Beyond its major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, Japan has so much to offer in terms of rich culture and delicious vegan food.
Many Japanese cities are just a short train trip away from the major cities, which makes them great day trip destination to enrich your trip.
In this article, I’ll take you to 4 of my favourites - Kamakura, Nara, Himeji and Kobe - to show you some of my favourite things to do and vegan places.
Let’s dive it.
Day Trips from Osaka & Kyoto
Nara
40-60 minutes from Osaka or Kyoto
Nara Park
Famous for its bowing deers, Nara Park is the major draw for visitors to Nara. Inside the park, you’ll find thousands of free-roaming deers. Other than taking photos of the deers, you can buy the crackers from park vendors to feed the deers. The crackers are 200 yen a pack, and are made with rice bran and wheat (they are vegan to my knowledge). The deer will bow to get your crackers, but be careful as a group of them may surround you once they know you have food.
When you’re in Nara Park, don’t miss out on the black sesame vegan ice cream. I’ve seen this ice cream in two locations - Tsuru no Chaya (鶴の茶屋) and Mikasa-kankokaikan (三笠観光会館). While it might not be the best ice cream you've had, the real experience is enjoying it while watching (or being watched by) the deers in Nara Park. They may also offer a soy bean powder (きなこ) flavour, though it wasn't available during my visit.
Todaiji Temple
Within Nara Park is the magnificent Todaiji Temple, which houses Japan's largest bronze Buddha statue. The architecture of the temple hall is a marvel in itself. The statue, standing at 15 meters tall, is a testament to the advanced bronze-casting technology of the 8th century. There are also other smaller Buddha statues inside the temple.
The entry fee to the Great Buddha Hall is 600 yen, or you can buy the combo ticket for both the Great Buddha Hall and Tōdai ji Museum for 1000 yen. The temple gets really busy as it’s one of the most popular attractions in Nara. Going early would be the best to avoid the crowds.
[.tips][.icon-compass][.icon-compass][.div]Tip: Join a half-day tour to explore Nara.[.div][.tips]
Vegan Cafes & Restaurants In Nara
Onwa
Just a quick 10-minute walk from the JR Nara station, Onwa is a tucked-away vegan spot is a hidden gem serving delicious vegan food.
The highlight is the Vegan Delight plate which included every small dish that they offer. Although the price is on the higher side at 2750 yen, the plate is filled with colourful and delicious dishes like tofu patty, radish cake and soy protein taco.
For drink, I tried the kamairicha, which is a fragrant pan fried green tea with some roasted notes. They also have other drinks like matcha latte and house-made plum wine.
Like many other cafes in Japan, there are only a few seats and everything is freshly prepared, I’d recommend going early around their opening time or allocate more time for waiting.
Nakatanidou
Near the entrance of Nara Park, this traditional dessert shop sells a vegan green mugwort ‘yomogi’ mochi with sweet red bean filling. The surface is dusted with yellow soybean powder. The mochi is soft and chewy, and it’s filled with a generous amount of red bean paste.
As the mochi is freshly made, if you are lucky, you can witness the famous mochi making show. Just keep in mind that because of that, this place has become extremely popular and there would likely be a queue when you buy the mochi.
[.tips][.icon-book][.icon-book][.div]Tip: See more vegan-friendly places in Nara in my vegan Japan travel book.[.div][.tips]
[.divider][.divider]
Kobe
30 minutes from Osaka
Ikuta Jinja
Ikuta Jinja is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines with over 1800 years of history. This shrine is located in the heart of the city and it’s a beautiful serene stop in this bustling city.
You’ll find different spots in this shrine including torii gates, a turtle pond and the Ikuta forest behind the shrine.
Kobe Port Tower
One of the most iconic buildings of Kobe, the Kobe Port Tower is a hourglass-shaped red steel structure that gives you a 360 degree view of Kobe.
It’s also walking distance to other sightseeing spots like the Be Kobe sign, Maritime Museum and Harborland shopping district.
[.tips][.icon-ticket][.icon-ticket][.div]Tip: Get the Kobe Port Tower observation deck tickets here.[.div][.tips]
Vegan Cafes & Restaurants In Kobe
Vegan Cafe Kiu
Tucked away in a small alleyway in Kitano Ijinkan-Gai, Vegan Cafe Kiu is a homey, cozy vegan cafe with delicious food. I tried their “Kiu Gohan” plate (2,200 yen), a monthly-changing selection of small dishes served with brown rice and miso soup. All the elements are well-made with a great variety of flavours and textures. Check out their Instagram for the current month’s selection.
Other than the “Kiu Gohan” plate, they also offer a curry plate with two types of curries and other small dishes.
[.tips][.icon-camera][.icon-camera][.div]Tip: This cafe is a great choice if you are visiting the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway, which is just a 12-minute walk away.[.div][.tips]
Veggie Junkie Burgers
After exploring the Kobe Port Tower and Chinatown, visit Veggie Junkies Burger for a quick vegan eat. This place is run by a charming couple and offers a freshly made burgers. I tried the teriyaki mushroom burger (800 yen) which is a simple yet satisfying burger with soy patty, mushroom mayonnaise, spinach, and scrambled 'egg' made with beans.
