i am going to japan in march. how difficult will it be to stay rv? what are my options? does anyone know what to look out for, or can anyone offer me any advice? i will be staying in tokyo, and possibly other places after that, but i'm not entirely sure where. where are the coolest raw vegan places in japan just out of curiosity if anyone is familiar with japan?

It's been many years but what stands out for me in Tokyo was going into restaurants because they were convenient or looked good and hoping to navigate the menu or communicated with the staff, and finding it impossible. It was that foreign to me. I wound up with a raw fish at one place, and how do you eat a bowl of soup with chop sticks? It would have been nice to know the proper way... It would have helped me to use a guide book and select places that cater to westerners, which I'm sure there are many.

I understand Japan now has a labeling system for organics. The gold label means no chemicals or pesticides.

what i am wondering though is it possible to be raw vegan in japan? is it super expensive? what is it like?

Absolutely yes, there are raw vegans in Japan/Tokyo and it is not super expensive though you are likely to find it simply expensive. In March you'll find imported fruit and lettuce in the supermarkets. Lunch is bargain time in Tokyo when the whole city takes a break from work, the 1:00 to 2:00 PM slot the best for tourists to avoid the mad rush yet get the good deals. I was never shocked by the price of food or lodging... shopping, whoa! Do you like sea vegetables?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2009 10:41PM by loeve.

do you mean like sea weed? yes! how do they prepare it there? can i order it in a resturaunt and be safe? the only times i've ever had seaweeds were at like a raw food cafe where they make it in a salad swimming in oils. sometimes too much oil for me, but even still it is an interesting salty experience. =)

i also enjoy kim chi... but i heard once that they make kim chi there with pieces of fish or squid or something?? =| is that true? how do i know if kimchi is safe? i've only had kimchi in those rejuvinative foods jars you get at health food stores. is regular kimchi not raw?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2009 10:09AM by ILoveJen.

If the majority of your diet is fresh whole fruits and veggies, I doubt you'll have any problems.

yay! that's what i wanted to hear. i keep reading online how hard it is in japan to be even vegetarian!!

Hey I have the same question. I am going to Japan for an internship in 2011 for 2 months.

How long are you staying there, Ilovejen?

At first, I planned to go next February / March, than we could have met each other!

But maybe you will be there 2011, too?

Helen

ILoveJen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> do you mean like sea weed? yes! how do they
> prepare it there? can i order it in a resturaunt
> and be safe? the only times i've ever had
> seaweeds were at like a raw food cafe where they
> make it in a salad swimming in oils. sometimes
> too much oil for me, but even still it is an
> interesting salty experience. =)
>
> i also enjoy kim chi... but i heard once that
> they make kim chi there with pieces of fish or
> squid or something?? =| is that true? how do i
> know if kimchi is safe? i've only had kimchi in
> those rejuvinative foods jars you get at health
> food stores. is regular kimchi not raw?

Yes, I meant seaweed. It's a big part of the Japanese diet. I'm not sure you'll find a fresh light seaweed salad but however they serve it you can be sure it's good quality, they are known for that. I'm not up on all the condiments but do like them as well as pickled food and so fit right in there where they are very popular. Have you checked for raw food meetup info in Tokyo?

I've been googling and Japan is a country of mountains, coastline and many very small farms of one acre. It would have been good to hike the trails and visit the farms. I wonder what Okinawa is like... what is life like there and how do they live so long.

i don't know how long i will be staying yet. planning on doing some couchsurfing and wwoofing. =)

[avocadogirl.wordpress.com]

So glad you started this thread Ilovejen cos I'll be going myself next May, and I was having the same thoughts as you! here are some links I have found so far, if I come across any more I'll post them

[www.happycow.net]

[www.meetup.com]

[www.blogcatalog.com]

[www.blogcatalog.com]

[vegetokyo.com]

and here's a good one for raw restaurants worldwide:

[www.soystache.com]

Watch out for bonito flakes... they make their way into nearly everything.

Shrimp, bonito, and other sea creature extracts are very common--watch out for dried seaweeds and kimchi. But, it is possible to find foods without them. Just be aware (ESPECIALLY bonito!!).