Winding Roads & Never Ending Tales

Family trips, wrong turns and the places we still talk about.

Japan with an Indian Vegetarian Family: Food, Budget and Travel Questions

on

Once Japan was decided, the usual planning started. Where do we stay, how do we move with all the bags, and most importantly, what are we going to eat? We figured out quite a bit before going. Baaki wahan jaake seekha.

We travelled as a family of three and ate eggs and dairy. So our food choices will not suit every vegetarian or vegan diet.

Food and the airport bus: where we struggled

USJ: we planned the rides better than the food. Vegetarian choices were limited where we looked, and we ended up relying on fries and desserts. A proper meal needed more thought. Our USJ experience.

Airport transfer: I misread the bus schedule and we missed our booked departure. A taxi got us there in time, thankfully. Check the pickup, departure time, airport and terminal together, and keep some room for a backup. How the final day unfolded.

In this article
Shinkansen train alongside a station platform
From our May 2026 Japan journey: the Shinkansen to Osaka.

Travelled in May 2026. Part 5 of our Japan family travelogue. Prices, menus and ticket rules can change.

Vegetarian food in Japan: what actually worked for us

HappyCow, Google Maps and the camera translator on our phones were all useful. We would look for food along the day's route rather than wait until everyone was hungry. Still did not get it right every day, as our USJ lunch showed.

The tricky part is often the stock or sauce. A dish can look meat-free and still contain fish or meat extracts. Dashi is not always fish-based: kombu and shiitake versions exist, while others contain bonito or other fish. Ask what is in the broth, seasoning and toppings, rather than relying only on the word “vegetarian.” JNTO's vegetarian guide and its explanation of dashi are useful starting points.

Breakfast from the convenience store: buy it before you need it

Egg sandwiches and the onigiri we could eat disappeared quickly from the shelves in quite a few places. We learnt not to assume our usual choice would still be sitting there when we arrived hungry. Buying breakfast the evening before helped with early starts, as long as we could refrigerate anything that needed it.

FamilyMart's hash browns were a useful fallback when we found them. Get some bread and put the two together: apna quick sandwich ready. Stock varies, of course, and check the bread, seasoning and cooking arrangements for your own diet. We ate eggs and dairy; that is different from travelling vegan or egg-free.

For readers who eat chicken, the spicy chicken is another thing to look for. Do not assume the word spicy means Indian-level heat! It is a separate non-vegetarian suggestion, not part of the vegetarian options above.

An onigiri, noodle cup or sandwich is not automatically vegetarian. Translate the actual label and check sauces, stock, cooking fats and gelatin too. A familiar-looking filling is not the whole ingredient list.

The coffee cup is only step one

At the convenience store, ordering coffee could get you a cup, not a finished coffee. You then take it to the machine and choose the right drink and size yourself. Cup mil gaya, coffee abhi baaki hai. We liked the milky coffees; the taste felt quite familiar coming from India. Here is FamilyMart's own coffee-machine guide.

Do try the cakes and bakery counters too. We found many of the cakes less sweet than what we were used to, and very easy to keep buying. Check for eggs, dairy or gelatin if those matter to you. Tempura gave us plenty to look at as well: brinjal, okra and other vegetables, but also egg and prawns. Choose the actual item, and ask about batter, shared oil and dipping broth rather than assuming the whole counter is vegetarian.

Amara near Skytree was useful for an Indian meal. Vegan Uzu after teamLab came at exactly the right time when we were tired and hungry. The host at Third Rock Cafe helped us in Kamakura, and Engine Ramen in Kyoto was one of our favourites. These were our meals in May 2026; check the current menu and ingredients for your own visit.

Indian restaurants were easier for us to find in the bigger cities. On our Kamakura and Hakone days we could not rely on that same easy fallback; that does not mean there are no Indian restaurants anywhere in those areas. Hakone in particular left us hungry, and the black eggs were no substitute for a proper meal. We found a vegetarian ramen option that wanted cash, so keep some yen even when most of your hotel spending goes on a card.

At Disney, soya-based vegetarian rice bowls helped us have a proper meal in both parks. At USJ, we struggled before learning of a sit-down pizza-and-pumpkin-soup option. I have put those experiences in the park chapters, with current menu links where available. Decide where to eat before the rides take over the day.

