Discover Tokyo’s All-Vegan Washoku Cuisine

Only recently has the concept of vegetarianism from the West spread in Japan, with the term “vegetarian” gaining traction in the 1990s and “vegan” becoming familiar around 2022. However, Japan actually has a long-standing Buddhist-derived vegetarian culture, represented by shōjin ryōri (Buddhist temple cuisine). The prototype for shōjin ryōri can be traced to India: it spread first to China and then to Japan, where it was introduced together with other monastic practices in 1227 by a Zen monk named Dōgen. Today it is an integral part of washoku, or Japanese cuisine, in the broader sense. 

Shōjin cuisine is characterized by an avoidance of animal-derived ingredients and pungent roots, an emphasis on using ingredients in a way that completely avoids waste, and its focus on harmonious flavors and visual beauty. While many of these principles align with modern vegetarian and vegan philosophies, such concepts were incorporated into the dietary habits of commoners as early as the Edo period. These ingredients and cooking methods remain virtually unchanged today.

The Japanese people’s skill at adapting foreign elements to create something uniquely their own is evident in the culinary world. Wherever you may come from, if you long for the tastes of your homeland, Tokyo can satisfy that need. Furthermore, restaurants capable of flexibly accommodating dietary restrictions and requirements are increasing in number. The chef we introduce today is a pioneer in this field.

Learning to Accommodate Diverse Dietary Needs

Originally from Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture, Katsumi Kusumoto came to Tokyo in 1994 to pursue his dream of becoming a chef, drawn to the city’s top restaurants and master chefs. 

After initially becoming proficient in French cuisine at an international hotel in Tokyo’s Hamamatsucho district, he launched a members-only restaurant in 2010. Though the restaurant featured Japanese fusion-style cuisine, its location in Nishi-Azabu—home to many foreign residents and embassies—prompted him to adopt a flexible approach. Menu adaptations included vegetarian and religious dietary options. In 2019, he closed that restaurant and became the executive chef at his current establishment, SAIDO, a vegan-concept Japanese restaurant. Here, he fully leverages the extensive dietary restriction expertise he has cultivated over the years.  He serves authentic vegan cuisine that accommodates guests with religious dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, ensuring everyone can dine with peace of mind. Since then, he has continued to take on new challenges daily.

Tokyo as a Hub for Both Traditional and Global Cuisines

Executive Chef Katsumi Kusumoto sees Tokyo as a high-quality toy box filled with a dazzling array of genres.

Kusumoto observes that Tokyo is unlike any other city: it has its own distinct food culture rooted in the prosperity of the Edo period, while also serving as a place to enjoy cuisines from across the globe in countless styles and genres.

Asked about the attraction of Tokyo’s culinary scene, Kusumoto, who also serves as a Tokyo Tourism Ambassador, explains that “Tokyo has many Edo-period dishes and foods originating locally, which are appealing in themselves. But beyond that, you can enjoy not only cuisine from all over Japan, but also from all over the world.” Although he did not study French cuisine in France, he believes it was this unique city that allowed him to attain a level of mastery. He continues, “Since becoming a chef myself, I’ve traveled extensively—to Europe, America, Australia, and Southeast Asian countries—but it’s rare to find a place like Tokyo where so many genres are gathered in one place. It's like a high-quality toy box,” Kusumoto adds with a smile. 

Putting a Japanese Twist on Vegan Cuisine—and a Vegan Twist on Washoku

SAIDO translates literally as “the way of the vegetable,” borrowing the suffix from sadō, the way of tea, and martial arts such as kendō, the way of the sword, and aikidō, the way of harmonizing universal energy. The name embodies the spirit of dedication to vegetarianism.

SAIDO’s signature vegan rāmen, with a broth made from shiitake mushrooms and root vegetables for deep, savory flavor

SAIDO offers vegan-concept Japanese cuisine, yet presents dishes distinct from the typical Japanese concept of washoku. Kusumoto notes, “Japanese people may have a clear idea of what washoku encompasses, but travelers from abroad often envision Japanese food as referring to dishes like rāmen (noodles in thick broth), okonomiyaki (a savory pancake-style traditional dish), and even takoyaki (batter balls filled with diced octopus and vegetables).” He points out that, as a chef, this difference in comprehending Japanese cuisine has been one of his most significant cultural discoveries to date. 

Kusumoto has made such preconceptions work to his advantage. He has drawn on his expertise in vegan cuisine to begin creating washoku dishes geared toward vegan travelers from abroad. He keeps an open mind, listening closely to his guests’ requests and curiosities, and adapting the menu accordingly, carefully incorporating feedback.

“Food is constantly evolving. So we must evolve along with it,” he says. The result is a diverse Japanese menu found nowhere else. Dishes like unajū (grilled eel on rice), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), and rāmen noodles appear conventional at first glance, but in fact they have been recreated using beans and other vegetables, including dried vegetables and fermented foods familiar to the Japanese for centuries.

