The Ultimate Guide to Navigating Japan with Soy & Dairy Allergies

My husband and I ready to see a temple in Tokyo

I absolutely love visiting Japan — and as someone with food allergies to soy and dairy, I’m a strong believer in not allowing restrictions to hold you back.

That being said, I was still a bit nervous for a 17-day trip in a country that (a) notoriously uses soy in nearly all of its dishes and (b) speaks another language.

As I fly back to the States, I’m reporting back on my experience and showing you how to enjoy (and not just survive!) your trip to Japan.

I separated my flight food in snacks into 3 easily retrievable bags — one for the departing flights, one for emergency snacks while in Japan, and one for the return flights.

Preparing for Japan

When packing, I had three things in mind: food for the flights there, safe snacks while in Japan, and food for the flights back. My goal was to bring only two bags — one of those would be my 6-quart instant pot.

Preparing for Departure

My departure included a 7am flight to Toronto (~2 hr), a 4-hour layover, and a flight from Toronto to Tokyo (~13 hr). In terms of time zones, I would be losing a full day.

I got up at 4 a.m. and cooked myself breakfast to give myself a good start. (This could also be restaurant…