1. Ramen (ラーメン)
A beloved Japanese noodle soup served in a rich, flavorful broth, often topped with sliced pork, seaweed, and a soft-boiled egg.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Soybeans, Pork, Chicken, Seafood

Key Points: The noodles contain wheat and often egg. The biggest hidden risk is the broth: even non-seafood ramen frequently uses soy sauce (wheat/soybeans) and dashi fish stock (bonito/mackerel) for extra flavor.

2. Sushi / Sashimi (寿司 / 刺身)
Vinegared rice topped with fresh raw fish (Sushi) or elegant slices of raw fish served without rice (Sashimi).

Main Allergens: Seafood, Wheat, Soybeans, Egg

Key Points: While the raw fish itself is simple, soy sauce and sweet eel sauce (Tare) contain wheat and soybeans. The sushi rice vinegar can sometimes contain traces of wheat, and the yellow omelet (Tamago) contains eggs and fish broth.

3. Tempura (天ぷら)
Seafood and vegetables lightly coated in a delicate batter and deep-fried until perfectly crispy.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Seafood, Soybeans

Key Points: The crispy batter is made from wheat flour and eggs. Additionally, since various ingredients (like shrimp and vegetables) are fried in the same oil, there is a very high risk of cross-contamination for severe seafood allergies.

4. Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)
A savory, customizable Japanese cabbage pancake cooked on an iron griddle and topped with various sauces and garnishes.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Pork, Seafood, Soybeans, Apple

Key Points: The savory pancake batter is a mix of wheat flour, eggs, and fish broth. It is topped with a thick brown sauce (containing soybeans and apple) and Japanese mayonnaise (containing eggs).

5. Wagyu Steak / Yakiniku (和牛ステーキ / 焼肉)
World-famous, highly marbled Japanese beef (Wagyu) or bite-sized meats grilled right at your table (Yakiniku).

Main Allergens: Beef, Wheat, Soybeans, Sesame

Key Points: The meat itself is safe, but Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku) meat is almost always marinated or served with a dipping sauce containing soy sauce (wheat/soybeans) and sesame oil. Ordering it with just salt ("Shio") is highly recommended.

6. Karaage (から揚げ)
Japanese-style bite-sized fried chicken, famous for its incredibly juicy interior and crunchy outer shell.

Main Allergens: Chicken, Wheat, Soybeans, Egg

Key Points: Unlike Western fried chicken, Japanese Karaage is marinated in soy sauce (wheat/soybeans) before frying. Some restaurants also use eggs in the batter to make it extra crispy.

7. Udon (うどん)
Thick, chewy wheat noodles typically served in a hot, savory broth or chilled with a dipping sauce.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Soybeans, Seafood

Key Points: The thick noodles are made 100% from wheat. The clear soup may look innocent, but it is heavily based on soy sauce and dashi fish stock (dried bonito flakes, kelp, or sardines), making it unsafe for seafood allergies and vegetarians.

8. Gyoza (餃子)
Pan-fried Japanese dumplings with a crispy bottom, filled with minced pork, cabbage, and garlic.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Pork, Sesame, Soybeans

Key Points: The dumpling wrappers are made of wheat. The pork filling is pre-seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. The dipping sauce also consists of soy sauce and chili oil (sesame).

9. Takoyaki (たこ焼き)
Hot, savory, ball-shaped street food snacks filled with diced octopus, cooked in a special molded pan.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Octopus, Soybeans, Apple, Dairy

Key Points: The batter contains wheat flour, eggs, and fish broth. Some shops also add a small amount of milk or dairy as a secret ingredient for richness. It is topped with the same allergen-heavy sauce as Okonomiyaki.

10. Japanese Curry (カレーライス)
 A thick, mild, and slightly sweet curry sauce served over white rice, often containing chunks of vegetables and meat.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Dairy, Pork, Beef, Chicken, Apple

Key Points: Japanese curry is thick because the roux is made by cooking wheat flour and butter (dairy) together. Commercial curry roux also contains various meat extracts and apple paste blended into the sauce.