A plant-based take on unaju: smoky, tender layers of vegan grilled ‘eel’ over rice, served with miso soup and pickles

Charcoal-grilled vegan yakitori skewers

Furthermore, based on direct feedback from guests, he has even developed his own version of the hearty winter dish called oden (a type of hot-pot). The inspiration came from comments like, “I saw it at the convenience store and wanted to try it because it looked warming,” or “I saw it in a manga and was really interested, but I couldn’t eat it because it contained ingredients like eggs and beef tendon cooked in seafood broth.” Kusumoto put a great deal of thought into replacing the egg and other animal-based ingredients in the pot using all-vegetable ingredients. It has now become a popular dish among his guests from overseas.

Culinary Omotenashi Hospitality and Sustainability, Tokyo Style

Japanese cuisine crafted solely from vegetables. At its core lies shōjin ryōri and Japan’s unique food culture, rooted in traditions stretching back centuries. Tokyo boasts many native vegetable varieties, like Okutama wasabi (a spicy horseradish from the Okutama region on the western edge of Tokyo), cultivated since the Edo period, and Tokyo-grown edible flowers, introduced to Japan in the 1980s. Furthermore, while various seasonal ingredients are shipped to Tokyo from all over Japan, age-old methods of preservation—particularly drying and fermentation—are deeply rooted in Japan’s four seasons, ensuring ingredients can be used even throughout the winter.

Drying vegetables like daikon radish and shiitake mushrooms not only allows for long-term storage but also increases nutritional value, concentrates flavors, and enhances taste. These are readily available at local supermarkets. When rehydrated, their texture differs from that of fresh vegetables, allowing them to star as distinct ingredients.

“Dried shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, bamboo shoots, and other dried vegetables are a treasure trove of UMAMI (the fifth basic taste, discovered in Japan, which gives dashi its distinctive flavor). The rāmen soup that was so popular at an event in Los Angeles was made using these,” explains Chef Kusumoto. “I was initially skeptical about dried shiitake mushrooms, wondering if they’d be well received outside of Japan,” he admits. “But when people who tried the rāmen asked, ‘What’s this indescribable mushroomy texture?’ and I explained it was made with dried shiitake mushrooms, they praised it for being ‘packed with Japanese wisdom and ingenuity’ and ‘truly sustainable.’” “Things we Japanese take for granted can actually be quite special,” he continues. “So, how ingredients are combined and presented can completely change the impression a dish makes.” 

Soybeans are now accepted as an alternative to meat, but people became aware of the importance of obtaining protein from beans in the Edo period. By combining soybeans with fermentation techniques, they created not only nattō (a fermented soybean delicacy) but also condiments like soy sauce, miso (fermented soybean paste), and kōji (a mold used to ferment grains and beans). This creative thinking, he says, is an example of the Japanese people’s proficiency at “presenting and adapting different concepts in new forms.” He further points out that in the Edo period, long before ‘sustainability’ and ‘SDGs’ (sustainable development goals) appeared, frugality and reuse were simply part of the common-sense wisdom of daily life. “Replicating meat with soy protein is just updating Edo wisdom for the modern age,” he states. What’s more, Kusumoto develops original condiments like UMAMI dashi using plant-derived ingredients.

Even condiments get a plant-based twist at SAIDO.

Future Outlook for Tokyo’s Food Culture

“It’s precisely because Tokyo is so diverse that any challenge becomes achievable. In this way, we can create hospitality unique to Tokyo,” Kusumoto says. He acknowledges that while Tokyo may not have marketed itself in the past as a destination open to travelers with diverse food-related needs, this is now changing. “Even with various dietary requirements due to allergies or religious restrictions, the foundation to accommodate them already exists. It’s just a matter of restaurants adapting. I believe this will result in Tokyo becoming an even more attractive culinary capital.”

“For example, take izakaya (casual eateries that serve drinks and a variety of small dishes),” he suggests. Many travelers may feel or even assume that such casual eateries will not have anything suitable for them to eat, but Kusumoto points out that in reality guests can enjoy many typical dishes—from simple edamame (steamed green soybeans) to hiyayakko (chilled tofu topped with chopped ginger and scallions, served with soy sauce). “There are, in fact, many varied, simple and delicious dishes available here in Tokyo,” he emphasizes.

Thanks to Kusumoto’s efforts, in 2020 SAIDO was named the world’s best vegan restaurant by HappyCow, the leading international portal for vegan and vegetarian restaurants. It has become a must-visit destination in Tokyo for anyone seeking an authentically vegan take on traditional Japanese cuisine. 

Looking ahead, Kusumoto aims to continue supporting the development of Tokyo’s attractive food culture by running workshops at culinary schools and nurturing the next generation of chefs. He concludes, “My mission now is to help make Tokyo the very best that it can be at this.”

For travelers, SAIDO embodies the very spirit of Tokyo. While cherishing centuries-old traditions, the culinary scene in Tokyo is constantly evolving to enthrall and gratify the international traveler.