Travelling to Japan With a Peanut or Nut Allergy: A Practical Guide

Japan is high on many people’s travel wish lists. From sushi in Tokyo to street food in Osaka and convenience stores filled with unfamiliar snacks, food is a huge part of experiencing the country.

But if you’re travelling to Japan with a peanut or tree nut allergy, food can also be one of the things you’re most worried about.

How do you explain your allergy in Japanese? Can you rely on allergen labels? What happens when you’re eating somewhere without an English menu?

The good news is that a little preparation can make travelling with a food allergy feel much more manageable. Here are some of the things worth knowing before you go.

Are food allergies labelled in Japan?

Japan does have allergen labelling requirements for packaged foods, but they aren't identical to those in the UK, US or other countries.

Certain allergens must be declared on packaged foods in Japan. These currently include peanut and walnut, alongside other specified allergens such as wheat, egg and milk. Other allergens, including almond, cashew nut and macadamia nut, are among those for which labelling is recommended rather than treated in the same way as mandatory allergens.

This is an important distinction if you have a tree nut allergy.

Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency also specifically warns international visitors that allergens which have to be labelled in other countries may not necessarily be labelled in Japan.

So don't assume that the allergen information you're used to seeing at home will work exactly the same way while you're away.

Eating in restaurants with a nut allergy in Japan

This is where communication becomes particularly important.

Japan's packaged-food allergen labelling rules don't simply translate into a requirement for every restaurant dish to carry allergen information.

When you're ordering freshly prepared food, you may therefore need to speak to restaurant staff about your allergy.

If possible, contact restaurants ahead of time, particularly if you have a severe allergy. Japan's official tourism guidance recommends notifying restaurants in advance about dietary restrictions, as this can give staff more opportunity to determine whether they can accommodate you safely.

Be clear that you're talking about a food allergy, rather than simply something you don't like or would prefer not to eat.

Make communicating your allergy easier

Trying to explain a serious allergy in another language isn't something you necessarily want to improvise at the dinner table.

Our Japanese Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card gives you your allergy information in Japanese so that you can show it directly to restaurant and food-service staff.

Keep the digital card on your phone so it's easy to access when ordering food, asking about ingredients or explaining your allergy.

→ Get the Japanese Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card

Be careful about assuming “nuts” means the same thing everywhere

If you're allergic to several types of nuts, simply translating the word “nuts” may not provide enough information.

Peanuts and individual tree nuts can be treated differently within food labelling systems, which is one reason it's important to communicate the specific foods you need to avoid.

Before travelling, make sure you know exactly which allergens your card needs to communicate.

Shopping for food in Japanese convenience stores and supermarkets

Convenience stores, or konbini, are everywhere in Japan and can be incredibly useful when travelling.

You'll find everything from rice balls and sandwiches to snacks, desserts and ready meals.

For packaged food, get into the habit of checking the ingredient and allergen information every time rather than assuming a familiar-looking product is suitable.

Remember that Japanese food labels are generally in Japanese, so don't rely on recognising the packaging alone.

Translation apps can be useful additional tools for understanding packaging, but when an allergy is severe, don't rely on an automated translation as your only source of safety information.

If you're uncertain about a product, the safest option may simply be not to eat it.

Think about cross-contact too

Knowing that peanuts or tree nuts aren't deliberately listed as an ingredient isn't necessarily the end of the conversation.

Depending on your individual allergy, you may also need to ask about how food is prepared and whether there is a risk of cross-contact with your allergen.

This can be particularly important with freshly prepared food, shared equipment, sauces, desserts and foods where the complete ingredients aren't obvious.

A translation card can help you start that conversation, but it cannot guarantee that a particular meal or restaurant is safe for you.

Carry your allergy information with you

You might have researched restaurants before leaving home, but travel rarely goes exactly to plan.

You could end up eating somewhere unexpected after a delayed train, buying food at a station or trying a restaurant you hadn't researched.

That's why it's useful to have your allergy information somewhere you can reach quickly.

If you're using a digital allergy card, download or screenshot it before travelling rather than relying on mobile data or Wi-Fi being available when you need it.

You may also want to keep a backup copy somewhere else.

Don't forget your medication

Your usual allergy-management plan still matters while you're travelling.

Make sure you have sufficient prescribed medication for your trip and follow the advice you've been given by your healthcare professional about carrying and using it.

If you use adrenaline auto-injectors, keep them accessible rather than buried somewhere difficult to reach.

It's also worth checking airline requirements and any relevant rules around travelling internationally with medication well before you leave.

Before travelling to Japan with a peanut or nut allergy

A little preparation can remove some of the uncertainty from travelling with food allergies.

Before you leave, consider:

• researching restaurants and accommodation

• understanding how Japanese allergen labelling differs from what you're used to

• taking enough medication for your trip

• keeping emergency information accessible

• downloading your allergy information so it works offline

• having a backup method of communicating your allergy

• checking ingredients rather than relying on assumptions about a dish

• telling restaurant staff clearly that you have a food allergy

And most importantly, don't feel pressured to eat something when you aren't confident about the information you've been given.

Make your allergy easier to communicate in Japan

One of the hardest parts of travelling with a food allergy can simply be making sure the person preparing your food understands what you need them to know.

The Japanese Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card from The Allergy Project is designed to make that conversation easier.

Your digital card can be saved directly to your phone, ready to show restaurant and food-service staff while you're travelling.

No waiting for something to arrive in the post. No worrying about forgetting the right words when you're ordering.

Travelling to Japan with a peanut or tree nut allergy?

→ Get your Japanese Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card

This guide provides general information for travelling with food allergies and isn't a substitute for individual medical advice. Food preparation, ingredients and restaurant practices can change, so always make your own assessment and follow the allergy-management advice given to you by your healthcare professional.