce (domestically produced), carrot (domestically produced), Japanese mustard greens (domestically produced), red cabbage (domestically produced), red bell pepper (domestically produced), yellow bell pepper (domestically produced).
NewDays:
These Asahico Tofu Bars in Citrus Peel & Japanese Pepper Paste and Japanese Dashi flavors are unfortunately not vegan, because they contain skipjack tuna (bonito) fish extract, katsuobushi ekisu/かつお節エキス.
FRUIT
Many convenience stores sell a good range of fruit, including bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen mango, kiwifruit and pineapple. Some is cut and packaged, some is dried, while some is whole.
Family Mart:
Frozen pineapple, frozen apple mango, frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries), frozen whole mandarin, frozen blueberries.
The same frozen mandarins in the photo above are also available in boxes in various convenience stores, especially in summer.
• Hatchando Peeled Mandarin/八ちゃん堂 むかんみかん. Ingredients: Mandarins (domestically grown).
7/11:
Frozen mixed fruits, pineapple stick, oranges, grapes, apple mango, strawberries, blueberries, grapefruit, and golden pineapple.
The mixed fruit on the top left contain banana, mango, pineapple/antioxidant (Vitamin C). The strawberries, 果実そのままいちご, contain just strawberries.
Frozen Mango Sticks may also be available at 7-11.
• Mango Stick/マンゴースティック. Ingredient: Mango.
• Just Melon/果実そのままメロン. Ingredient: Melon.
Some convenience stores also carry sliced apples. One widely available product is called:
• Apple Sweets/アップルスイーツ. Ingredients: Apples (grown in Japan), trehalose, antioxidant (Vitamin C), calcium carbonate.
Mini Stop:
•Topvalu Delicious As-Is Sliced Apples/トップバリュ おいしさそのままカっとりんご. Ingredients: Apples/trehalose, antioxidant (vitamin C), calcium carbonate.
7/11:
• 7-11 Peeled apple/皮むきりんご Ingredients: Apple, maltose, salt/antioxidant (vitamin C)
7-11 also carry a line of cut fruits, including kiwi, pineapple, white peach and mikan. The white peach and mikan include flavoring.
• 7 Premium Peeled Apple/セブンプレミアム 皮むきりんご. Ingredients: Apple, maltose, salt, antioxidant (vitamin C). Product contains apples.
• 7 Premium Pineapple/セブンプレミアム パイナップル. Ingredient: Pineapple.
• 7 Premium White Peach/セブンプレミアム 白桃. Ingredients: White peach (China), saccharides (high-fructose corn syrup, galactooligosaccharides), concentrated peach juice/citric acid, antioxidant (vitamin C), sweeteners (acesulfame K, sucralose, Neotame), flavoring.
Newdays:
These tasty dried apples with sweetener are a light snack.
• Apple Chips from Aomori/青森のりんごちっぷす. Ingredients: Apples (grown in Aomori), vegetable oil, maltotriose syrup.
Most convenience stores in Japan should have fresh bananas.
CRACKERS
Nabisco Ritz crackers are reported to contain palm oil by the blog Sushi Voyage. They’re made in Indonesia.
• Ritz Crackers. Ingredients: Wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, malt extract/leavening agent, emulsifier, antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C).
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
Products containing dairy are manufactured in the same factory.
Photos taken in July 2021 in a branch of Lawson convenience store.
• Ritz Crackers, Black Pepper. Ingredients: Wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, salt, black pepper, maltodextrin, glucose, onion powder, yeast extract/leavening agent, emulsifier, flavoring, acidulant, antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C).
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
Products containing dairy are manufactured in the same factory.
Photos taken in July 2021 in a branch of Lawson convenience store.
• Ritz Chocolate Sandwich Crackers/リッツ チョコサンド. Ingredients: Wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, cocoa powder, high-fructose corn syrup, salt, corn starch/leavening agent, emulsifier, flavoring, antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C).
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
Products containing dairy are manufactured in the same factory.
Photos taken in July 2021 in a branch of Lawson convenience store.
NUTS
Most convenience stores have a good selection of nuts, for example peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, walnuts and chestnuts. Check the package to make sure you are just buying nuts, as sometimes nuts are sold mixed with small dried fish and other non-vegan ingredients.
In Japan, “butter peanuts” can sometimes mean that butter made from cow’s milk was added as an ingredient (“butter oil/バターオイル”), and sometimes just seems to be referring to a type of peanut, with vegetable oil used in place of dairy. Check the label carefully before buying.
Peanuts will generally be the cheapest type of nut available.
Here are a few examples of nuts that you can find in convenience stores.
7-11:
• Ton’s Brand Almonds & Cashew Nuts/アーモンド＆カシューナッツ. Ingredients: Almonds (from U.S.A.), cashew nuts (from India), vegetable fats and oils, salt.
Manufactured in the same facility as items containing wheat, shrimp, peanuts, and other ingredients.
• 7/11 Butter Peanuts/7-11こだわりのバタピー are not vegan as they have butter oil/バターオイル.
• 7/11 Unglazed Mixed Nuts/素焼きミックスナッツ. Ingredients: Almonds (U.S.A.), cashew nuts (India), walnuts (U.S.A.), macadamia nuts (Australia).
Manufactured in the same facility as items containing dairy, wheat and peanuts.
Lawson:
Lawson sells soy-sauce flavored crackers mixed with peanuts. It is confirmed to use sugar that has not been whitened using the bone char method and amino acids from plants, however, since the time of confirmation, the packaging has been changed. Photos taken in May 2021.
• Cubic Rice Crackers and Peanuts/粒もちピーナッツ. Ingredients: Peanuts (peanuts (China), vegetable oil, salt), tsubumochi (starch, rice (America), sugar, soy sauce (includes wheat・soybeans), dextrin, garlic powder, fermented seasoning, red chili pepper)/processed starch, colorant (caramel, paprika coloring, Monascus purpurea coloring, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), spice extract.
Product includes wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.
Products containing egg, dairy, and shrimp are processed on shared equipment.
These Raw Sugar Taste Mixed Nuts have Natural Lawson branding on the package. Contains 3.9 g of dietary fiber in one bag. Photos taken in May 2021.
• Natural Lawson Raw Sugar Taste Mixed Nuts/黒糖ナッツ&ナッツ アーモンド・くるみ. Ingredients: Kokuto almonds (almonds (America), processed kokuto, kuromitsu, salt), kokuto walnuts (walnuts (America), processed kokuto, kuromitsu, salt).
Product contains almonds and walnuts.
Processed in the same facilities as products containing peanuts, wheat, dairy, and shrimp.
The photos of the Walnuts covered in Soybean Flour were taken in May 2021.
• Natural Lawson Walnuts covered in Soybean Flour/京挽ききなこくるみ. Ingredients: Walnuts (domestic), sugar, roasted soybean flour, starch syrup, processed sugar product, salt.
Product contains walnuts and soybeans.
Products containing peanuts, wheat, dairy, and shrimp are handled in the same factory.
CHIPS
The following product is lightly salted potato sticks.
• Calbee Lightly Salted Jagabee/Jagabee（じゃがビー）うすしお味. Ingredients: Potato (America), vegetable oil, salt, corn starch, kombu seaweed extract powder, yeast extract powder/seasoning (amino acids, etc.), antioxidant (vitamin C).
Made on the same equipment as items containing egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
Photos taken in June 2021.
These Vegips let you taste the natural sweetness of the vegetables:
• Natural Lawson Calbee Vegips Sweet Potato, Carrot and Pumpkin/ベジップスさつまいもにんじんかぼちゃ. Ingredients: Sweet potatoes (from Indonesia), carrot, pumpkin, vegetable oil.
Made in a factory that also handles items containing wheat, egg, dairy, shrimp, and crab.
Photo taken in a branch of Lawson convenience store in May 2021.
Daily Yamazaki:
• Ryomi 100 Sen Potato Chips, Lightly Salted/良味100選 ポテトチップスうすしお味. Ingredients: Potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, protein hydrolyzate (contains soybeans)/seasoning (amino acids, etc.)
Processed on shared equipment with items containing egg, dairy, and wheat.
These are potentially vegan. Since protein hydrolyzate can be made from animal or plant sources, it’s unclear whether only soy/vegetable protein hydrolyzate was used to make these chips.
These Family Mart Collection Potato Sticks, Lightly Salted are made by Calbee and sold in Family Mart convenience stores. Photos taken in June 2021.
• Family Mart Collection Potato Sticks, Lightly Salted/ファミリーマート じゃかスティックあっさりうま塩味. Ingredients: Potato powder (produced in Germany), vegetable oil, starch, wheat flour, salt, kombu seaweed extract powder, dextrin, sugar/processed starch, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), calcium carbonate, antioxidant (vitamin C).
Product contains wheat.
Manufactured on common equipment with products containing shrimp, crab, egg, and dairy.
The photos of the Family Mart Savory Nori and Salt Potato Chips were taken in May 2021. There is a sentence saying the nori and sea lettuce are harvested using a fishing method where shrimp and crab are mixed together with the nori and sea lettuce.