🍖 Meat & Grilled Dishes (11–20)

11. Yakitori (焼き鳥)
Bite-sized pieces of chicken grilled on bamboo skewers over charcoal, a staple of Japanese izakayas (pubs).

Main Allergens: Chicken, Wheat, Soybeans (only for sauce)

Key Points: This is one of the easiest dishes to customize. The sweet brown sauce ("Tare") contains wheat and soybeans, but if you order it with salt ("Shio"), it is completely allergen-free and safe.

12. Tonkatsu (とんかつ)
A thick, breaded, and deep-fried pork cutlet, usually served with shredded cabbage and rice.

Main Allergens: Pork, Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Soybeans, Apple

Key Points: The pork cutlet is coated in wheat flour, dipped in a batter liquid (usually containing egg and milk), and covered in breadcrumbs (wheat) before frying. The tonkatsu sauce also contains soybeans and apple.

13. Katsudon (カツ丼)
A hearty bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, sliced onions, and scrambled eggs.

Main Allergens: Pork, Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Soybeans, Seafood

Key Points: This dish combines all the allergens of Tonkatsu, simmered in a sweet soy-and-fish broth, and topped with a layer of cooked eggs. It is extremely high-risk for egg and wheat allergies.

14. Gyudon (牛丼)
A popular fast-food rice bowl topped with thinly sliced beef and tender onions.

Main Allergens: Beef, Wheat, Soybeans, Seafood

Key Points: Thinly sliced beef and onions are simmered in a sweet sauce. This sauce is made of soy sauce (wheat/soybeans) and fish broth, meaning the allergens are fully absorbed into the meat.

15. Hambagu (ハンバーグ)
A Japanese-style Salisbury steak (ground meat patty) served on a plate without a bun, often covered in a rich brown sauce.

Main Allergens: Beef, Pork, Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Soybeans

Key Points: Unlike 100% beef patties in the West, Japanese Salisbury steaks use breadcrumbs (wheat), milk (dairy), and eggs as binders inside the meat. The Demi-glace or Teriyaki sauce also contains soy and wheat.

16. Sukiyaki (すき焼き)
A premium hot pot dish of thinly sliced beef, tofu, and vegetables cooked in a shallow iron pot.

Main Allergens: Beef, Wheat, Soybeans, Egg

Key Points: The sweet and savory simmering sauce (Warishita) is made from soy sauce and sugar. Traditionally, Sukiyaki is eaten by dipping the hot beef into a bowl of whisked raw egg, which is a major concern for egg allergies.

17. Shabushabu (しゃぶしゃぶ)
A communal hot pot where very thin slices of meat are quickly swished in boiling broth, then dipped in flavorful sauces.

Main Allergens: Beef, Pork, Soybeans, Wheat, Sesame

Key Points: Boiling the meat in water is safe, but the dipping sauces are the trap. Sesame sauce ("Goma-dare") contains sesame, soy, and wheat. Ponzu sauce contains soy sauce (wheat/soybeans).

18. Shogayaki (生姜焼き)
A classic homestyle dish of thin pork slices pan-fried in a fragrant, sweet, and savory ginger sauce.

Main Allergens: Pork, Wheat, Soybeans

Key Points: A staple ginger pork dish. It looks simple, but the sauce is made entirely of soy sauce, mirin, and ginger, making it unsafe for those with soy or wheat allergies.

19. Yakisoba (焼きそば)
Stir-fried noodles mixed with pork, cabbage, and a savory-sweet sauce, frequently sold at Japanese festivals.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Pork, Soybeans, Apple

Key Points: The stir-fried noodles are made of wheat flour. The dark Yakisoba sauce contains soy sauce, spices, and apple fruit extracts.

20. Omurice (オムライス)
A Western-influenced Japanese comfort food consisting of ketchup-flavored fried chicken-rice wrapped in a thin, soft omelet.

Main Allergens: Egg, Dairy, Chicken, Soybeans

Key Points: The chicken rice is pan-fried with butter (dairy) and ketchup (soybeans used in some brands), and then wrapped in a fluffy omelet made with eggs and butter/milk.

