Written by Aarohi Narain
Kyoto Vegan Gourmet Festival is a food festival dedicated to vegan cuisine and products. In Tokyo, it is held twice a year in spring, and autumn.
What happens?
Eating vegan in Japan can be surprisingly challenging. Many everyday dishes contain hidden animal products — for example, dashi, the fish-based stock that forms the backbone of Japanese cooking.
That’s where the Vegan Gourmet Festival comes in. With dozens of booths from all over Japan, this event brings together a wide variety of vegan vendors. Food stalls do not use any animal products, including fish, egg, meat, dairy products, or honey, and will have labels displaying all ingredients used (in Japanese).
How to get there
The event will be held at Umekoji Park (Shichijo Entrance Square). It’s under a minute on foot from Umekoji Kyoto Nishi Station, which is one stop (2 minutes) from Kyoto Station on the San-In Line.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.