• Family Mart Potato Chips Savory Nori and Salt/ファミリーマート ポテトチップス濃いめのり塩. Ingredients: Potatoes (domestic; not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, nori, sea lettuce, red chili pepper/seasoning (amino acids, etc.).
Of the specified allergens, manufactured in a factory that handles products containing shrimp, crab, wheat, egg, and dairy.
Made by Kokeiya.
The following photos of the Family Mart Thick Wavy Potato Chips were taken in May 2021. The product uses 100% sun-dried salt.
• Family Mart Thick Wavy Potato Chips/波型厚切りポテトチップス うましお味. Ingredients: Potatoes (domestic or American), vegetable oil, salt, dextrin, yeast extract powder/seasoning (amino acids, etc.).
Made on the same equipment as products containing shrimp, crab, wheat, egg, and dairy.
Made by Calbee.
These photos of the Family Mart Thick Wavy Salt & Seaweed Potato Chips were also taken in May 2021. There is a sentence on the package saying the seaweed (for the toasted seaweed) is harvested using a fishing method where shrimp and crab are mixed together with the seaweed.
• Family Mart Thick Wavy Salt & Seaweed Potato Chips/波型厚切りポテトチップス のりしお味. Ingredients: Potatoes (domestic or American), vegetable oil, dextrin, salt, toasted seaweed, starch/seasoning (amino acids, etc.), flavoring.
Made on the same equipment as products containing shrimp, crab, wheat, egg, and dairy.
Made by Calbee.
Lawson:
The photos of the Potato Chips Lightly Salted Flavor were taken in May 2021. Made with four kinds of salt: Australian sun-dried salt, American rock salt, Sicilian rock salt, and sea salt from Oshima island in Japan.
• Lawson Calbee Potato Chips Lightly Salted Flavor/BIG 厚切りザクッとポテト うすしお味 130g. Ingredients: Potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, yeast extract powder, dextrin/seasoning (amino acids, etc.), flavoring.
Made on common equipment as items containing eggs, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
The following product may be vegan, depending on what the hydrolyzed protein is made out of. It’s stick-shaped snacks that include 7 kinds of vegetables. Photos taken in May 2021.
• Lawson Calbee Sapporo Light Texture Vegetable Sticks/カルビー サッポロポテトつぶつぶベジタブル. Ingredients: Wheat, vegetable oil, potatoes (not genetically modified), potato starch, dehydrated potatoes, corn starch, sugar, spinach, salt, top-grade rice flour made from non-glutinous rice, carrot, bell pepper, pumpkin powder, tomato paste, onion powder, red bell pepper paste, red beet powder, hydrolyzed protein/seasoning (amino acids, etc.), trehalose, pH adjusting agent, sweetener (licorice), antioxidant (vitamin E).
Product contains wheat.
Manufactured on common equipment as items containing shrimp, crab, egg, and dairy.
Mini Stop:
The following product may be vegan, depending on what the hydrolyzed protein is made out of.
• Mini Stop Calbee Sapporo Potato Speckled Vegetables/Mini Stop カルビー サッポロポテトつぶつぶベジタブル. Ingredients: Wheat, vegetable oil, Irish Cobbler potatoes (not genetically modified), potato starch, dehydrated potatoes, corn starch, sugar, spinach, salt, top-grade rice flour made from non-glutinous rice, carrot, bell pepper, kabocha squash powder, tomato paste, onion powder, red bell pepper paste, red beet powder, hydrolyzed protein/ seasoning (amino acid etc.), trehalose, pH adjusting agent, sweetener (licorice). (Product contains wheat.)
Manufactured in the same production process as items containing egg, dairy, shrimp, and crab.
Stick-shaped snacks. Includes 7 kinds of vegetables.
• Mini Stop Lightly Salted Potato Chips/Mini Stop ポテトチップスうすしお味. Ingredients: Potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, dextrin, sugar, seasoning (amino acids, etc.)
This product is made in a plant that also processes items including egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab (of the top 7 allergens).
• Mini Stop Salt Only Tortilla Chips/Mini Stop 塩のみで味付けしたトルティアチップス. Ingredients: Corn (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt.
This product is made in a plant that also processes items including egg, milk, wheat, shrimp, and crab (of the top 7 allergens).
• Mini Stop Strong Laver & Salt Potato Chips/Mini Stop 濃いめのり塩. Ingredients: Potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, nori, sea lettuce, red pepper, seasoning (amino acids, etc.).
Out of the top 7 allergens, this product was made in the same factory as items containing five of them: egg, milk, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
There is also a sentence saying the nori and sea lettuce are harvested using a fishing method where shrimp and crab are mixed together with the nori and sea lettuce.
Both kinds of seaweeds and the salt are domestically produced. Product appears to be made in collaboration with Koikeya.
Mini Stop convenience store also sells this product with its own branding on it.
• Mini Stop Tohato Poteco, Lightly Salted/東ハト ポテコ・うすしお味. Ingredients: Dehydrated potato (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt/processed starch, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), antioxidant (vitamin E).
Manufactured on common equipment with items containing: egg, dairy, wheat, peanuts, shrimp, and crab.
Ring-shaped potato snacks. 15 percent of the salt used is from Okinawa Prefecture.
The front of the package of both of these flavors of Hunter’s Gourmet Hand Cooked Potato Chips say “vegan” in English. You might also be able to find the black truffle flavor in a larger size.
7-11:
• 7-11 Salt potato chips (with salt from Ishigaki island)/7-11石垣の塩で味付け厚切りポテト Ingredients: potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt (100% salt from Ishigaki island used), corn starch, yeast extract powder, kombu powder.
7-11’s customer service has stated that they don’t know if their fresh products like anman and rice balls have small amounts of animal products since they are made in different locations across the country (with the exception of the salt onigiri, which is animal-ingredient free). It isn’t clear if their packaged items like chips are the same.
• 7-11 Lightly Salted Potato Chips/7-11 うま味広がるうましお味ポテトチップス. Ingredients: Potatoes (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt, kombu seaweed extract powder, yeast extract powder/seasoning (amino acids, etc.)
Manufactured in the same factory as items containing egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
Salt is 100% sea salt from Naruto, Shikoku.
• YBC Chip Star Lightly Salted/YBC チップスターうすしお味. Ingredients: Potato flakes, vegetable fats and oils, salt/emulsifier, seasoning (amino acids etc).
Manufactured on common equipment with items containing egg, milk, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
As of 2017, a blog reader reported that the company confirmed this product contains no animal ingredients, meaning the emulsifier and amino acids are not animal-based.
• YBC Chip Star Salted Laver/YBC チップスターのりしお味. Ingredients: Potato flakes, vegetable fats and oils, nori, salt/emulsifier, seasoning (amino acids, etc.)
Manufactured on common equipment with products containing egg, milk, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
SNACKS
Calbee Miino and Calbee Miino W are the same product; just the Miino W is a double-sized pack.
• Calbee Miino/カルビー ミーノ. Ingredients: Broad beans, vegetable oil, salt/antioxidant (vitamin C).
Manufactured using shared equipment with items containing egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
Photo taken in June 2021 in a branch of Family Mart convenience store.
• Sheet Shaped Pickled Plum/梅干しシート. Ingredients: Plum, sugars (sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose), salt/seasonings (amino acids, etc.), sweeteners (aspartame/L-phenylalanine compound, stevia), coloring (anthocyanin), acidity regulator.
Manufactured using shared equipment along with products containing wheat, squid, soybeans and sesame.
The photos were taken at a branch of Lawson in May 2021.
POPCORN
Family Mart:
Photos taken in May 2021.
• Crispy Fluffy Popcorn with Two Kinds of Salt/ふんわりポップコーン2種のあっさりしお味. Ingredients: Corn (non-genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt.
Two kinds of salt are used, Shimamars from Okinawa and Setouchi sea salt.
Not available in some parts of the Tokai region.
Lawson:
Photos of the Popcorn Salt Flavor were taken in May 2021.
• Popcorn Salt Flavor/瀬戸内産海塩使用のポップコーンしお味. Ingredients: Corn (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt (100% Setouchi sea salt).
Manufactured on common equipment with items containing shrimp, crab, wheat, egg, and dairy.
Mini Stop:
• Mini Stop Everyday Treats Salted Popcorn/Mini Stop ポップコーンしお味. Ingredients: Corn (not genetically modified), vegetable oil, salt.
Products containing shrimp, crab, wheat, egg, and milk are also processed in the same factory.
SWEET POTATO
In addition to sweet potato chips, there are many other kinds of sweet potato snacks in Japan. Here are just a few that you may be able to find.
These Calbee sweet potato sticks were found at a branch of Lawson convenience store in April 2021.
• Calbee Annou Imo Stick/カルビー 安納芋スティック. Ingredients: Sweet potatoes (100% Anno Imo potatoes from Kagoshima Prefecture), vegetable oil.