Vending machines, water and the pocket full of coins

With the amount we walked, drink stops became part of the day. We found vending machines in plenty of places, and liked the electrolyte drinks when we were tired and thirsty. Keep drinking regularly rather than waiting until the next attraction. Plain drinking water matters too; a nutrient drink is not compulsory every time, and it is not a substitute for shade and a rest. JNTO's heat-safety advice is worth reading before a hot-weather trip.

Keep a few 100-yen coins handy, not cents! Check the symbols on the machine: prices and accepted coins, notes or cashless methods vary. It is not necessarily a 100-yen drink or a coins-only machine.

And when the small change became too much, the automatic cash-payment machines at some convenience-store tills were very useful. Put in the accepted coins as directed, let the machine count them towards the purchase, and collect your change. No more quite so much jingle-jingle in the pockets. Not every store has the same checkout, and these are payment machines, not a promise that you can empty unlimited coins into them.

The sulking corner, and the food that fixed things

Not every family moment was a smiling photograph. We had a few fits of anger too. Our daughter would go and sit in a corner a little away from us, thoroughly fed up. At that point, explaining why the next place was worth visiting was not getting us very far.

Then came something yummy to eat, and after a while she was back to her usual self. Achha, toh pehle khana chahiye tha! We had been thinking about where to go next, when stopping for food should have come first.

Lesson learnt: hunger and a sensible conversation do not always work together. And honestly, that applies to the adults too. It was easy for me to keep looking at the itinerary and forget that everyone had already done a lot of walking. A food break and a little space helped us more than another explanation of the plan. I would rather remember that than make the whole story about her losing her temper.

Snack mil gaya. Ab wrapper kahan jaaye?

A small rubbish bag is worth keeping in the day bag. Public bins were not something we could count on finding just down the road. Finish a snack and suddenly you are still travelling with its wrapper. Keep it with you until you find an appropriate bin, or take it back to your hotel and follow their sorting instructions.

Avoid eating on the metro and local commuter trains. A seated meal on the Shinkansen is a different situation; that does not make every train a lunch spot. Out on the street, stop to eat in a suitable place rather than walking through a crowd with food. A shop's designated eating space can help, but simply standing near any store is not permission to eat there. Ask the seller where you can stop, and keep entrances and pavements clear.

Some convenience stores have bins for customers, but do not treat them as a place to dump everything collected during the day. Follow the labels and store rules, and ask if unsure. If there is no suitable bin, the little bag comes back with you. Clean streets need a little effort from us too. JNTO's etiquette guidance explains the commuter-train and street-food distinction.

We enjoyed the food, but I would not turn that into a guarantee that nobody can get acidity or an upset stomach in Japan. What caught our attention on the long walking days was keeping ourselves hydrated and stopping before we were completely exhausted.

For egg-free, vegan, Jain or no-onion/no-garlic requirements, prepare a separate dietary explanation. Our family's food choices will not automatically suit those restrictions.

The everyday things we learnt while moving around

Suica, child fares and the rush-hour lesson

Trains were our lifeline, and Suica saved a lot of ticket-buying in the major cities. I would spend a little extra to stay near a useful station, but check the actual line and exit, not just the words near metro in a hotel description.

For children, ask the counter about the right child Suica and carry proof of age. Child fares commonly apply to ages 6-11, with age and school-status rules and operator-specific rounding. They are generally around half the adult fare, not an automatic half-price discount on every journey. JR East explains adult and child Suica. Limited-express supplements and reservations still need checking separately.

That packed Tokyo morning was enough to change our luggage plans. For us, avoiding roughly 7-9 am on busy weekday routes was worth it, especially with bags; it is a practical preference, not a ban on travelling then. On local trains, ordinary seats are generally unreserved, but an empty seat is not guaranteed. Respect priority seating and any women-only-car rules, keep bags out of doors and aisles, and do not expect rush-hour space for a trolley just because it fitted at another time of day.

