Less than an hour away from Osaka or Kyoto, Nara is a perfect place for a day trip to visit traditional temples and cute deers in Nara Park. It also has quite a lot to offer in terms of vegan food.
In this guide, let me show you 7 places you can visit in Nara for delicious vegan food.
[.tips][.icon-idea][.icon-idea][.div]Tip: Save money with this Kintetsu Rail Pass if you are traveling from Kyoto station or Namba Station (in Osaka)[.div][.tips]
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Onwa
Just a quick 10-minute walk from the JR Nara station, this 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 it’s not cheap at 2750 yen, the plate is filled with colourful and delicious food that makes it worth the price. 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.
[.tips][.icon-idea][.icon-idea][.div]Tip: As everything is freshly cooked, there could be a bit of a wait if the cafe is busy.[.div][.tips]
Near the entrance, you'll find a cabinet full of vegan treats like cheese cake and chocolate tarts.
Vegan | Address & Hours
Website | Facebook | Instagram
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Nakatanidou
Near the entrance of Nara Park, this traditional dessert shop sells a green mugwort vegan mochi with sweet red bean filling. The surface is dusted with 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 is extremely popular and there will probably a queue to buy the mochi.
[.tips][.icon-compass][.icon-compass][.div]Tip: Explore all of Nara's cultural sites in a private guided tour.[.div][.tips]
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Vegan Cafe Ramuna
Just tucked away in a small street about 10-minute walk from Nara Park, Vegan cafe Ramuna is a cafe to get away from the busy park and have a nice meal.
The cafe has traditional decor, with seats both on the inside and outside. The owner lady is very sweet and welcoming. Also, it seems like the owner is a cat lover as there are many cat decors.
You can find bento box, burger plate, and tantan noodles. Just keep in mind that as the cafe is run by just one person, the wait time could get long if there are multiple customers.
Vegan | Address & Hours
Facebook
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Vegan Option Ice Cream In Nara Park
I've seen these 2 places in Nara Park that sells vegan option ice cream - Tsuru no Chaya (鶴の茶屋) and Mikasa-kankokaikan (三笠観光会館). They have a black sesame soy milk flavour that doesn't contain milk or egg.
Tsuru no Chaya 鶴の茶屋: Address & Hours
Mikasa-kankokaikan 三笠観光会館: Address & Hours
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Kururu
This cafe is by reservation-only, so they may not be open if you didn't book ahead. They focus on food therapy. If you visit, they may ask you questions about your body to help you decide what’s best for you, so be prepared to translate some Japanese. You’ll find dishes like soy milk mushroom pasta and tofu hamburger plate that has a number of small dishes. Dishes are about 2,000 yen each.
Vegan | Address & Hours
Website | Instagram | Facebook
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Kinatei
A vegetarian cafe 10-minute walk from JR Nara Station, offering daily lunch plates with small dishes, soup and rice. Some items may have a dairy and dairy-free option. Keep in mind that dinner requires reservations.
Vegetarian | Address & Hours
Website | Instagram | Facebook
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China Dining Hiten
Just a few minutes from Kintetsu Nara Station, this Chinese restaurant has a vegan menu including options like Sichaun mapo tofu and sweet & sour soy meat. Go to the second level through the stairs on the right-hand side for this restaurant.
Vegan Options | Address & Hours
Website