Manufactured using shared equipment with items containing egg, dairy, wheat, shrimp, and crab.
These organically cultivated sweet potato sticks from Lawson are very filling. Photos taken in May 2021.
• Dried Sweet Potato Sticks/有機栽培の干し芋スティック. Ingredients: Organically cultivated sweet potato (satsumaimo).
These dried sweet potato sticks were found in a branch of Family Mart in May 2021.
• Kouta Shouten Soft Dried Sweet Potatoes/幸田商店やわらかほしいも. Ingredients: Sweet potato.
COOKIES
Morinaga, the largest confectionary company in Japan with over a 100-year history, has a line of macrobiotic biscuits called Macrobiha. They are carried in many of the major convenience store chains as well as some drugstores and grocery stores.
The Morinaga Macrobiha biscuit website says that margarine, shortening, flavorings, emulsifier, animal ingredients, and white sugar are not used.
Per an article in LiveKindly in November 2018, Morinaga has agreed to cease all animal testing not required by law.
• Morinaga Macrobiha Almond and Cranberry/マクロビ派アーモンドとクランベリー．Ingredients: Oat flakes, edible rapeseed oil, sugar (beet sugar), flour, whole wheat flour, dried cranberry with juice (cranberry, concentrated apple juice, edible sunflower oil), almonds, brown rice flakes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, salt.
• Morinaga Macrobiha Three Kinds of Nuts and Cacao/マクロビ派3種のナッツと香りばさしカカオ. Ingredients: Sugar (beet sugar), oat flakes, edible rapeseed oil, flour, whole wheat flour, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, salt.
The previous biscuit flavors are shown below and as of March 2020, are still available for purchase online.
• Morinaga Macrobiha Cocoa and Nuts/マクロビ派カカオナッツ. Ingredients: Sugar (made from sugar beets), flour, oat flakes, edible rapeseed oil, almonds, brown rice flakes, cocoa powder, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, salt/vanilla flavor.
Product contains wheat.
Processed on the same equipment as items containing egg and milk.
• Morinaga Macrobiha Fruit & Granola/マクロビ派 フルーツグラノーラ. Ingredients: Oat flakes, edible rapeseed oil, sugar (made from sugar beets), wheat flour, whole grain wheat flour, dried cranberry with juice added (cranberry, concentrated apple juice, edible sunflower oil), brown rice flakes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, salt/vanilla flavor.
Product contains wheat and apples.
Processed on the same equipment as items containing egg and milk.
You may also sometimes be able to find the 3 Nuts & Setouchi Salt flavor in Family Mart. The front of the package states that only the 11 listed ingredients are used in the product/これ以外の原料は使用していません. The back of the package states that animal ingredients are not used, 動物性素材不使用.
• Morinaga Macrobiha 3 Nuts & Setouchi Salt/Morinaga マクロビ派 3種のナッツと瀬戸内の塩. Ingredients: Wheat flour, edible rapeseed oil, sugar (beet sugar), oat flakes, whole wheat flour, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, soy sauce (contains soybeans), salt, macadamia nuts.
Product contains wheat, cashew nuts, and soybeans.
Processed on the same equipment as items containing egg and milk.
For a long time, most Oreos in Japan (including the full-sized original version) had dairy, in contrast to many other countries. However, as of early 2021 the products were reformulated. It’s reported that customer service stated at that time that the emulsifier is not animal-derived and that they use sugar from a variety of suppliers, including those using bone-char processed sugar, and that they do not call this a vegan product.
None of the new versions of Oreos (Original Oreos, Chocolate Cream Oreos, Oreo Family Pack, and Oreo Bits Sandwiches, Vanilla Cream, show dairy on the ingredient list. From what’s listed on the Oreo website as of April 2021, only the old version of the Oreo Vanilla Cream has dairy (shown with an X on the applicable photo below).
You can check the full lineup on the Oreo Japan website.
• Nabisco Original Oreos/ナビスコ バニラクリーム オレオ. Ingredients: Wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt/leavening agent, emulsifier, flavoring, acidulant, antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E) .
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
Products containing eggs and dairy are manufactured at the same facility.
Photo taken in a branch of Lawson convenience store in July 2021.
• Nabisco Chocolate Cream Oreos/ナビスコ チョコレートクリームオレオ. Ingredients: Wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt/leavening agent, emulsifer, flavoring, acidulant, antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E) .
Product contains wheat and soybeans.
Products containing eggs and dairy are manufactured at the same facility.
Photo taken in a branch of Lawson convenience store in July 2021.
These Veganz granola bites (Chocolate Banana and Coconut Almond) are similar to cookies. They were found April 2021 in a branch of NewDays convenience store (the ones attached to JR East train stations). The chain of stores called Biople by Cosme Kitchen also has these as of April 2021. You can use them as a topping (for example, on non-dairy yogurt) or just eat as-is.
• Veganz granola bites, Chocolate Banana and Coconut Almond.
BARS
Soyjoy Crispy, according to the manufacturer’s website, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, are “nutritional foods made with whole soybean flour, fruits and nuts, containing no wheat. They offer a smart and delicious way to enjoy the nutritional goodness of soy, including vegetable protein, soy isoflavones, and dietary fiber.”
The two vegan flavors of Soyjoy are certified vegan by VegeProject Japan. They both say “plant-based” on the label. One is White Chocolate & Lemon and the other is Banana.
Photo taken in March 2022.
Soyjoy Crispy contain sugar that is confirmed to have been whitened using the bone char processing method.
As Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company, they surely do animal testing for their pharmaceutical products, but we don’t have information on if animal testing was used to make these products.
Soyjoy Crispy comes in three flavors, banana, mixed berry, and white macadamia (contains non-dairy white chocolate made of soy).
Regular Soyjoy (not Soyjoy Crispy) contain egg and butter, except for the two certified vegan flavors. Be sure to check that the package says “crispy” in English, as otherwise the packaging is virtually identical.
SOYJOY Crispy is manufactured on the same equipment as items containing egg, milk and peanuts.
More information can be found on the English-language Otsuka Pharmaceuticals website.
• Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Soyjoy Crispy, Banana/大塚製薬 ソイジョイ クリスピー バナナ. Ingredients: Soy flour (non genetically modified), margarine, puffed soy (soy protein, tapioca starch), processed banana, banana puree, processed pineapple, non-digestible dextrin, sugar, agave syrup, salt/sorbitol, flavoring.
• Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Soyjoy Crispy, Mixed Berry/大塚製薬 ソイジョイ クリスピー ミックスベリー. Soy flour (Japan-processed, non genetically modified), margarine, puffed soy (soy protein, tapioca starch), sugar, processed cranberry, processed raspberry, non-digestible dextrin, processed strawberry, salt/flavoring.
• Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Soyjoy Crispy, White Macadamia/大塚製薬 ソイジョイ クリスピー ホワイトマカデミア. Ingredients: Soy flour (Japan-processed, non genetically modified), margarine, puffed soy (soy protein, tapioca starch), soymilk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, soy powder, other), sugar, non-digestible dextrin, macadamia nut, soy protein, salt/flavoring.
The UHA Mikakuto Vegan Cacao Bars are from the same company as a previous series called Happy Dates bars and feature similar flavors, but with more stripped-down ingredient lists.
• UHA Mikakuto Vegan Cacao Bar, Roasted Almond/UHA ビーガンカカオばー ローストアーモンド. Ingredients: Date paste (dates (from Iran)), cacao mass, jaggery, almonds, cocoa powder, salt (sea salt from Miyakojima)
Product contains almonds.
Photo taken in a branch of Family Mart in April 2021.
STEAMED BUN FILLED WITH SWEET BEAN PASTE (あんまん – ANMAN)
Near the convenience store counter you can find a warming oven containing anman and nikuman (steamed buns filled with meat).
Lawson:
This product uses pork based shortening and lard in the batter, dehydrated eggs and also dairy in rice fermentation.
7/11:
As of January 2020, the ingredient list (pictured below) does not show any animal ingredients. However, 7/11 customer service cannot confirm for sure if their products contain animal ingredients, as if it’s a small quantity it doesn’t appear on the ingredients or allergen list. It is possible 7-11 anman has some pork or other animal-derived ingredients.
• Chinese Manjū/中華まんじゅう. Ingredients: Wheat, adzuki bean paste, sugars (sugar, starch syrup), vegetable oil (contains peanuts) black sesame paste, black sesame, yeast, wheat protein, salt, starch, agar, soybean flour/pH stabilizer.
Family Mart:
As of December 2022, their website does not show any animal ingredients in the allergens, nor in the main ingredient lists for either the adzuki bean or sesame buns. (Full ingredient lists are not provided on the website.)
• Family Mart Hokkaido-Grown Dainagon Adzuki Bean Paste Bun/北海道産大納言小豆のつぶあんまん. Origin of main ingredients: Wheat Flour (wheat: Canada, USA), sugar (Japan), adzuki beans (Japan: Hokkaido).
Product contains wheat.
Photo from website.