Those red, yellow and green lights are not traffic lights

Do not use one train's seating rules for every other train. On the JR East limited-express services covered by its lamp system, green means reserved, red means currently vacant, and yellow means reserved from a coming station. That is easy to get backwards. With an eligible seat-unspecified limited-express ticket you may use an available seat under the operator's rules, but must give it up to its reservation holder. You cannot simply enter any reserved carriage with only Suica and sit until somebody asks you to move. Check JR East's seat and ticket instructions; some trains do not have these lamps at all.

Suitcases: ask reception before attempting everything yourself

Forwarding the big bags from Kyoto to our Tokyo resort hotel made the middle of the trip much easier. Hotel staff helped with the Japanese forms and confirmation with the next hotel. Ask both receptions about acceptance, pickup cutoffs and delivery dates, and carry what you need until the bags arrive. Do not pack your passports or essential medication away in the forwarded suitcases.

On trains, a tempting empty space behind the last row may belong to a reservation. It is not automatically a public luggage room. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, bags with combined dimensions over 160 cm and up to 250 cm require the relevant oversized-baggage reservation. Smaller bags must still be stored safely. Other trains have their own racks and rules, so check the operator's baggage guidance, not just whether you can see an empty corner.

Station lockers also saved us from dragging everything around. We found lockers big enough for our suitcases. At the console-operated ones we used, the screen showed empty lockers and guided us through putting the bag in, paying and securing it with a code. Keep that code or receipt and a note of the locker location. Other lockers use keys or IC cards, so follow the instructions on yours; do not assume the same PIN routine everywhere. Check the size, closing time and charging period before paying.

Cash backup, cards and the passport on shopping days

Cards worked well at our hotels, but the cash-only food stop was a useful reminder not to put every yen back in the suitcase. Seven Bank ATMs at 7-Eleven were a convenient option for us. I cannot promise the lowest markup for every Indian card: the ATM fee, your bank's charges and the offered currency conversion all matter. Check the screen and your issuer's terms; Seven Bank lists overseas-card conditions.

Daiso: we were only going to look

Daiso was a shopping paradise for small things. We bought quite a few, but even just strolling through the aisles was fun. So many items we had never thought to look for back home in India. You see something and start wondering how you had managed without it until five minutes ago.

Bas dekhne aaye the. Haan, of course. Then a few little things became a few more, and suddenly we had more stuff to fit into the bags. It was not all big purchases and famous souvenirs on this trip; these small finds were a very enjoyable part of the shopping too.

Carry your passport for tax-free shopping at participating stores, including when heading to Don Quijote or Bic Camera, and check eligibility and purchase conditions. It helped with our May shopping, but do not assume every item or shop qualifies. One important change for later travellers: purchases from 1 November 2026 move to a refund-based system with departure checks. Read the official tax-free shopping guidance for your travel dates.

Keep the translator ready before the signal disappears

Download Japanese in your translation app and test its offline features before leaving. Menus, signs, shop conversations and luggage paperwork all gave us reasons to reach for it. We did not need perfect Japanese to have a lovely conversation, but having the phone ready helped a lot more than staring at a loading circle.

The little things that were not on my itinerary

My daughter's stamp game became my treasure hunt

We started noticing souvenir stamps at stations and attractions, sometimes sitting in plain sight and sometimes taking a little finding. My daughter began collecting them. Initially I thought it was her little game. Then, on one of our train journeys, I actually ran back towards the gate for a stamp we had missed. Ab batao, bachcha kaun tha?

It had become a proper treasure hunt for me too. A small notebook gives you somewhere to collect them, and asking the staff is better than assuming every station has one or searching somewhere you should not enter. Keep time for your train, and check before going through a fare gate just for a stamp. At temples and shrines, distinguish ordinary visitor stamps from goshuin, which have religious significance and their own etiquette. They are not all the same free self-service activity.

Even the manhole covers had me stopping

The colours and decoration on some of the manhole covers were amazing. I had come with a list of temples, mountains and rides to photograph. Never thought I would also be admiring what was under my feet! Keep an eye out while walking, just not in the middle of traffic.

And be aware of the people around your camera. Several times someone would politely stop and wait while we took a photo. It would have been very easy to keep clicking and not realise we were holding them up. Take the picture, smile, give a small bow and let them through. That little exchange was part of what we liked about being there.