🍙 Light Meals, Snacks & Sweets (21–30)

21. Onigiri (おにぎり)
Portable Japanese rice balls, often wrapped in seaweed and filled with various savory ingredients.

Main Allergens: Seafood (Salmon/Tuna/Shrimp), Soybeans, Wheat

Key Points: While convenient, many fillings contain fish or are seasoned with soy sauce. Additionally, seasoned seaweed (Ajitsuke-nori) wrapped around the rice often uses soy sauce and shrimp extracts for flavor.

22. Soba (そば)
Thin, earthy-flavored noodles made from buckwheat flour, served hot in broth or chilled on a bamboo tray.

Main Allergens: Buckwheat, Wheat, Soybeans, Seafood

Key Points: Buckwheat is a major, high-risk allergen in Japan that can cause severe anaphylaxis. Unless specified as 100% buckwheat (Ju-wari Soba), it almost always contains wheat flour as a binder. The dipping sauce contains fish broth and soy sauce.

23. Miso Soup (みそ汁)
A traditional, everyday soup made from fermented soybean paste (miso) dissolved in soup stock.

Main Allergens: Soybeans, Seafood

Key Points: This is the biggest trap for vegetarians and those with fish allergies. While the miso paste is made of soybeans, almost all authentic miso soup uses a base of dashi fish stock (bonito/sardine flakes).

24. Matcha Sweets (抹茶スイーツ)
Various modern and traditional desserts flavored with finely ground, vibrant green tea powder.

Main Allergens: Dairy, Wheat, Egg

Key Points: Pure matcha powder is safe, but when turned into lattes, ice cream, parfaits, or cakes, it is heavily combined with milk (dairy), wheat flour, and eggs.

25. Taiyaki (たい焼き)
A traditional, warm fish-shaped cake typically filled with sweet red bean paste.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Dairy

Key Points: The fish-shaped waffle batter contains wheat flour and eggs. While the traditional red bean filling (Anko) is generally safe, opting for custard or chocolate fillings introduces dairy allergens.

26. Mitarashi Dango (みたらし団子)
Chewy, round rice flour dumplings skewered on a bamboo stick and coated in a sweet soy glaze.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Soybeans

Key Points: The rice dumplings themselves are gluten-free, but the sticky, sweet-and-savory glaze poured over them is made from a soy sauce (wheat/soybeans) and sugar base.

27. Bento Box (弁当)
A perfectly portioned traditional Japanese lunch box containing a balanced assortment of rice, meat or fish, and small vegetable sides.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Soybeans, Seafood, etc.

Key Points: A bento box contains many different small side dishes packed closely together. Not only do individual sides contain various allergens, but they also touch each other, creating a very high risk of cross-contamination.

28. Kushikatsu (串カツ)
Deep-fried, bite-sized skewers of meat, seafood, and vegetables, famous as a street food in Osaka.

Main Allergens: Various Meats/Seafood, Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Soybeans, Apple

Key Points: These deep-fried skewers are coated in wheat, egg, and milk batter. Also, in traditional restaurants where dipping sauces are shared, there is a risk of cross-contamination from what previous customers dipped.

29. Melonpan (メロンパン)
A sweet, fluffy baked bread covered in a crisp cookie dough crust that resembles the grid pattern of a melon.

Main Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Dairy

Key Points: Despite the name, it usually contains no actual melon (it is named after its grid-like appearance). However, the cookie crust and bread dough use large amounts of wheat flour, eggs, and butter (dairy).

30. Tofu Dishes / Yudofu (湯豆腐)
Traditional dishes highlighting delicate soybean curd, often gently warmed in a kelp broth (Yudofu) or served cold with garnishes.

Main Allergens: Soybeans, Wheat, Seafood

Key Points: Tofu itself is 100% soybean. However, in Japan, tofu dishes are almost always served with soy sauce or ponzu (containing wheat/soy) and topped with dried bonito fish flakes (seafood).