Common Food Allergens in Japan and How to Spot Them
For anyone with allergies shopping for food (especially food with foreign packaging) can be difficult. We provide English translations for all the items we include in our Care Packages, but want to make sure that you are informed as possible as you continue to explore the vast world of Japanese cuisine.
The most common allergens to watch out for in Japanese food are:
- Fish and shellfish - can be found in broths and even pastries.
- Soy - An essential ingredient in soy sauce, you may also find soy in soups, marinades and sauces.
- Wheat - Found in the majority of Japanese noodles, gluten can also be found in soy sauce and grain teas such as mugicha (barley tea).
In Japan, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery (MAFF) has created a legal requirement that all food manufacturers must indicate the following seven foods if they are included as an ingredient:
- Buckwheat (蕎麦／そば)
- Crab (カニ)
- Egg (卵, たまご)
- Milk (乳)
- Peanuts (落花生／ピーナッツ)
- Shrimp (エビ)
- Wheat (小麦)
In addition to these seven ingredients, MAFF has also created a list of twenty ingredients that they recommend (not require) to be highlighted on product labels.
Here is a full list of the 27 allergens (the 7 required allergens are highlighted in red) commonly listed on Japanese foods:
|
ALLERGEN |
PRONOUNCIATION |
JAPANESE |
|
Abalone |
Awabi |
あわび、アワビ |
|
Apple |
Ringo |
りんご |
|
Banana |
Banana |
バナナ |
|
Beef |
Gyu-niku |
牛、牛肉 |
|
Buckwheat |
Soba |
蕎麦, そば、ソバ |
|
Cashew Nuts |
Kashu-natsu |
カシューナッツ |
|
Chicken |
Tori-niku |
鶏肉、鶏 |
|
Crab |
Kani |
カニ、蟹 |
|
Egg |
Tamago |
卵、たまご |
|
Gelatin |
Zera-chin |
ゼラチン |
|
Kiwi |
Kiwi-furutsu |
キウイ、キウイフルーツ |
|
Mackerel |
Saba |
さば、サバ |
|
Matsutake mushroom |
Matsutake |
松茸 |
|
Milk |
Nyu |
乳 |
|
Orange |
Orenji |
オレンジ |
|
Peach |
Momo |
もも、桃 |
|
Peanuts |
Rakkasei or pi-natsu |
落花生、ピーナッツ |
|
Pork |
Buta niku |
豚、豚肉 |
|
Salmon |
Sake |
鮭、さけ |
|
Salmon Roe |
iIura |
いくら |
|
Sesame |
Goma |
ごま、ゴマ |
|
Shrimp |
Ebi |
海老、エビ |
|
Soy |
Daizu |
大豆 |
|
Squid |
Ika |
いか、イカ |
|
Walnut |
Kurumi |
くるみ |
|
Wheat |
Komugi |
小麦 |
|
Yam |
Yama imo |
山芋、やまいも |
These allergens can sometimes be found listed on packages in a separate box and can be identified with the Japanese: "本製品のアレルギー物質" (Allergens in this product)
Learn more about how to read nutrition labels in Japan.
Hi All! I am Miriam Weiss and am a mixed race Japanese/American passionate about promoting Japanese culture and all that it has to offer around the world. I grew up between Japan and California and was most recently living in Boston before moving to the Netherlands! I am excited to share my passion and knowledge with all of you!
12 comments
we noticed the letters + B E K on expiry date labels or sometimes + Y O K.
can you please advise what this means?
Hi Sely! Thank you for your comment. As with traveling anywhere with allergies, it’s best to be prepared. It may make sense to let people know “my daughter has an allergy to peanuts, treenuts and sesame. And my son has an allergy to salmon” which we have translated into Japanese for you: “娘は落花生、木の実、ごまにアレルギーがあります。息子はサーモンにアレルギーがあります。” Enjoy your trip to Japan and let us know if we can be of help!
Hi, my daughter has a Anaphylactic allergy to peanuts, treenuts and sesame. And my son has an allergy to salmon. We will be carrying an Epipen during our travels In Japan. As you can imagine I am very nervous about dining around in Tokyo where we will be mainly be travelling. Do you think it would be difficult and risky to eat in Japan safely? I am particularly concerned about the sesame content in Japanese cuisine. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your Holly! We’re excited about your trip to Japan and hope our Care Packages can bring you a taste of what’s to come!As with traveling anywhere with allergies, it’s best to be prepared. It may make sense to carry a card that says “I have a severe allergy to nuts (peanuts in particular) and shellfish.” which we have translated into Japanese for you: 私は重度のナッツ(特にピーナッツ)と甲殻類のアレルギーがあります。Enjoy your trip to Japan and let us know if we can be of help!
Hello!
I am looking at travelling to Tokyo next year. I carry epipens and have a severe allergy to nuts (peanuts in particular) and shellfish. I can quite happily eat other fish though e.g. salmon, tuna etc. Do you think it would be too difficult to eat safely in Tokyo? I’m trying to do some research around this. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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