Green is clearly in, as the number of vegans and people adopting more heavily plant-based diets is undoubtedly on the rise. According to a report by GlobalData, the number of U.S. consumers that identify as vegan grew by 600 percent between 2014 and 2017. While concrete numbers for the Japanese market are not available, a limited study shown by Vegewel suggests the number of vegans doubled from 1 percent in 2017 to 2.1 percent in 2019.

Plant-based options are springing up all around the city. From the vegan curries at queer-friendly cafe Ryusen112 in Asakusa to thick vegan burgers from Great Lakes Tokyo in Takadanobaba, small vegan-friendly businesses are appearing so quickly it’s hard to keep up. Even traditionally meat-heavy options like steak houses and pubs are becoming friendlier to the veggie population, with The Burn in Aoyama, along with pubs such The Hobgoblin in Shibuya, churning out impressive vegan options.

Curry vibes: Vegan cafe Ryusen112’s daily curry features seasonal produce. | Courtesy of Ryusen112
Curry vibes: Vegan cafe Ryusen112’s daily curry features seasonal produce. | Courtesy of Ryusen112