Tokyo is a metropolis visited by tourists from around the world, home to diverse food cultures coexisting together. Among these, “vegetarian ramen” has been gaining attention. Made without animal ingredients and using only vegetables and plant-based materials, vegetarian ramen is widely accepted not only by health-conscious individuals and vegans but also by ramen enthusiasts.
In this article, we will introduce recommended establishments where you can enjoy authentic vegetarian and vegan ramen in Tokyo. Experience the world of ramen that is not only delicious but also visually beautiful and rich in variety.
1. The Best Vegetarian Ramen in Japan
Tokyo is a treasure trove of attractive ramen shops and soy milk ramen specialty stores for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike traditional pork bone or chicken stock-based soups, vegetarian ramen made using only vegetables and plant-based ingredients provides surprisingly deep flavors and satisfaction.
Many establishments use creative ingenuity to reinterpret traditional ramen flavors for vegetarians without compromising taste. For example, the methods are diverse, including umami-rich broths made from mushrooms and kelp, or creamy soups utilizing soy milk and nuts.
Toppings are also abundant, using seasonal vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and seaweed, creating colorful bowls with balanced nutrition. Some establishments use soy meat to recreate the texture similar to traditional chashu (sliced pork). Furthermore, noodles have also been innovated, with egg-free noodles and colorful noodles kneaded with vegetable powder, allowing you to enjoy visually pleasing variations.
Tokyo’s vegetarian ramen offers flavors that satisfy not only health-conscious individuals but also those who normally prefer pork bone or soy sauce ramen. It represents a wonderful choice that allows you to experience a new food culture where traditional Japanese tastes merge with modern needs.
2. Where to Eat Vegan Ramen in Tokyo
Source：ソラノイロ
Tokyo has numerous establishments offering authentic vegan cuisine and vegetable ramen that use no animal ingredients whatsoever. Here, we introduce recommended vegan ramen shops that pay attention to taste, ingredients, and atmosphere.
Please find your favorite ramen and enjoy exploring Tokyo’s vegan ramen scene.
2-1. Soranoiro
Source：ソラノイロ
Soranoiro NIPPON is a popular restaurant located in Tokyo Station’s First Avenue Ramen Street, offering noodle dishes suitable for vegetarians and vegans, such as soy milk ramen and gluten-free noodles. With a wide menu and attentive service, it is popular among many domestic and international tourists. Soranoiro’s “Vegan Tantanmen” is a bowl made 100% from plant-based ingredients without using any animal ingredients. The soup is based on a sesame sauce with Kikaijima raw sugar added to vegetable broth, characterized by its rich and flavorful taste.
In addition to “Vegan Tantanmen,” Soranoiro offers a lineup that caters to diverse needs, including “Mushroom Vege Soba,” “Gluten-free Salt Ramen,” and “Shellfish Salt Ramen.”
Store Information:
Name: Soranoiro NIPPON
Hours: 9:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
Address: Tokyo Station First Avenue B1F Ramen Street, 1-9-1 Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
URL: https://soranoiro-vege.com/store-menu/soranoiro-nippon/
2-2. AFURI
Source：AFURI
AFURI is a ramen shop proud of its soup carefully extracted with natural water and homemade noodles that blend whole wheat flour and rye. One of its attractions is the variety of flavors available, such as soy sauce and salt. They offer “Colorful Vegetable Vegan Ramen” for vegans. AFURI has over 30 domestic and international branches, including affiliated stores.
“Colorful Vegetable Vegan Ramen” uses no animal ingredients whatsoever and features a soup that concentrates the umami and aroma of vegetables. The noodles are AFURI’s signature thin noodles containing whole wheat flour. The vacuum hand-kneaded noodles have a characteristic chewy texture that pairs perfectly with the soup. The toppings use plenty of colorful seasonal vegetables that are visually appetizing.
Besides vegan menu items, they offer a rich lineup including “Salt Ramen,” “Soy Sauce Ramen,” and seasonal limited menus.
Store Information:
Name: AFURI Ebisu
Hours: 11:00-5:00 next day (Closes when soup runs out)
Address: 117 Building 1F, 1-1-7 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
2-3. T’s Restaurant
Source：T’sレストラン
T’s Restaurant is known as the birthplace of the original vegan tantanmen, and their tantanmen made with only plant-based ingredients is an addictive dish featuring rich sesame flavor and the richness of their secret soup. They also offer gluten-free noodles and extra noodles (160 yen each), making it recommended for health-conscious people.
Besides the original vegan tantanmen, they offer popular menu items that provide deep flavors despite using no animal ingredients, such as vegan tonkotsu ramen (with vegan mentaiko) and T’s massaman curry.
Store Information:
Name: Jiyugaoka T’s Restaurant
Hours: 11:30-21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
Address: Luz Jiyugaoka B1F, 2-9-6 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
2-4. Kyushu Jangara
Source：九州じゃんがら
Kyushu Jangara is a ramen shop famous for tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, but their Akihabara, Harajuku, Ginza, and Shibadaimon locations offer “Rich Soy Sauce Vegan Ramen.” It features a soup carefully extracted from ingredients such as kelp and shiitake mushrooms, using no animal ingredients whatsoever.
