Plain Rice and Pickle Misery

"Maki Itoh of Just Hungry shares advice for vegans in Japan—first off, to be careful because many traditional Japanese dishes use dashi, which is made with dried fish. "Just about the only things that are fairly sure to be dashi-free are plain rice and homemade pickles," she says (although she does share a recipe for vegan dashi). Looking towards non-traditional Japanese cuisine for vegan dishes may not be much easier. She suggests cooking for yourself if your stay is long enough (she shares recipes on Just Hungry and Just Bento), eating brown rice and whole wheat bread, and shares links to other vegan resources in Japan. Don't miss the comments from her readers for more suggestions on where and what to eat."

Link

I'm sorry but I just find this really really sad and pathetic...it's just plain miserable. Vegan survival in Japan? Only vegans would go to Japan and have to think in survivalist terms. That one would end up cooking for themselves while on holiday in Japan is equally abhorrent. It makes me want to weep

5 comments:

    hmm i don't think i agree it's so dire tho... tonne of yummy things there without dashi... all the tasty fresh tofu for instance... bet I could do much better at composing them a shopping list beyond brown rice and pickles....LoL!

     

    It looks like seriouseat.com article is too abbreviated. In the original article on justhungry.com the author does point out tofu, shojin ryori, and macrobiotic options...

    But yes, I feel a vegan person would be losing so much for remaining vegan while in Japan. All the wonderful seafood! aaaahhhhhh

     

    yup... they'd miss out on vinegar-marinated horse in Germany too, I guess that's kind of the whole point though. The only difference with fish in Japan is.... we love it so. :-)

     

    all this talk of tofu is making me gaga... i must admit if I was rich I would get fresh soft tofu & yuba air freighted to me from Japan by airforce one.
    Keep buying bags of soybeans with the idea of making it but still haven't achieved this goal...

     

    cooking on holiday in Japan may not be too bad actually.

    Just think, you can go to Tsukiji fish market and get a huge cut of sashimi-grade tuna and whatnot, bring home and cut up and marinate all you want, at a fraction of restaurant price!

    That's what I want to do.

    The basement grocery section of the department stores are also irresistible.

     

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