• Family Mart Hokkaido-Grown Adzuki Bean Paste Bun with Sesame Flavor/北海道産小豆のこしあんまん（ごま風味）. Origin of main ingredients: Flour (wheat: Canada, U.S.A.), fresh red bean paste (adzuki beans: Hokkaido, Japan), sugar (Japan).
Contains wheat, peanuts and sesame.
Photo from website.
CHOCOLATES
The Asahi Ippon Manzoku Bar Cereal Black 80% Less Sugar chocolate bar has been fortified with some vitamins, including B12. It can be found in many convenience stores (as well as some drugstores).
The company previously stated that it contains no animal ingredients. However, it may have cross-contamination from milk being processed in the same factory or on the same line, so in this case, the warning on the package that makes it look as if dairy is an ingredient only means that particles may be present from cross-contamination.
The blog Sushi Voyage states that the vegetable oil partially consists of palm oil.
In October 2020, the company switched from a system where allergens were listed at the end of the ingredient list to one where allergens were listed after the raw material they were contained in. However, it’s reported that the company’s customer service stated at that time that this still only means cross-contamination from dairy, and dairy is still not included as an actual ingredient.
In another response to a customer at that time, they stated that since it isn’t a vegan food, cross-contamination with dairy is inevitable during the manufacturing process, and that they cannot certify that no animal materials are used even in the raw materials. This would seem to conflict with their older statement that it contains no animal ingredients, but it is possible the company just cannot certify this.
• Asahi Ippon Manzoku Bar Cereal Black 80% Less Sugar/一本満足バー シリアルブラック 糖質80%オフ. Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, maltitol, vegetable oil, dextrin, cocoa powder, cocoa butter) (includes dairy) (domestically produced), corn flakes, corn grits, sugar, etc.), macadamia nuts, wheat puffs (wheat flour, starch, malt extract), raisins, glucomannan, salt/cellulose, emulsifier (derived from soybeans), flavoring, ferric phyrophosphate, sweetener (sucralose), vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, acidulant, vitamin B12.
Products containing eggs are manufactured in the same factory.
Out of the 28 suggested allergens, item contains wheat, dairy, and soybeans.
Photos taken in May 2021.
FRUIT JELLY
Most jelly in Japan is made with agar (seaweed) rather than gelatin, although you should still check the list of ingredients. Coffee jelly may be a notable exception. Look for:
gelatine ゼラチン zerachin (this is made of animal collagen and is not vegan)
agar/agar agar 天草 / 寒天 てんぐさ / かんてん tengusa / kanten (this is made of seaweed)
gelling/setting agent ゲル化剤 gerukazai (can be either an animal-based or plant-based ingredient)
The jellies on offer seem to change quite frequently. Here are a few examples of items that were available in May 2020 in a branch of Family Mart.
• I Want to Eat A Lot Soda Flavored Jelly with Nata de Coco/たっぷり食べたい ナタデココ入りソーダ風味. Ingredients: Nata de coco (manufactured overseas), erithrytol, concentrated apple juice/acidulant, gelling agent (thickening polysaccharide), calcium lactate, sweetener (aspartame L-phenylalanine compound), acesulfame K, flavoring, antioxidant (vitamin C), emulsifier, gardenia pigment.
Product contains apples.
Made in a factory that manufactures items containing dairy and eggs.
• I Want to Eat a Lot Strawberry Jelly/たっぷり食べたい いちごゼリー. Ingredients: Sugar/high-fructose corn syrup (domestically produced), nata de coco, sugar, strawberry puree/acidulant, gelling agent (thickening polysaccharide), flavoring, emulsifier, carotenoid pigment.
Product contains soybeans.
Made in a factory that manufactures items containing dairy and eggs.
• Refreshing Mandarin Jelly/シャキッと食感みかんゼリー. Ingredients: Mandarin, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup/acidulant, gelling agent (thickening polysaccharides), antioxidant (vitamin C), flavoring, emulsifier, calcium lactate.
Made in a factory that manufactures items containing dairy and eggs.
Sometimes jelly drinks are available. This one is frozen.
• Dydo Puru Shari Unshuu Mikan Jelly/ダイドー ぷるシャリ温州みかんゼリー. Ingredients: High-fructose corn syrup, unshuu mikan juice, starch syrup, salt/acidulant, potassium phosphate, gelling agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, potassium chloride, carotenoid pigment, vitamin C, sweeteners (Acesulfame K, sucralose).
PUDDING
These sweetened pudding-like tofu products were found at Lawson in June 2021.
• Chewy Tofu/ぷにもちっTOFU. Ingredients: Tofu cream (domestically produced), high-fructose corn syrup, salt/processed starch, coagulant.
Product contains soybeans.
• Chewy Tofu, Cocoa/ぷにもちっTOFU ココア. Ingredients: Tofu cream (domestically produced), high-fructose corn syrup, cocoa powder, salt/processed starch, coagulant, flavoring.
Product contains soybeans.
SWEETENED DESSERT TOFU
Asahico has two certified vegan dessert tofus in their Toffu Protein line, Tofu Snack Pudding and Tofu Snack Almond Tofu. They are both certified vegan by VegeProject Japan.
The two vegan flavors, pudding and Annin tofu/almond tofu, have been spotted in Family Mart convenience store in April 2023.
• Asahico Tofu Snack Pudding. Ingredients: Whole soybeans (USA or Canada) (not genetically modified), sugar beet sugar, vegetable oil, salt/coagulant (magnesium chloride (bittern)), antifoaming agent (glycerin fatty acid ester), flavoring, carotene pigment.
Of the 28 specified allergens, product contains soy.
Photo from website.
• Asahico Tofu Snack Almond Tofu. Ingredients: Whole soybeans (USA or Canada) (not genetically modified), sugar beet sugar, vegetable oil, salt/coagulant (magnesium chloride (bittern)), antifoaming agent (glycerin fatty acid ester), flavoring.
Of the 28 specified allergens, product contains soy.
Photo from website.
JAPANESE-STYLE SWEETS
You can usually find traditional style Japanese sweets in convenience stores. For example, daifuku, anmitsu (on left side below – check for honey) and zenzai (on right side below):
• Tengudou Walnut Mochi/天狗堂くるみ餅. Ingredients: Sugar (Hokkaido beet sugar, starch syrup, wheat flour, walnut, glutinous rice flour, red bean paste (Hokkaido-grown adzuki beans), soy sauce, starch (Hokkaido potato starch)/calcium carbonate.
Product contains soybeans.
Products that include milk, sesame, and apple are handled at the same facility.
BEVERAGES
COFFEE
There will generally be a coffee machine by the register where black coffee will be available.
The lattes from the machine will all be made with dairy, so will not be vegan.
Black coffee is available in bottles/cans. Some of the black coffee in bottles/cans have flavorings and emulsifiers, while others do not. Here are a few examples of some of the black coffees that are available.
• Boss The Espresso Black/ボス ザ・エスプレッソ ブラック. Ingredients: Coffee, flavoring.
• UCC BLACK COLD BREW PET 500ml. Ingredient: Coffee.
No sugar, no flavorings.
• UCC Black No Sugar Wholly Brewed Roasted Coffee, Cold/UCC BLACK無糖 缶香料無添加 ROASTED COFFEE 100％.
No added flavoring, unsweetened.
• UCC Black No Sugar Coffee, Hot.
No added sugar, no flavorings.
Lawson:
• Craft Boss Soy Latte Coffee/ Craft Boss ソイラテ Coffee
The Suntory website says it is 100% plant-based (for the latte components- soymilk, soybean powder and edible oil). Launched 9/19/23.
Ingredients: Sugar (manufactured in Japan), coffee, soy milk, soybean powder, edible oils and fats, salt/flavoring, emulsifier, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener, CMC, cellulose), potassium chloride, magnesium chloride
Product contains soybeans.
Photos from website.
Mini Stop:
• Soy Latte/ソイラテ. Ingredients: Soymilk (domestically manufactured), sugar, coffee, vegetable oil, salt/emulsifier, flavoring.
Product contains soy.
The Vegana No Japao blog (now defunct) contacted customer service about a previous version of this product and confirmed that at that time, the emulsifier was made of plants. It is not clear if the same emulsifier is still being used.
Photos taken in July 2023.
7-11:
The previous version of the Morinaga Mt. Rainier Soy Latte was found in a branch of Family Mart in September 2020. While the company originally stated it is “also recommended for vegans,” per the company, the emulsifier contained animal product(s). The company amended their website to correct the information, stating “Product contains animal ingredient(s)/一部動物性の原料を使用しております.”
• Mt. Rainier Soy Latte/ソイラテ. Ingredients: Soymilk (contains soybeans), high-fructose corn syrup, coffee/cellulose, flavoring, emulsifier, stabilizing agent (carageenan).
Out of the 27 specified allergens, this product contains soybeans.
Last photo from website.
However, in 2023, Morinaga Milk Industry updated the Plant Based Soy Latte product and released a Plant Based Oat Latte, both certified vegan by VegeProject Japan. Image from the VegeProject Japan Instagram account (bilingual). The Soy Latte has been found in 7-11 convenience stores.
