If you're an avid vegan traveller, you're likely familiar with HappyCow, an app for Android and iOs that lists all nearby vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly spots complete with photos, directions, and reviews. If Shibuya's on your list of spots to visit, you’ll notice that HappyCow's map of Tokyo boasts a generous amount of vegan spots in the area, if not the most in the city. Variety is also a major plus for vegan fare in Shibuya, with spots ranging from juice cafes to casual dining, to macrobiotic meals and upscale vegan Italian food.

1. Pure Cafe

A vegan cafe in Harajuku offering breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, and sweets. If it’s baked goods you’re after, Pure Cafe has a delicious selection of muffins, cookies, and desserts. They also serve juices and smoothies, I had a memorable seasonal black sesame smoothie.

 

Although the location is fantastic, this makes it a bit more on the pricier side of things for a cafe. It also tends to be quite busy so seating may be hard to come by. Nonetheless, many visitors call this one of their favourite vegan spots in Tokyo.

Mon-Sun 8:30am-10:30pm
Minami-aoyama, 5-5-21, Minatoku (1st floor of AVEDA)

 

2. Sunshine Juice

Sunshine Juice is run by juice specialists that boasts some majorly trendy and hip vibes. Ingredients for the juices and smoothies are always organic and mainly domestically sourced, with no extra unnecessarily frills added to the mix—just straight up, healthy juices and smoothies. The staff is exceptionally friendly, (even after I’d managed to spill some water and knock over a chair) and English menus are available.

 

Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-7pm
2-10-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 

 

3. Sky High

Sky High is small juice cafe located in Shibuya offering cold press juices,
smoothies, raw sweets, and raw vegan food. The juice is organic and always freshly made to a high quality, using green vegetables, red beets, and fresh fruit. Seating is very limited, so if it’s grab-and-go you’re after, Sky High’s a convenient choice. Staff is friendly and speak English, and delivery is also available.

Mon-Sat 10:00am-7:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-5:00pm
2-3-4 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 150-0002


4. Restaurant 8ablish

 

A slower-paced sit-down restaurant serving upscale Italian and Mediterranean vegan cuisine. Opened in September 2015 by Purecafe and described by many as a vegan haven in Tokyo. They also offer vegan ice cream for dessert or takeaway and English menus are available.

 

Mon 11:00am-11:30pm, Wed-Sun 11:00am-11:30pm
5-10-17 2F Minami Aoyama, Minato-Ku 
Tokyo, Japan 107-0062

5. Brown Rice Cafe

One of the best vegan meals I had in Tokyo was at Brown Rice Cafe. Their menu offers macrobiotic cookery with set meals of brown rice and a collection of side dishes and miso soup. Also offers coffee, teas, and wine.

 

Vegan Japanese style dining in a calm atmosphere. Located behind Neal’s Yard (you have to enter the store to get to it) or, if coming from the other side of the street, tucked away behind a corner—there should be a sign indicating its location.

 

Mon-Sun 11:30am-11:00pm
Green Bldg 1F, 5-1-17 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku


By Victoria Kamila