As there's no dine-in option, I'd recommend taking the burger to a nearby park or the seaside area near Kobe Port Tower.
[.divider][.divider]
Himeji
75 minutes (regular train) or 38 minutes (Shinkansen) from Osaka
[.tips][.icon-ticket][.icon-ticket][.div]Tip: This 5-day JR pass covers unlimited Shinkansen bullet trains to Himeji and Hiroshima from Osaka or Kyoto.[.div][.tips]
Himeji Castle
[.tips][.icon-idea][.icon-idea][.div]Tip: If you are planning to go inside the castle, keep in mind that you’ll have to take off your shoes and climb up a series of narrow and steep staircases, but the panoramic view of Himeji is worth it.[.div][.tips]
Himeji Castle is the crown jewel of Japanese castle architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also known as the “White Heron Castle” because of its beautiful white exterior.
I’ll recommend walking to Himeji Castle through the Miyuki shopping street. The walk is about 15-20 minutes, and on the way there, you can also stop by the vegan cafe - il riccio.
Koko-en Garden
Adjacent to Himeji Castle is Koko-en - a collection of nine Edo-period style walled gardens. Each garden has a different theme, showcasing different elements of traditional Japanese garden design, from tea ceremony gardens to flower gardens and ponds. I’d recommend getting the combo ticket of Himeji Castle + Koko-en, which is 1,050 yen.
Vegan Cafes & Restaurants In Himeji
Sai Cafe
Sai Cafe in Himeji is a standout vegan restaurant, with a menu supervised by the head chef of Tokyo's popular Saido restaurant. While it might be a bit out of the way, the creative dishes and amazing flavours make it well worth the trip.
I highly recommend the katsu curry rice set (1,850 yen). It includes a rich curry rice with colourful veggies and a meaty katsu cutlet, accompanied by a stunning smoke-infused bean salad. For dessert, try the strawberry butter cookie sandwich (+400 yen with set) or the cute matcha cake tree dessert (500 yen, a la carte).
Getting here can be a bit tricky. You can take the train from Himeji station to Nozato station (about 20 minutes between trains) and walk about 20 minutes, or walk about 30 minutes from Himeji Castle. Bus is an option but because the destination names and announcement are all in Japanese, it could be challenging for tourists.
il riccio
On the way to Himeji Castle, you'll find il riccio, a charming all-vegan cafe. The cafe has two levels, with the upstairs offering a few tables that overlook the more spacious downstairs seating area and the shop. I tried their baked Japanese taro soy milk gratin (1,870 yen), a creamy bake with hearty yam inside, served with bread and salad. They also offer a monthly changing lunch set.
For desserts, they use organic flour from Japan and avoid using white sugar. You’ll find options like matcha flan, gateau chocolate cake and gelato.
[.divider][.divider]
Day Trip from Tokyo
Kamakura
1 hour from Tokyo
Kotoku-in
Kotoku-in is the home to the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Unlike many Buddha statues in Japan, this one sits in the open air, creating a uniquely epic sight. It is just a short 5-minute walk from Hase station. Highly recommend stopping by Cafe Stand Blossom Kamakura or Luna Burger.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine. Founded in 1063 and later expanded, this grand shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of samurai. The shrine includes several halls, ponds, and a museum.
There are two main ways to get to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu - either through the busy Komachi-dori shopping street, or Wakamiya Oji Street which is lined with hundreds of cherry blossom trees.
Vegan Cafes & Restaurants In Kamakura
Chirashiya
Chirashiya is a hidden gem in Kamakura, serving beautiful and creative all-vegan sushi plates. I tried the 12-piece sushi set (2,400 yen) which showcases a range of Japanese produce in inventive vegan sushi forms. Don’t expect them to taste too close to seafood, but what you can expect is a carefully curated plate of veggie sushi showcasing the natural flavours and textures of Japanese ingredients. The pumpkin coconut oil sushi and the yam tofu sushi are standouts. The set also comes with a small appetiser and a miso soup.
The cafe is also charming with lots of cat decors and the owners are warm and welcoming. Keep in mind they only accept cash payments.
Cafe Stand Blossom Kamakura
Located between the famous Big Buddha at Kotoku-in and Hase station, Cafe Stand Blossom Kamakura is the perfect pit stop for a vegan treat.
This vegan cafe serves some amazing traditional Japanese desserts with a twist. The amazake bean paste & butter sandwich (500 yen) is a dorayaki (sweet red bean paste sandwiched between two pancakes), but they add vegan butter in the middle which gives it a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. The other delicious dessert I tried is the monaka, which is traditionally made with sweet red bean paste sandwiched in between wafer pieces, but the one here is filled with a rich chocolate ganache instead.
They also have a selected of drinks, notably ones made with amazake, which is a non-alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. It’s naturally slightly sweet, which gives a nice balance to the slightly bitter matcha in the amazake matcha latte.