NON-DAIRY MILKS (ALMOND, COCONUT, MACADAMIA, OAT, SOY)
ALMOND MILK
• Glico Almond Effects – No Sugar/Glicoアーモンド効果砂糖不使用. Ingredients: Almond paste, dietary fiber (inulin), table salt, processed almond oil/pH adjusting agent, cellulose, calcium citrate, emulsifier, flavoring, thickener (xanthan gum), vitamin E.
Contains none of the 27 allergens.
Unfortunately the Original flavor is not vegan as it contains honey.
• Glico Almond Effects Original/Glico アーモンド効果 オリジナル. Ingredients: Almond paste, sugar, dietary fiber (inulin), dextrin, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, vegetable oil, salt, processed almond oil/pH adjusting agent, flavoring, cellulose, calcium citrate, emulsifier, thickener (xanthan gum), vitamin E.
COCONUT MILK DRINKS
Coconut milk drinks produced in Japan generally have dairy added.
This Family Mart Tapioca Coconut Milk drink, manufactured by Elbee, is not vegan as it has collagen peptides/コラーゲンペプチド/corāgen pepuchido, defatted powdered milk/脱脂粉乳/dasshifun’nyū, sodium caseinate/カゼインナトリウム/kazein’natoriumu, squid ink/イカ墨/ikasumi (as a colorant), and shellfish calcium/貝カルシウム/kai karushiumu.
MACADAMIA NUT MILK
The front of the package on these Kikkoman Macadamia Milk products reads “cow’s milk and soymilk not used/牛乳・豆乳不使用/gyūnyū tōnyū fushiyou.”
Kikkoman has stated that they do use bone-char processed sugar in their soymilk drinks, so the same may be true for these macadamia milk drinks.
Under pressure from PETA, Kikkoman agreed to stop animal testing as of 2015, except when accountable to public safety or to comply with the demands of government authorities.
Their animal testing policy is here (English).
• Kikkoman Macadamia Milk, No Sugar/キッコマン マカダミアミルク 砂糖 不使用. Ingredients: Macadamia nut paste (macadamia nuts (Australia)), water-soluble dietary fiber, rice oil, sun-dried salt, agar/emulsifier, thickener (cellulose, polysaccharide thickener), pH adjusting agent, flavoring, vitamin E.
Photo from website.
• Kikkoman Macadamia Milk, Original/キッコマン マカダミアミルク オリジナル. Ingredients: Macadamia nut paste (macadamia nuts (Australia)), sugar, water-soluble dietary fiber, rice oil, sun-dried salt, agar/emulsifier, thickener (cellulose, polysaccharide thickener), pH adjusting agent, flavoring, vitamin E.
OAT MILK
The following series of products is from Coca-Cola and according to their press/news release, was launched 3/29/2021 in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Niigata, Aichi, Gifu, and Mie. Photos taken in a branch of 7-11 in April 2021.
• Go Good Oatmilk, Oat Cafe Latte/GO:GOOD おいしいオーツ麦ミルク オーツカフェラテ. Ingredients: Oat concentrate (domestically produced), coffee, sugar, sunflower oil, salt/flavoring, emulsifier, phosphate (potassium, calcium), cellulose, stabilizer (gellan gum, carrageenan).
• Go Good Oatmilk, Smooth Plain/GO:GOOD おいしいオーツ麦ミルク なめらかプレーン. Ingredients: Oat concentrate (domestically produced), oat extract powder, sunflower oil, dietary fiber (inulin), salt/emulsifier, phosphate (potassium, calcium), stabilizer (gellan gum).
The photos of the Marusan Oat Milk were taken in May 2021 in a branch of Lawson (it can also be found at Natural Lawson). The Marusan website’s product page recommends drinking it as-is or mixing with coffee.
• Marusan Oat Milk/オーツミルク. Ingredients: Saccharified oat liquid (manufactured in Japan), oat flour, salt/stabilizer (thickening polysaccharide), pH adjusting agent, flavoring.
This product does not contain any of the allergenic substances that are required or recommended to be labeled.
The oats used in this product use shared harvesting equipment, etc. with wheat.
SOYMILK AND SOYMILK BEVERAGES
Here are some of the products you might see in convenience stores. As with the other products in this list, some products may contain ingredients that are not confirmed vegan such as flavorings and emulsifiers. Check our Soy, Almond, & Other Non-Dairy Milks section for more detailed information.
• Kagome Life with Vegetables Orange Mango Mix Soy Plus/Kagome 野菜生活Ｓｏｙ＋ オレンジ・マンゴーMix. Ingredients: Fruits (apples (imported), pineapples, oranges, mangoes, lemons), vegetables (carrots, kale, spinach, asparagus, watercress, parsley, pumpkins, lettuce, cabbage, beets, daikon radish, Chinese cabbage, onions, celery), soybeans, defatted soybeans, soymilk, salt (from Okinawa prefecture)/emulsifier, pH adjusting agent, flavoring, vitamin C, cellulose, stabilizer (gellan gum), vitamin E.
Product contains oranges, soybeans, and apples.
Photo taken April 2021 in a 7-11.
In 2019, Kikkoman stated that they use beef bone char as a filtering agent for the sugar production process of their soymilks. They also stated they use no other animal-derived agents in the process of making the soymilks.
Under pressure from PETA, Kikkoman agreed to stop animal testing as of 2015, except when accountable to public safety or to comply with the demands of government authorities.
Their animal testing policy is here (English).
Probably their most famous soymilk product is their regular adjusted soymilk, which is used widely across Japan, including in many commercial establishments (coffees and smoothies are often made with this) and vegan items (unless you’re in a vegan restaurant that specifically states they don’t use bone-char processed sugar, in which case they might use something like unadjusted soymilk instead).
At the bottom of the package it reads “植物性たんぱく飲料,” shokubutsu-sei tanpaku inryō, meaning “vegetable protein drink.”
For much more extensive information about Kikkoman soymilks, check our Soy, Almond & Other Non-Dairy Milks section.
• Kikkoman Adjusted Soymilk/キッコーマン 調製豆乳. Ingredients: Soybeans (Canada or USA) (not genetically modified), sugar, rice oil, sun-dried salt/calcium lactate, emulsifier, thickener (carrageenan), flavoring.
Product contains soybeans.
• Kikkoman Banana Flavored Soymilk Beverage/キッコーマン バナナ. Ingredients: Soybeans (Canada or America) (not genetically modified), sugar, banana puree, rice oil/thickener (pectin, cellulose), flavoring, gardenia pigment.
Product contains soybeans and banana.
• Kikkoman Coffee Flavored Soymilk Beverage/キッコーマン 麦芽コーヒー. Ingredients: Soybeans (from Canada or America) (non-genetically modified), sugar, malt extract, rice oil, coffee extract, chicory extract, dextrin, sun-dried salt/caramel color, calcium lactate, emulsifier, flavoring, thickener (carrageenan).
Product contains soybeans.
The Kikkoman Honey flavored soymilk beverage is not vegan as it has real honey/はちみつ/hachimitsu.
• Kikkoman Honey/キッコーマンはちみつ豆乳飲料.
n 2019, Kikkoman stated that they use beef bone char as a filtering agent for the sugar production process of their soymilks. They also stated they use no other animal-derived agents in the process of making the soymilks. The Oishii Muchousei does not use sugar nor any of the animal-derived ingredients they stated they use in some of their products (vitamin D, shell calcium, or honey), meaning they’re animal-ingredient-free in the finished product as well as have no animal ingredients used in processing. Both of these products are pictured below.
Zero cholesterol, contains soy isoflavones and lecithin. 2020 Monde Selection Gold Award winner.
• Kikkoman Oishii Muchousei (Delicious Unadjusted) Soymilk/キッコーマン おいしい無調整豆乳. Ingredients: Soybeans (Canada or America) (not genetically modified).
• Marusan Co-Trip Brown Sugar Syrup Soymilk Beverage/Marusan ことりっぷ 豆乳飲料 黒蜜きなこ. Ingredients: Soybean (Canadian) (not genetically modified), saccharides (high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, sugar, brown sugar syrup), soy powder, salt, mirin, yeast extract powder/flavoring, stabilizer (thickening polysaccharide). Product contains soy.
This collaboration product with travel book co-Trip is made with Japanese brown sugar syrup called kuromitsu and kinako soy powder and is meant to taste like a traditional dessert.
The Marusan Vegan Protein drinks are certified vegan by VegeProject Japan. The Matcha Soy Latte flavor was spotted in a branch of Family Mart in Naha in May 2021.
• Marusan Vegan Protein Matcha Soy Latte. Ingredients: Soybeans (Canada), organic blue agave syrup, organic powdered pea protein, powdered soybean protein, matcha, salt/stabilizer (thickening polysaccharide), baking soda.
Product contains soy.
This brown sugar soymilk beverage contains vegetable lactic acid (from barley) and euglena. Note that euglena is considered to be neither a plant nor an animal, but a single-celled protist. However, Pokka Sapporo’s website states that they do test this specific lactic acid (SBL88) on mice. Photo taken in April 2021.
