Food allergy and dietary cards for Japan

A good card names the ingredient in Japanese, says whether it is an allergy or a rule, and lists what you can eat instead. Pair it with a written request to your hotel so the kitchen knows before you arrive.

This guide shows the card layout and the places where ingredients hide.

What should a card say?

Keep the card to four lines:

1. Who you are, such as “I have an allergy” or “I do not eat pork”.
2. The ingredient in Japanese.
3. Whether it is a reaction or a rule.
4. What you can eat instead.

Examples of Japanese words to include, for your own checking before you use them: egg is 卵, milk is 乳, wheat is 小麦, buckwheat is そば, peanut is 落花生, shrimp is えび and crab is かに. Ask someone who reads Japanese, such as hotel staff, to check your final wording.

Where do ingredients hide?

JNTO notes that cooking sake and mirin, a sweetened cooking sake, are used in many dishes, some miso contains alcohol unless labelled mu-ten-ka, and gelatin and animal fats may be present in breads, snacks and sweets ¹.

Stock and fat also matter. A soup or sauce can be built on fish or meat stock, and some fried foods use animal fat. Ask about stock and fat as well as the main ingredient.

Can you rely on a halal-friendly sign?

Use it as a starting point. JNTO states there is no central agency for halal accreditation, and halal-friendly restaurants may not have a separate halal-only kitchen ².

Ask what is served and how it is cooked, then decide what you are comfortable with. Our Muslim-friendly dining guide has more on planning.

How do you involve the hotel?

Send your card to the hotel before you arrive and ask them to call ahead to the restaurant or the ryokan kitchen. Ask for a written reply, and show it again at check-in.

Our guides on halal-aware meal requests at a ryokan and confirming special requests in writing give sample wording.

What if you travel with children?

Keep the card short and give a copy to each adult. Children can have reactions faster than they can explain, so make the allergy line the first thing a server sees.

Read dining with kids in Japan for family restaurant tips, and use a translation app as a backup for questions the card cannot answer.

What should you do in an emergency?

Carry your medicine, a copy of your doctor’s note and your insurance details. If you are unsure about a dish, do not eat it. Choose a simpler meal, such as plain rice and a clear ingredient list.