Bentoya ♡ Nigiri Sushi
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Hello, Shwmae! My name is Abby. I’m from Wales (or as we call it in Welsh, ‘home’ or Cymru) and I’ve been living in Japan now for just over one year. I currently teach English and also work at a 100% vegan and hemp-inspired café in Tokyo innovatively called Hemp Café! Most people are surprised to hear this, but I was actually raised vegetarian by my mother and grandmother since birth and as a family we all transitioned to veganism slowly over the last decade.
I have been an ethical vegan for around 4 years and have thoroughly enjoyed learning more and more about the lifestyle and the positive changes veganism has on a personal health level as well as on a global and environmental level. People talk about how difficult it must be for me to be a vegan living in Tokyo but actually it’s much easier than people realise. Thanks to the internet, vegan apps and the fact that Japanese cuisine in general uses a lot of vegetables and rice (just make sure to ask for vegetables without bonito fish flakes!), being vegan in Japan is not at all as lonely or stressful as it might seem from afar.
Luckily I have made friends with some great vegan and vegetarian people thanks to Tokyo Vegan Group. Socializing with other vegans has really helped me to learn and grow as a vegan and activist over the last year. My aim with my blog is to introduce vegan and vegan friendly establishments in Tokyo area to help travellers and residents who want to explore the delicious vegan food that Japan has to offer! I would also love to interview some restaurant owners and down the line would like to set up my own café here in Tokyo. Wish me luck!
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vegan Japanese Cooking Class (@bentoyacooking)
In Japan, the vegetable and fruit selection changes with the seasons. Seasonal vegetables are often budget-friendly and a great way to add variation to your cooking.
Modoki ryori refers to food which uses plant-based ingredients to mimic the appearance, taste and texture of meat dishes. This type of dishes are common in shojin ryori and they have also achieved a certain mainstream popularity due to the health factor of eating vegetable-rich meals.
Chuka ryori (中華料理) refers to Japanese-Chinese dishes which originate from China, but have been adjusted to fit the style and taste of the Japanese palette. Dishes that belong to this group are for example ramen, gyoza and harumaki.
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