• Pokka Sapporo Ishigakijima Island Brown Sugar Soymilk Beverage/黒糖豆乳飲料. Ingredients: Soybean, kokutō sugar, salt, vegetable oil, Euglena gracilis powder, lactic acid bacteria (sterilized), calcium lactate, pH adjusting agent, emulsifier, stabilizer (thickening polysaccharides), flavoring.
Product contains soybeans.
Photo taken in a branch of 7-11 in April 2021. Uses kokutō sugar from Okinawa.
• Sujahta Roasted Soybean Flour Soymilk with Organic Soybeans/スジャータ 豆乳 きなこ with Organic Soybeans. Ingredients: Organic soybeans (Canada or America) (not genetically modified), sugar (50% Okinawan kokutō sugar), vegetable oil, powdered starch syrup, organic roasted soybean flour, sun-dried salt/cellulose, emulsifier, flavoring, polysaccharide thickener.
SMOOTHIES
Kagome Life with Vegetables 100 Smoothies are widely carried. The available flavors vary by season. The products use no sugar, sweetener or thickeners. The company does animal testing. Some products in the line use dairy (fermented dairy/発っ酵乳), so are not vegan.
The following item was released in April 2021 and is a limited-edition flavor. Photo taken in April 2021 in a branch of 7-11. According to Wikipedia, amanatsu, also known as natsumikan, is a yellowish orange citrus hybrid fruit that was discovered in 1740 in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
• Kagome Life with Vegetables 100 Smoothie Ehime Amanatsu & Lemon Mix/Kagome 野菜生活１００ Smoothie 愛媛甘夏＆レモンMix. Ingredients: Vegetables (carrots, kale, spinach, asparagus, watercress, parsley, pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage, beets, daikon radish, Chinese cabbage, onions, celery), fruits (apples, oranges, lemons, amanatsu, bananas), dietary fiber/citric acid, vitamin C, flavoring.
Contains oranges, bananas, and apples.
Photo taken in March 2021.
• Kagome Life with Vegetables 100 Smoothie Green Smoothie Gold and Green Kiwi Mix/Kagome 野菜生活１００ Smoothie グリーンスムージー ゴールド＆グリーンキウイMix. Ingredients: Vegetables (carrot (imported), bell peppers, Japanese mustard spinach, kale, spinach, asparagus, watercress, parsley, pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage, beet, daikon radish, Chinese cabbage, onion, celery), fruits (apples, grapes, kiwi fruits, lemon, banana), dietary fiber/flavoring, citric acid, vitamin C, safflower yellow pigment, gardenia blue pigment.
Product includes orange, kiwi fruit, banana, and apple.
You might stilll see the product image of an older version if ordering online.
• Kagome Life with Vegetables 100 Smoothie Green Smoothie Mix/Kagome 野菜生活１００ Smoothie グリーンスムージーMix. Ingredients: Vegetables (carrot, peppers, Japanese mustard spinach, kale, spinach, asparagus, watercress, parsley, pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage, beet, daikon radish, Chinese cabbage, onion, celery), fruits (apples, grapes, kiwi fruits, banana, lemon), dietary fiber/flavor, citric acid, safflower yellow pigment, gardenia blue pigment.
Product includes orange, kiwi fruit, banana, and apple.
The Kagome Life with Vegetables 100 Smoothie Ripe Banana/Kagome 野菜生活１００ Smoothie 完熟バナナスムージー , launched in fall 2022, contains dairy, even though multiple previous versions of similar Kagome banana smoothies didn’t. This one contains creaming powder/クリーミングパウダー．It’s also marked “contains dairy/乳使用” in Japanese on the bottom front left of the package.
Photos taken in September 2022.
The W Berry Smoothie Yogurt Mix/Wベリースムージー ヨーグルトMix flavor has fermented dairy/発っ酵乳. It’s also marked “contains dairy/乳使用” in Japanese on the bottom front left of the package.
The following Sujahta Meiraku Kiwi Chia Seed drink contains 1.0 g of n-3 fatty acid (omega 3 fatty acid) and 100 mg of vitamin C. The product page states that n-3 fatty acid helps maintain the health of the skin. (It also states that the product does not cure illness or improve health by ingesting a large amount and to please follow recommended daily intake guidelines and maintain a balanced diet.)
• Sujahta Meiraku Kiwi Chia Seed/スジャータ めいらく キウイチアシード. Ingredients: Apple juice concentrate (produced in China), kiwifruit pulp, grape juice concentrate, chia seed, lemon juice concentrate, kiwifruit juice concentrate, pineapple juice concentrate/vitamin C, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, coloring (Lantana flower, gardenia).
Product contains apple and kiwi fruit.
Photo from website.
The following product may be somewhat similar to a smoothie. Photo taken in May 2021.
• Sujahta Meiraku Drinkable Taiwanese Sweets, Toufa/スジャータ めいらく 飲む台湾スイーツ 豆花（トウファ）. Ingredients: Sugars (sugar, high-fructose corn syrup), organic soybeans (not genetically modified) (Canada or USA), grain konjac with sweet potato flour (konjac flour, sweet potato starch), banana pulp, agar/modified starch, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), calcium hydroxide, colorant (gardenia, tomato pigment), flavoring.
Product contains soybeans and banana.
TEA
There are quite a lot of plain teas in convenience stores, but check for honey/蜂蜜/ハチミツ/はちみつ (hachimitsu) in sweetened teas.
OTHER BEVERAGES
Regular Calpis is not vegan because it has milk ingredients. Per the company, for their Green Calpis product, they don’t know if bone char was used to whiten the sugar. Lactic acid bacteria from milk is used to make the drink. It does not have milk allergens so those who are allergic to milk can safely drink it. They cannot call it a vegan beverage. The beverage department is not currently conducting animal testing.
Therefore, the “does not contain dairy/乳成分不使用” statement on the Green Calpis product does not appear to extend to the lactic acid bacteria (from milk) that was used.
All kinds of Monster Energy drinks- all ingredients in finished product (including amino acid) chemical/synthetic material and not animal-based, per an email to manufacturer 1/24/2019. Information courtesy of the Halal Japan Facebook group.
This clearish, jellylike liquid is meant to taste like the Japanese confection warabi mochi, but in a drinkable form. It was found in a branch of Family Mart in September 2020.
• Warabimochi Drink/わらびもちは飲み物です. Ingredients: Warabimochi-flavored drink: Sugar, 100% bracken powder, gelling agent (thickening polysaccharide), flavoring. Kuromitsu: Kokutō sugar, sugar, starch syrup. Roasted soy flour: Soybeans, sugar, salt.
FROZEN CONFECTIONERY
Different flavors of ice candy will be available at different times of the year. The easiest to find seem to be the Akari Gari Gari Kun soda bar and the Imuraya Adzuki bar. More non-dairy choices are available in summer than winter.
This is an example of a typical convenience store, Family Mart’s, single-serving frozen confectionery section. Everything has dairy and sometimes additional non-vegan ingredients listed in the ingredient list, except for what is outlined in red- the Futaba Sacre White Peach, Morinaga Rich Muscat Grape Ice Box, Glico Ice Fruit, Strong series, and Akagi Gari Gari Kun Golden Pineapple Popsicle for Adults. Photo taken in April 2021.
Here are some examples of products you may find in convenience stores, some of them only seasonally available.
• Akagi Gari Gari Kun Soda Popsicle/赤城乳業 ガリガリ君 ソーダ（棒） and Akagi Gari Gari Kun Soda Popsicle Multipack/赤城乳業 ガリガリ君 ソーダ（マルチ）. Ingredients: High-fructose corn syrup, sugar, apple juice, glucose, lime juice, starch syrup, liqueur, salt/flavoring, stabilising agent (pectin), acidity regulator, colouring (spirulina blue, gardenia pigment, safflower yellow pigment).
Manufactured on common equipment with products containing milk and egg.
Akagi also makes other varieties of dairy-free popsicles and ices.
• Akagi Mandarin with a Kick, Multipack/赤城乳業 ガツン、と みかん（マルチ）. Ingredients: Mandarin syrup (domestically produced), mandarin juice, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, fructose, liqueur, salt/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring.
Manufactured on common equipment with products containing dairy and egg.
Made with 30% mandarin juice and flesh.
The photos were taken in a branch of 7-11 convenience store in April 2021.
This individually wrapped version has a slightly different ingredient list.
• Akagi Mandarin with a Kick/赤城乳業 ガツンと、みかん. Ingredients: Mandarin syrup (domestically produced), mandarin juice, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, starch hydrolyzate, fructose, salt, western liquor/acidulant, stabilizer (thickening polysaccharide), flavoring.
Manufactured on common equipment with products containing dairy and egg.
Made with 40% mandarin juice and flesh.
Photo taken in a branch of Family Mart convenience store in August 2021.
• Family Mart Fruit Bars with Fruit Juice/ 果汁入りフルーツバー. Contains three flavors, orange, grape, and apple.