Tipping is not customary for ordinary restaurant, hotel or taxi service in Japan. A sincere thank-you is enough; do not insist on leaving extra cash. That is different from saying every person will be offended in every situation. JNTO's tipping advice explains the general custom.

Above all, I liked being able to slow down. Not everywhere outside Tokyo is quiet, obviously, but in the smaller places on our route we felt less hurried. We could look around a shop without having to buy a souvenir just for entering it. Some of my favourite memories are those small pauses, not another attraction ticked off.

How much did our Japan family trip cost?

We spent roughly INR 10 lakh for the three of us. Flights were around INR 1.5 lakh for the family. I do not have an itemised breakdown to give you, so these are approximate amounts.

We moved through several cities, visited the big attractions and chose to stay at Fantasy Springs Hotel. That was a splurge. Another family making different hotel and park choices could spend quite differently.

I would work out flights, hotel nights, trains, tickets and food separately for your dates, then leave room for shopping and things going wrong. I can share our overall figure, but not a made-up daily budget.

Japan travel FAQ for Indian vegetarian families

Can an Indian vegetarian family manage Japan independently?

Yes, we managed it. Mostly public transport, plus a guided coastal tour from Kyoto. Food took more searching than the sightseeing. Save a few suitable places near your route and explain your actual restrictions; we ate eggs and dairy, which made some choices easier for us.

How many days do you need for a first Japan trip?

Sixteen days gave us room for the cities, mountains and parks, though I still packed too much into a few days. For a shorter trip I would take places out, not try to do this same route faster. We were tired enough as it was.

Is the JR Pass worth it for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka?

Compare the actual long-distance journeys within the pass's validity period with individual fares. Do not buy it simply because the trip is two weeks long. Check official JR Pass prices and train conditions, including additional requirements for Nozomi or Mizuho. This is a calculation for your route, not a universal yes or no.

Can you use Suica everywhere in Japan?

No. It is useful on many participating urban services and at participating shops, but it is not an unlimited pass or a substitute for every train reservation. Physical Welcome Suica has a 28-day validity period and unused balance is not refundable. Check JR East's current conditions and each rural operator. Our Kamikochi ticket note is a particularly useful exception.

Should we bring cash, cards and an eSIM?

Carry a payment backup rather than depending on one method. JNTO advises keeping yen available; acceptance varies by location. See its travel FAQ. Our eSIMs were useful, but compatibility and setup depend on the device and provider. Keep offline copies of bookings and test your connection before leaving the airport.

How do you manage suitcases on a multi-city Japan trip?

Sending the big bags from Kyoto to Tokyo was a good decision. We carried a smaller bag for the stops in between and were glad of it. Check with the receiving hotel and the carrier about acceptance and delivery time, and keep what you need with you. For the Shinkansen, check the operator's luggage-size and reservation rules before booking seats. the operator's baggage reservation rules

Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea with an 11-year-old?

We liked both, but DisneySea would be our pick from this trip. Fantasy Springs and the harbour show were wonderful. Disneyland had Beauty and the Beast, familiar characters and Star Tours, so we were happy we had time for that too. It depends on what your family enjoys; I would not choose only by the child's age.

Is Fantasy Springs Hotel necessary for DisneySea?

No, you do not have to stay at Fantasy Springs Hotel to enjoy the trip. We chose it for the setting and convenience. Compare the full cost and check the exact benefits before booking; the room, park admission and paid ride access are separate things.

Is Hakone worth a day trip if Mount Fuji is hidden?

We enjoyed Hakone even though Fuji never appeared. There were mountain trains, the volcanic area and Lake Ashi to keep us occupied. It was a long day from Tokyo, though, and we were hurrying for the return bus in the evening. Check the weather and services, and have a food plan.

What would we change if we went again?

Fewer things in one day, better meal planning and a properly checked airport transfer! I would still go to Kamakura and the theme parks. And I would keep more time for Matsumoto; that was the place we were sorry to leave.

Planning your own trip? Leave a question below with your travel month, number of days, children's ages and dietary needs. Tell me which part is proving difficult, and I can share what worked for our family. Please keep passport, booking and payment details out of public comments.

Enjoyed this story?

Comments

Post a Comment