National Vegetarian Week: 16th-22nd May

I’m obsessed with seafood and you know I love my meat too. I think all Japanese people do too. In fact, I’m yet to meet a Japanese vegetarian... Oh wait, I have one vegan friend. In Japan, while I’m sure vegetarian numbers are growing, most people are non-veggies. Meals almost always include seafood or meat; even a vegetable heavy meal is likely to have used a fish based dashi of sorts, for seasoning. 

I remember when I was a kid and we had our first vegetarian friend over. Mama had no idea what to do with herself. What? No meat or fish; what do they eat then? Pretty much no one in Japan had heard of a vegetarian back then. Innocently, it was only when we were chatting after my friend left, that I said - oh wait. Mum… the miso soup, you didn’t… you made it differently today for Sarah* didn’t you? (Ooops!) 

Anyway…next week is National Vegetarian Week apparently and I wanted to see whether you’d ever consider going veggie if you aren’t already?

For a while now, I’ve definitely cut back, especially on weekdays, to enjoy meatless meals and don’t find it that hard or a sacrifice at all. With this time of year being especially great seasonally for vegetables, I’ve enjoyed very simple vegetable heavy meals. BUT I’ll be blunt - I could NEVER be vegetarian permanently. Could you? 

If you’re like me, and love having high quality meat in your meals you might find it difficult to make this change at the beginning, as meat can be that bit more satiating. So I wanted to highlight two of our veggie options on our menu that are not only meat-free treats but seriously delicious as well, that you could try for National Vegetarian Week. 

Tofu & Edamame Gyoza Making Kit or Shimeji Yaki-udon Kit! It’s so good you’ll forget it’s meat-free!

I’d love to know how many of you are already meat-free? Maybe you can teach me something on the topic - what’s your favourite Japanese vegetarian dishes? I’d love to add them to the menu.

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