(Orange bars): Orange juice, sugar, starch syrup, acidulant, stabilising agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, paprika pigment, carotene pigment.
(Grape bars): Grape juice, sugar, starch syrup, stabilising agent (polysaccharide thickener), acidulant, flavoring, grape pigment.
(Apple bars): Apple juice, sugar, starch syrup, acidulant, stabilising agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, gardenia pigment.
Does not contain any of the top seven allergens. The three flavors are manufactured on the same equipment.
This product may have been replaced with the below version.
• Family Mart Fruit Bars Containing Fruit Juice/こだわりの果汁入りフルーツバー. Contains 4 flavors, satsuma mandarin, Concord grape, Aomori-grown apple, and Muscat of Alexandria grape.
(Satsuma mandarin bars): Sugar (domestically produced), concentrated mandarin juice, starch syrup/stabilizing agent (thickening polysaccharide), acidulant, flavoring, paprika pigment, carotenoid pigment.
(Concord grape bars): Sugar (domestically produced), concentrated grape juice, starch syrup/stabilizing agent (thickening polysaccharide), acidulant, flavoring, grape pigment.
(Aomori-grown apple bars): Sugar (domestically produced), concentrated apple juice, starch syrup/acidulant, stabilizing agent (thickening polysaccharide), flavoring, gardenia pigment. Contains apple.
(Muscat of Alexandria grape bars): Sugar (domestically produced), concentrated muscat grape juice, starch syrup/stabilizing agent (thickening polysaccharide), acidulant, flavoring, safflower pigment, gardenia pigment.
Of the 28 specified allergens, product contains apple.
All four flavors are produced on shared equipment.
Photos taken in August 2021.
The following frozen smoothie-like ice cream product is available in the warmer months in NewDays convenience stores. After buying it, you’re meant to add cow’s milk from a machine by the register and mix well, making it non-vegan. However, it may be possible to veganize it by adding plant milk to it at home instead.
Photos taken in May 2021.
• Fruits Frozen Fru & Fro Peach/Fruits Frozen Fru & Fro ピーチ. Ingredients: White peach flesh, sugar, powdered starch syrup/acidity regulator, sweeteners (aspartame L-phenylalanine compound, sucralose), coloring (beet red, gardenia pigment), flavoring, thickener (welan gum).
Product contains peach.
• Fruits Frozen Fru & Fro Strawberry/Fruits Frozen Fru & Fro イチゴ. Ingredients: Strawberry flesh, sugar, dextrin, powdered starch syrup/acidity regulator, sweetener (aspartame L-phenylalanine compound), flavoring.
For a long time, the Glico Ice Fruit, Strong series, a series of round ice creams, had dairy/乳製品/nyūseihin. It was also listed as milk components/乳成分/chichiseibun on the allergy information section of the labels. As of March 2021, the ingredient lists of the flavors shown no longer show dairy.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Strong Peach/Glico アイスの実＜濃いもも＞. Ingredients: Peach juice・peach flesh, sugar, maltose, starch syrup, vegetable oil, high-fructose corn syrup/flavoring, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), emulsifier, acidulant.
Of the 28 specified allergens, product contains peaches.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Strong Grape/Glico アイスの実＜濃いぶどう＞. Ingredients: Grape juice, sugar, starch syrup, maltose, vegetable oil/flavoring, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), emulsifier, acidulant.
Contains none of the 28 specified allergens.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Strong Blood Orange/Glico アイスの実＜濃いブラッドオレンジ＞. Ingredients: Orange juice, sugar, maltose, starch syrup, vegetable oil/stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), emulsifier, flavoring, acidulant, paprika pigment.
Of the 28 specified allergens, product contains orange.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
The following two flavors were found in a branch of Family Mart in June 2021.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Pink Grapefruit/Glico アイスの実＜ピンクグレープフルーツ＞. Ingredients: Grapefruit juice, sugar, starch syrup, maltose, vegetable oil/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), emulsifier, flavoring, coloring (Monascus purpureus).
Contains none of the 28 specified allergenic substances.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Japanese Pear/Glico アイスの実＜和梨＞. Ingredients: Japanese pear juice, sugar, maltose, starch syrup, vegetable oil/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), acidulant, flavoring, emulsifier, safflower pigment.
Contains none of the 28 specified allergenic substances.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
• Glico Ice Fruit, Kyoho Grape/Glico アイスの実＜巨峰＞. Ingredients: Grape juice, sugar, starch syrup, maltose, vegetable oil/flavoring, stabilizer (thickening polysaccharide), emulsifier, acidulant.
Contains none of the 28 specified allergenic substances.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
Photo taken in a branch of Family Mart in August 2021.
Glico also manufactures a product line called Papico, which is available in some convenience stores (as well as many supermarkets). Some Papico flavors include dairy/乳製品/nyūseihin and/or gelatin/ゼラチン/zerachin, but the flavors listed below do not. The Glico Papico product page is here.
• Glico Papico Mediterranean Lemon/グリコ パピコ地中海レモン. Ingredients: High-fructose corn syrup, sugar, starch syrup, lemon juice, vegetable oil, lemon peel, salt/acidulant, stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, emulsifier, safflower coloring.
Products containing dairy are made on the same factory line.
Contains none of the 27 specified allergens.
Photo taken July 2021 in a branch of 7-11 convenience store.
The Glico Papico Grape/グレープ version appears to possibly be vegan, but from Glico’s website, it looks as if it’s currently being sold only in a box with other, non-vegan flavors and not on its own.
Red bean ‘ice cream’ can easily be found in convenience stores, and many types do not contain dairy.
• Imuraya Adzuki Bar/井村屋 あずきバー. Ingredients: Sugar, adzuki beans, starch syrup, cornstarch (non-genetically modified), salt.
The following box of fruit bars from Lawson contains four flavors, white peach, grape, apple, and kiwi. Photos taken in May 2021.
• Lawson Fruits Ice Bar/4種の甘熟フルーツバー.
(Green kiwi bars): Kiwi juice (100% Hayward variety), sugar, starch syrup, powdered starch syrup, vegetable oil, salt/stabilizing agent (cellulose, polysaccharide thickener), coloring (gardenia, safflower yellow), emulsifier, flavoring.
(Concord grape bars): Grape juice, sugar, starch syrup, powdered starch syrup, lemon juice, fermented grape juice/stabilizing agent (cellulose, polysaccharide thickener), flavoring.
(Aomori Prefecture apple bars): Apple juice (100% Aomori prefecture apples), sugar, starch syrup, powdered starch syrup, salt/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener, cellulose), acidity regulator, flavoring, carotene color.
(White peach bars): White peach juice (100% domestic white peaches), sugar, starch syrup, glucose/stabilizer (polysaccharide thickener, cellulose), acidity regulator, flavoring.
Per an article in LiveKindly in November 2018, the Japanese company Morinaga has agreed to cease all animal testing not required by law.
• Morinaga Ice Box, Grapefruit/森永アイスボックス、グレープフルーツ. Ingredients: Grapefruit juice (manufactured in Israel), high-fructose corn syrup, salt/flavoring, acidulant, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), vitamin C, sodium polyphosphate, carotenoid pigment.
Contains none of the 28 specified allergenic substances.
Items containing egg and dairy are manufactured using common equipment.
Photo taken in August 2021.
• Morinaga Rich Muscat Grape Ice Box/森永アイスボックス濃い果実氷＜マスカット＞. Ingredients: Muscat grape juice/flavoring, acidulant, sweetener (aspartame/L-phenylalanine compound, sucralose), sodium polyphosphate.
Contains none of the 27 specified allergens.
Manufactured on common equipment with items containing dairy and egg.
The following frozen smoothie-like product is available from Family Mart in limited quantities (and may not be available at all stores), according to the Family Mart website. After buying it, you’re meant to add cow’s milk from a machine by the register and mix well, making it non-vegan. However, it may be possible to veganize it by adding plant milk to it at home instead.
• Morinaga Ramune Soda Frappe/Morinaga ラムネ ソーダフラッペ. Ingredients: Starch syrup (domestically produced), sugar, ramune candy, high-fructose corn syrup, apple juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, glucose, vegetable oil, liqueur, salt/acidulant, flavoring, coloring (spirulina blue, safflower yellow, gardenia, caramel), emulsifier, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), calcium chloride.
Of the 28 allergenic substances, product contains apple.
Made on shared equipment with items containing milk and eggs.
Photo taken in August 2021 in a branch of Family Mart.
These bars can be found at the convenience store 7-11.
Some items in the individually wrapped 100％ fruits ice bar series had obviously non-vegan ingredient(s) listed in the ingredient list, but the 100% Apple Ice Bar shown below did not.
• Seven & I Premium 100% Apple Ice Bar/フルーツアイスバー果汁100%アップル. Ingredients: Apple juice (manufactured in Chile), sugar, vegetable oil/stabilizing agents (polysaccharide thickener, agar), acidulant, emulsifier, safflower pigment, flavoring.
