Living the Plant-Based Life in Tokyo

Tokyo - where anyone can enjoy culinary delights from around the world.

But can the same be said for people who don't eat meat or fish?

Hi, I am Chinmaya Dikshit, a reporter for NHK World Japan's Hindi service.

As a Hindu and a vegetarian, when I first came to Japan, I struck a food wall.

That's because a large part of Japanese cuisine uses fish, all the way down to seasonings.

Throughout the globe, interest is on the rise for plant-based diets.

Follow me as I look into what some people in Tokyo are doing to cater to those who, like me, don't eat meat or fish.

Hi! Good morning!

I live here with my wife Tanya.

Being vegetarian Hindus, we do not eat food containing fish, meat, or eggs.

So, we basically cook all our meals ourselves.

For lunch today, we're having two types of dishes, one with eggplants, and the other with pigeon peas.

Before the pandemic,
I once tried sushi on a rail.

It was tasty, but we had
only 2 or 3 vegetarian options.

But with the recent Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, things began to change.

To welcome tourists who don't eat animal-based foods, efforts have begun in both the public and private sectors

to offer better food options for them.

I learned of an NPO that promotes plant-based nutrition, and decided to pay them a visit.

The organization is led by Kawano Haruko.

As she studied environmental issues in university, she came to learn of the negative ecological impact of the meat and dairy industries,

and of cases where livestock and poultry were mistreated.

There are many connections
between the SDGs and a vegan diet.

Her efforts mainly center on a vegan certification system.

Restaurants and food manufacturers can add this seal to menu items or products that fulfill a set of criteria.

So far, more than seven hundred certifications have been given.

Also, under commission by the Tokyo government, she advises restaurants on how to add plant-based dishes to their menu.

Today, she visits a ramen shop in the old downtown area.

One of this eatery's options are vegetarian, soy-sauce-based ramen topped with vegetables and fried tofu.

In groups of 5 or 6 customers,
there's often one vegan or vegetarian.

So, we decided to add
vegetarian ramen to our menu.

Kawano feels the vegetarian option lacks a topping to replace the meat that's often featured in conventional ramen.

She suggests using a Japanese wheat gluten ingredient called "fu."

The texture is similar to roasted pork.

- I'll work on it.
- Thank you!

I focus on 'going one step further.' That way, things can
positively change little by little.

So, I'm really happy
when businesses take that step.

The younger generations too are showing interest in plant-based diets.

Li Takami is a graduate student at the University of Tokyo.

Her study of animal ethics and research on plant-based eating prompted her to collaborate with Kawano to introduce vegan choices to the menu of the university's cafeteria.

You can choose two options of vegan menu.

In 2021, their combined efforts finally bore fruit.

Soy meat saag curry...

Bolognese spaghetti with root vegetables and soy beans.

- These are all vegan options!
- Yes.

Fantastic! That's good!

Bon appetit!

Let's dig in!

So yum! This is yum! Yummy!

Now, I understand why Popeye loves spinach.

When they hear young people
are interested...

in social and environmental issues,
some say...

'If students do it,
perhaps I should, too.' Some people have such a reaction
after hearing about our efforts.

So it's a very positive outcome.

Such endeavors among younger generations help increase the recognition of plant-based foods and make them more accessible.

In 2022, this specialized convenience store opened its doors...

...and all the products are made strictly with plant-based ingredients.

I'm amazed to see so many soups: sweet corn, minestrone... wow!

I wanted to have minestrone soup, which is plant based, for a very long time.

But I could not find anything.

But my biggest surprise was in the prepared meal section.

Wow! That's sushi!

That's amazing!

Vegetable sushi, made with only rice, and yes, vegetables.

It's the brainchild of Tanimizu Ko.

He trained in preparing conventional sushi for ten years.

That's when he had the idea to create a vegetable variant.

Some customers asked if I could
make sushi with vegetables.

I already liked vegetables with wasabi.
So, I decided to give it a try.

Tanimizu-san is going to show me how to prepare some simple vegetarian sushi.

The ingredients are vinegared rice...

...soybean tempeh, pureed salted plums...

...some sesame seeds and Japanese perilla.

Following his instructions, first, I spread some vinegared rice.

Next, I add a mixture of the tempeh, plums, perilla and sesame over the rice.

Finally, I press everything together.

And voilà!

Simple, isn't it?

He is kind enough to prepare udon noodles - something I've always wanted to try.

Instead of fish, the soup is made with kombu kelp and shiitake mushrooms.

He tops it with wakame kelp...

...some deep-fried tofu and green onions.

And there you go: vegetarian udon noodles!

Wow! That's one-word appreciation.

(There's) no other word I have for this.

Fantastic! Really fantastic! Wow!

Tanimizu-san hopes people overseas as well will try vegetable sushi.

We can use vegetables
unique to each country...

and turn them into sushi toppings
to make original collaborations.

When I first arrived in Japan, I faced a food barrier.

But today, I saw amazing efforts being taken to break that barrier down.

I hope Japan's capital continues to become more accommodating to everyone, no matter their dietary habits.