“Rich Soy Sauce Vegan Ramen” uses the “five pungent roots” (garlic, Chinese chives, green onions, rakkyo, and onions), allowing you to enjoy a flavorful taste. There is also an option to exclude the five pungent roots.
The Harajuku and Akasaka locations offer “Kumamoto Ma-yu Vegan Ramen,” featuring a rich soup that makes you feel as if you’re eating tonkotsu ramen despite being plant-based. Toppings include menma (bamboo shoots), green onions, and nori (seaweed), characterized by a light taste.
Store Information:
Name: Kyushu Jangara Akihabara Main Store
Hours: 11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:45)
Address: 3-11-6 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
2-5. Chabuzen
Source：薬膳食堂ちゃぶ膳
Chabuzen is a restaurant in Shimokitazawa that offers body-friendly Chinese medicinal cuisine. They also offer vegan-friendly ramen, and you can enjoy a unique bowl using various medicinal ingredients not found elsewhere.
The most popular menu item at Chabuzen is “Rich Yeast Ramen Dragon.” It’s a vegan-friendly ramen that uses no animal ingredients whatsoever. The taste is reminiscent of Kumamoto pork bone ramen from Kyushu.
They also offer various menus such as “Garlic Dragon” using roasted garlic, “Halal Tantanmen” with homemade chili oil, and gluten-free options.
Store Information:
Name: Chabuzen Shimokitazawa
Hours: 17:00-20:30 (Closed Mondays)
Address: 6-16-20 Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
2-6. Jikasei MENSHO
帰国後ようやく渋谷パルコのメンショーに！外国人のお客様が増えていて、海外にいる様な雰囲気でした。ヴィーガン担々麺が、母国で食べるものと比べて美味しすぎるそうで、外国人のお客様に疑われています。笑 pic.twitter.com/twHShtBVbk
— 庄野智治 | MENSHOグループ代表 (@shono_menya) May 17, 2024
Jikasei MENSHO is a ramen shop located on the B1 floor of Shibuya PARCO. Here, they offer “Vegan Tantanmen” mainly using vegetables. You can also enjoy various vegan menu items such as “Vegan Mazemen (Soupless) Tantanmen,” “Spicy Vegan Miso Ramen,” and “Vegan Miso Ramen.”
Jikasei MENSHO regularly develops new menu items, and in September 2024, they offered a limited-time tantanmen based on cauliflower.This is a recommended establishment for those who want to enjoy innovative ramen.
Store Information:
Name: Jikasei MENSHO
Hours: 11:00-23:30
Address: Shibuya PARCO B1F, 15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
2-7. KICK BACK CAFE
KICK BACK CAFE is a cafe in Chofu, Tokyo. It is about a 5-minute walk from Sengawa Station on the Keio Line. KICK BACK CAFE offers a vegan ramen called “Mamera,” which can be casually enjoyed during lunch or cafe time.
“Mamera” features a soy milk-based soup topped with plenty of vegetables and tofu, characterized by its healthy and gentle taste.
They use original Chinese noodles that blend domestic wheat varieties “Yumekaoiri” and “Kitahonami.” Rice noodles without wheat are also available. If you prefer no noodles, they can triple the amount of vegetables instead.
Store Information:
Name: KICK BACK CAFE
Hours: Tue-Sat 11:00-21:00, Sun 13:30-15:00/20:30-22:00
Address: Park Square Musashino 1F, 2-11-1 Wakaba-cho, Chofu-shi, Tokyo
2-8. Bassa Nova Harajuku
“Bassa Nova,” located on a street corner in Harajuku, is a notable restaurant born as the second branch of a popular ramen shop in Shindaita, Setagaya Ward. Their unique ramen has garnered attention for incorporating ethnic elements like green curry and tom yum kung while based on traditional Japanese dashi. The soup, carefully simmered from domestic dried shiitake mushrooms and niboshi (dried sardines), has a fragrant and rich taste.
Particularly noteworthy is the abundance of vegan menu items that use no animal ingredients whatsoever. Among them, the recommended “Vege Pink Beets Soba” features a vivid pink soup combining beets and soy milk. Its mellow and deep flavor is not just visually impactful but also authentic in taste. The ingredients include soy meat, wood ear mushrooms, homemade fried green onions, and mixed greens, showing attention to texture and aroma.
Vegan-friendly salt ramen, miso ramen, and vegan gyoza wrapped in skin kneaded with spinach are also popular. Perfect for those who want to enjoy a satisfying taste despite being animal-free. The good location, just a 2-minute walk from Harajuku Station, is also attractive. Please enjoy the fusion of exotic flavors and Japanese dashi.
Store Information:
Name: Bassa Nova Harajuku
Hours: 11:30-21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
Address: 1-15-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Conclusion
Tokyo has many attractive establishments offering vegetarian and vegan ramen with attention to ingredients and taste. Not only do they not use animal ingredients, but they also show ingenuity in appearance and aroma, allowing you to enjoy deep flavors that are not inferior to conventional ramen.
A distinctive feature is the development of new food cultures conscious of health and food diversity, such as soy milk-based soups and menus without chemical seasonings. Please experience Tokyo’s ramen scene firsthand, which ranges from casual cafes that can be incorporated into daily life to authentic specialty shops.
※This article was created based on information as of April 2025
