6 traditional Japanese foods that vegans will love in Osaka

Kuidaore, which means to eat until you ruin yourself with food, is a concept that has long been associated with Osaka. Vegans can now experience that, too.

Japan’s third-largest city has long been considered a food haven. Thanks to its location near waterways and arable land, the city is a key junction for local and imported ingredients, another reason it is often referred to as “Japan’s kitchen”.

It may be challenging for vegans to find delectable eats in a city that loves fresh seafood, but it is possible to indulge in plant-based foods. In the third part of this series, we look at vegan dishes that everyone can enjoy in Osaka without sacrificing local flavour or quality.

Okonomiyaki

This celebrated wheat flour-based dish is said to have originated in Osaka. It’s a savoury pancake that can be covered with any toppings “how you like”, which is the meaning of okonomiyaki.

The batter usually contains eggs or dashi (fish stock), so it’s not suitable for vegans. Many restaurants cook the pancake with pork belly or shrimp and cover it with cheese or a non-vegan okonomiyaki sauce.

However, vegans should try the okonomiyaki from Aju, which is completely plant-based. With soy ham, cabbage and a tasty vegan sauce, they can end up with a truly delicious okonomiyaki. This hidden gem is lauded by the plant-based community, and now we know why.

Aju, 1 Chome-10-14 Nakazaki, Kita Ward

Seasonal vegetables

Since Osaka has an abundance of ingredients, it’s no wonder vegetables are widely used in so many dishes. At Green Earth, the city’s oldest vegetarian spot, vegans can enjoy a flavourful and filling lunch of the day. This dish is made with fresh, local vegetables and served with soup, accompanied by either rice or bread.

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The vegetables change daily based on what’s available, and the chef is happy show you what you’ll get on your plate. My last visit yielded crispy pumpkin patties that were incredibly tasty, yet not oily.

Green Earth, Chuo-ku, Kitakyuhoji-machi 4-2-2, Room 503 (at Hommachi area)

Yakitori

These popular chicken skewers are cooked on a charcoal fire and enjoyed as a street food or in many izakaya across the country. Vegans can taste a soy meat version of this famous snack at Oribio that looks exactly like grilled chicken.

These skewers can be enjoyed on their own or as part of the Original barbecue Soy Meal, which comes with soup and rice. The best part is that you can buy vegan meats from this vegetarian cafe in their small shop to take home and grill yourself.

Oribio Cafe Dining, 7-2 Aobaokakita, Suita

Donburi

Donburi is a rice dish served in a bowl, which varies according to regional tastes. Donburi can contain meat as diverse as beef, deep fried pork cutlets, grilled eel or raw fish. The rice bowls are often made with dashi and may have egg, which makes them unsuitable for vegans.

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Paprika Shokudo Vegan has an extensive menu of veganised traditional dishes, including several donburi. The most impressive is the Vegan Cheese Locomoco Donburi, a Hawaiian take on a Japanese dish that usually features a burger patty and fried egg.

This plant-based version has a home-made patty, a variety of vegetables and a wonderful combination of tomato and vegan cheese sauces on a bed of rice.

Paprika Shokudo Vegan, 1-9-9 Shinmachi, Nishiku

Japanese curry rice

Most Japanese curry rice dishes are meat-based, and even popular “vegetarian” versions contain meat-based ingredients in the curry sauce. If you want a completely plant-based curry, you’ll need to dine at an all-vegetarian establishment to be sure of what you eat.

With a focus on nutrient-dense and organic food, Genmai Cafe offers daily lunch sets as well as a few staple items, such as the vegetable curry rice.

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This dish is served with brown rice and has a generous portion of organic veggies that make the dish savoury and filling. With a clear message of healthy eating apparent in their branding and attached shop, you’ll leave without feeling guilty if you overindulge.

Genmai Cafe, No. 3 Koso Bldg 2F, 3-6-9 Minamikyuhojimachi, Chuo-ku

Fried maple leaves (Momiji)

If you leave Osaka’s city centre and head towards Minoo, you’ll want to visit Minoo Park. You can enjoy the scenic forest hike to Minoo falls, as well as pick up some delicious Momiji (or Momiji tempura) snacks along the way.

The snack comprises yellow maple leaves that are soaked in saltwater for a year and then covered in a sugar sesame batter and deep fried. Momiji has apparently been eaten for centuries in this part of Japan, and it can be bought throughout the year.

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The batter is dairy- and egg-free, and gives the leaf a sweet, satisfying crunch. Check out any of the small stalls on the path to Minoo Falls and watch elderly ladies frying these maple leaves in front of your eyes.

Minoo Falls, 2-2 Minookoen, Minoo, Osaka

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