If you travel with food allergies or dietary restrictions, you already know the hardest part of eating in Japan isn't the food — it's the language. A few memorized phrases help, but they only go so far when the menu is in kanji and the staff are busy. So we built something to remove that barrier completely: Food Safe-Pass, a free tool that creates your own personal allergy card — in natural Japanese — in seconds.
What it is
Food Safe-Pass turns your allergies and dietary needs into a clear, bilingual card you can save to your phone and show at any restaurant, izakaya, or konbini counter. The card opens with a simple, polite message — 「食物アレルギー・食制限があります。I have food allergies or dietary restrictions.」 — then asks staff to make sure your meal doesn't contain the items you've chosen. You read it in English; the staff read it in Japanese. No app to download, no account to make, and it's completely free.
Why "made in Japan" matters
Plenty of translation tools can spit out Japanese words. The problem is that a literal translation often reads awkwardly — or names an allergen in a way local staff don't immediately recognize. Food Safe-Pass is built by people in Japan who understand Japanese food, dishes, and how allergens are actually labeled and talked about here. That means the wording on your card is natural, polite, and instantly clear to the person reading it. When you're standing at the counter, that difference is everything.
How it works
- Pick your allergies and dietary needs — choose from the major allergens and common restrictions.
- Get your personal card — Food Safe-Pass generates it in clear Japanese alongside the English, ready in seconds.
- Save it and show it — keep the card on your phone and hand it over wherever you eat. It even includes a QR code so staff can scan for more tips and information.
Make it once before your trip and you're covered for the whole journey.
When to use it
- Sitting down at a restaurant or izakaya and ordering
- Asking about an unlabeled item at the konbini hot case
- Confirming your meal at a ryokan or hotel breakfast
- Any moment where "does this contain…?" is too much to say out loud
Make yours before you fly
The language barrier shouldn't decide where — or whether — you get to eat. Create your free card now and, in the words on every card, eat with confidence in Japan.
→ Create your free Food Safe-Pass card: https://online.matoil.jp/pages/food-safe-pass
Food Safe-Pass is a communication aid, not a guarantee — ingredients and preparation vary by restaurant, and cross-contamination is always possible. Always confirm with staff, and if you have a severe allergy, carry your prescribed medication and know how to call for help (dial 119 for an ambulance in Japan). This isn't medical advice.