Product contains apple.
Photo taken August 2021 in a branch of 7-11 convenience store.
• Seven & I Premium Fruit Ice Bars/セブンプレミアム4種のフルーツバー. Contains four flavors, Kyoho grape, white peach, Satsuma mandarin, and Muscat grape.
(Kyoho grape bars): Grape juice, high-fructose corn syrup, starch syrup, sugar/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), acidulant, flavoring.
(White peach bars): Peach juice, starch syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), acidulant, flavoring, coloring (vegetable pigment, safflower yellow).
Product contains peaches.
(Satsuma mandarin bars): Mandarin juice, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, starch syrup/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, carotenoid pigment.
(Muscat grape bars): Grape juice, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, starch syrup/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, coloring (safflower yellow, gardenia).
It may have been replaced with the following version.
• Seven & I Premium Fruit Ice Bars/セブンプレミアム4種のフルーツバー. Contains four flavors, Satsuma mandarin, Sicilian lemon, muscat, and white peach.
(Satsuma mandarin bars): Mandarin juice, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, starch syrup/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, carotenoid pigment.
(Sicilian lemon bars): Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, starch syrup, lemon juice, lemon paste/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, coloring (safflower yellow, fruit pigment), acidulant.
(Muscat bars): Grape juice, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, starch syrup/acidulant, stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), flavoring, coloring (safflower yellow, gardenia).
(White peach bars): Peach juice, starch syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar/stabilizing agent (polysaccharide thickener), acidulant, flavoring, coloring (vegetable pigment, safflower yellow).
Product contains peaches.
All four flavors manufactured on common equipment, so the flavors may mix with each other.
Products containing dairy manufactured on common equipment.
Photos taken at a branch of the convenience store 7-11 in April 2021.
This mandarin orange-flavored shaved ice was seen in a branch of 7-11 convenience store in July 2021.
• Seven & I Premium Mandarin Orange-Flavored Shaved Ice. Ingredients: Pickled mandarin syrup (mandarin, sugar) (manufactured in China), high-fructose corn syrup, mandarin juice, sugar/acidulant, stabilizing agent (thickening polysaccharide), flavoring, sweetener (sucralose), paprika pigment.
Product contains orange.
The factory produces items containing eggs, milk components, and wheat.
Is it Vegan? (Japan) 
Add to the anman list the black goma anman which you can find in some lawson’s it’s the beeeeeeeest!!
Also I found in a very rare number of family marts you can find soy ice cream, it’s got SOY in big writing on it lol.
Thank you for this comprehensive list! A lot of stuff I wouldn’t haven even thought to check.
I have not been able to find any packaged onigiri or sushi in supermarkets, convenience stores, or department stores that doesn’t list amino/アミノas an ingredient, though, which may or may not be vegan. I’ve found packaged daifuku to often suffer from the same problem, though I finally found some ichigo daifuku in Daimaru that was 100% vegan without a doubt.
Thank you so much for the list! Wish I found it much earlier.
This list is very useful, thanks !
It may be useful to add the japanese writing of anman あんまん (according to wikipedia) to have a 2nd verification at the combini.
I only just found your blog, thank you so much!! Super useful for me, as I can’t really read Kanji >.<
The new Soy Joy crispy bars would be worth adding. The original ones contain egg, but the crispy kind is vegan!
The new Soy Joy Crispy bars would be worth adding. The original ones contain egg, but the crispy kind is vegan!
Thank you so much for the list and updated information. It really helps for vegetarians. May you be well and happy always!
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Hi this is a great list! Thank you so much 🙂 How old is this information? It might be a nice idea to add a ‘last updated’ date 🙂 (I am sorry if I missed it)
Hello, we’ve gone through and given the section a refresh so everything is as current as possible. Hope it helps.
You’re a legend. Thank you so much 😍 is there a vegan restaurants section too?
No problem! We don’t have a specific restaurants section because there are already websites that cover that info very well, like Happy Cow and Vegewel. There are a few restaurants in the Airports and Fast Food sections though, both under the “Food to Go” sections
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Thank you so much! So informative! Makes it super easy to find vegan food in Japanese convinience stores. Only thing I would love to see would be sekihan onigiri and wakame onigiri added to the list. (Which i’m pretty sure is vegan and can be found at 7/11. They are the ones without the nori wrap on the outside)
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to confirm if any onigiri from 7/11 is animal-ingredient free. The reason is that 7-11 has reported its onigiri differ in ingredients depending on what part of the country they are made at, as they are made at different manufacturing facilities. Therefore even if we inquire about sekihan or wakame onigiri, the answer would only be applicable to our area and not the whole country. They could only confirm their salt onigiri (銀しゃりむすび塩むすび) to be animal-ingredient free. We don’t have information about wakame onigiri, but 4 out of 5 convenience stores asked said their kombu seaweed onigiri does contain animal ingredients. It’s possible wakame onigiri contains animal ingredients to flavour the seaweed off-label in small amounts.
Thanks a lot for all the effort. Do you have new informations regarding the kombu onigiri at Mini stop?
You’re very welcome! Unfortunately we don’t have new information about Mini Stop onigiri-whenever we do we’ll add it as quickly as possible. Due to time constraints it’s been very difficult to keep the onigiri list updated as companies change their onigiri names and ingredient lists so quickly, but we’ll keep it in mind that it’s a category a lot of people depend on when eating out (me included).
I’ve been wanting to work through this list, but after I checked the fifth Family Mart (I live in Sendai, which I believe has less variety compared to bigger cities) and finally found the tofu somen style noodles (https://www.kibun.co.jp/products/all_152330a?fbclid=IwAR1RbRU41MGsDw8KxyA0ULUJopruda8nqgWe1C3B1sszW-CVYBddP3rrZvk <- ingredient list is not up to date!!!!!!!!!!!), I saw that in both packages, which are pictured on this page, KATSUO (skipjack bonito fish) is in their sauces! Unfortunately Japanese food companies change their recipes all the time, which is such a drag. 😦
Thanks so much for your comment! The ingredient list on the kibun.co.jp website still shows the 胡麻つゆ sesame sauce one as not containing fish. Do you have a picture of the ingredient list on the package? If so can you send it to: isitveganjapan@hotmail.com? The one with mentsuyu sauce has fish and is only on our page as an example of what not to buy. If we can confirm the sesame sauce one has fish too we’ll change the listing.
Edit: The kibun.co.jp website has been updated to show the new packaging. The sesame sauce version in orange packaging still is listed as not containing fish or other animal ingredients and the listed ingredients have not changed, but the packaging looks slightly different. The mentsuyu version has fish still but is now in blue packaging instead of purple. And there is now a third a version containing egg and fish in green packaging. We have added updated photos and information. Thanks for letting us know these items had changed.
Hi there, was wondering whether unsweetened soy milk or any other plant based milk is readily available there and the average price of them. Also, are there any packaged cakes/breads that are vegan? Thanks in advance!
Hi Yasmin. There are a great many packaged unsweetened soymilks in Japan, starting at a few hundred yen a container. Please check our section on non-dairy milks in the “non-adjusted soymilk” section. https://isitveganjapan.com/food-products-n-z/soy-milk/ My personal favorites are Otsuka Amazing Soy and another Otsuka product in the same line called “Yukipirika” because they undergo a process in the factory to remove the strong beany taste. Please check our bread section for a few choices. https://isitveganjapan.com/food-products/bread-and-bakery-products/ In general you need to go to specific stores to obtain breads that don’t have animal ingredients but unsweetened soymilk is not at all difficult to find.
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I just want to say thank you for keeping this site up-to-date. It’s a great help to me, and to a lot of other vegans I’m sure! ❤
Thank you so much for your kind words!
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Ditto on the previous comment, this is still useful in 2023!
Glad we could be of help!
25年間菜食する韓国人です
日本旅行をしながらビーガン食堂とビーガン菓子が多いことを感じました
情報ありがとうございます ^^
お役に立てて本当にうれしいです。
Hello, thank you so much for this extremely helpful blog, I really appreciate all the hard work you put into this! I am planning to travel Japan next year and starting my research on what food I can eat. I was disappointed to read that the Inari Zushi from 7/11 are not vegan as this would be a perfect tasty to-go snack or quick meal for when I can’t find anything else. However, I read this: https://www.abillion.com/products/7-eleven-inari-sushi-pack-10038824 which according to the poster, 7/11 confirmed it was plant-based although I find no record of this anywhere… do you know any update on this? Many thanks in advance!
Thanks for your kind words. All our info is that inari zushi products in Japan use fish (skipjack tuna extract) per all major convenience stores, as the blog states. That info comes from a Japanese speaker who called all of the convenience store companies directly. The picture is of a Hawaiian product. 7-11 Hawaii may be using a different recipe. It’s quite common for products to have a different recipe here and overseas. Also, convenience store companies in Japan won’t confirm products as “plant-based” unless it is on the original labeling. So, whoever wrote it must have added some details in. The most they would say is something ”does/does not have animal ingredients.”