Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Can I Eat Gluten Free In Japan?

spunkysparkle

By spunkysparkle
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

spunkysparkle Newbie
spunkysparkle
Posted

I'm studying Japanese at university and a week from now I'll begin a year as an exchange student at university! I'm pretty worried that I'm just going to stick to rice and plain fish as coeliac disease is basically unheard of there and soy sauce seems to be in everything. I'm very worried it will stop me staying at other people's houses or travelling to places where I won't be able to cook for myself.

My dietician doesn't know anything about eating gluten free in Japan and I wrote to the UK Coeliac society for advice but all they sent me was a thing on what foods people eat in Japan that didn't even mention which had gluten in! So I would love to hear about other people's experiences of eating gluten free in Japan. Oh, and is gluten free tamari easy to buy in Japan or should I bring loads with me? :S

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
I'm studying Japanese at university and a week from now I'll begin a year as an exchange student at university! I'm pretty worried that I'm just going to stick to rice and plain fish as coeliac disease is basically unheard of there and soy sauce seems to be in everything. I'm very worried it will stop me staying at other people's houses or travelling to places where I won't be able to cook for myself.

My dietician doesn't know anything about eating gluten free in Japan and I wrote to the UK Coeliac society for advice but all they sent me was a thing on what foods people eat in Japan that didn't even mention which had gluten in! So I would love to hear about other people's experiences of eating gluten free in Japan. Oh, and is gluten free tamari easy to buy in Japan or should I bring loads with me? :S

Actually celiac disease is on the rise in Japan as they are starting to eat a more 'westernized' diet. I have posted 2 links to dining cards. The second link has cards that you can actually print out. I googled Japan and gluten free and quite a bit came up but these should get you started. Have fun in Japan I have heard it is a wonderful place to visit and live.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

TinkerbellSwt Collaborator
TinkerbellSwt
Posted

I am sorry I dont have any advice in this circumstance. I would look the links up that raven gave you.

I just wanted to say have a fun and safe trip !

BostonCeliac Apprentice
BostonCeliac
Posted

I've found that a lot of japanese food is gluten-free -- mainly because their main staple is rice. Especially the noodles - love them.. the soy sauce might be an issue for sure. Hopefully you'll be able to make a lot of your own food while there -- but I must say since I find most of the food I end up buying is japanese, it might work out OK.

You'll probably want to study up on the names and spellings of food - maybe something like this would help:

Open Original Shared Link

I would also familiarize myself with the symbols/names of things you cannot eat up front so you can stay away...

good luck! have a great trip.

spunkysparkle Newbie
spunkysparkle
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your help, suggestions and kind words. From what I know.. noodles are a bit of a problem as ramen, soba and udon are all made from wheat flour. Rice noodles are fine but are more a thai thing than Japanese. I'm a bit concerned that I won't be able to eat out as I'll come across as a fussy foreigner :S I'd love to hear from anyone who has had experience living in Japan as a coeliac but can't seem to find anyone else hehe.. er.. aside from a few people who said they just stuck to plain rice and plain fish all the time :S

eKatherine Apprentice
eKatherine
Posted
Thank you all for your help, suggestions and kind words. From what I know.. noodles are a bit of a problem as ramen, soba and udon are all made from wheat flour. Rice noodles are fine but are more a thai thing than Japanese. I'm a bit concerned that I won't be able to eat out as I'll come across as a fussy foreigner :S I'd love to hear from anyone who has had experience living in Japan as a coeliac but can't seem to find anyone else hehe.. er.. aside from a few people who said they just stuck to plain rice and plain fish all the time :S

I haven't been to Japan, but I studied Japanese and Japanese culture, so you can decide what my advice is worth.

The traditional Japanese diet is based on white rice, miso (may contain wheat) soup, and pickles (?). I am not sure about what sort of ingredients labeling you will see, and unless you are very fluent in written Japanese, it would be easy to miss something. Unless you are extremely fluent in spoken Japanese, you will have difficulty finding out if restaurant food contains wheat or barley, both common. But if you do find out that some preparation does contain gluten, you will probably find it impossible to get anything cooked special for you at any but the most expensive restaurants, as Japanese restaurants are not designed on the "have it your way" principle.

Japanese families often eat Chinese food when they eat out. Sounds scary. I suggest you try to eat at home as much as possible. Maybe you can find yourself some neighborhood sakaya where you can train the owner to serve you white rice and safe snacks.

chgomom Enthusiast
chgomom
Posted

I have lived and worked in Japan for many years, and I work as a Japanese translator.

On my travels there, you can not eat:

Seaweed, unless dry roasted (so like at a Sushi bar you have to have Sashimi, not sushi) unless that can assure you there is no soy sauce in it (because soy sauce is cured with wheat)

There are lots of breads in Japan...obviously a no no....

You can, eat rice balls...with salmon or tuna inside, just make sure it has no mayo...

You can eat fresh grilled meats....fish and vegetables...

Fruit ices....

You can also have a traditional dish called Suki Yaki....minus the soy sauce...

There are an array of specialty tea drinks and coffee shops....

Fruit is very expensive....but may be worth it.

You do also have specialty diet shops....and if you told me where your university there I could tell you where they might be I have associates all over different areas of Japan.

I would bring a few of your safe Tamari's with you.

HOWEVER I work in export and import...and taking food with you, even on the plane is being frowned upon.

Check with your university and the airline just to be sure.

But I would definitely try to take some with to get by.

Most Tamari is WHEAT free....but not necessarily gluten free...

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


bon5151 Newbie
bon5151
Posted
I'm studying Japanese at university and a week from now I'll begin a year as an exchange student at university! I'm pretty worried that I'm just going to stick to rice and plain fish as coeliac disease is basically unheard of there and soy sauce seems to be in everything. I'm very worried it will stop me staying at other people's houses or travelling to places where I won't be able to cook for myself.

My dietician doesn't know anything about eating gluten free in Japan and I wrote to the UK Coeliac society for advice but all they sent me was a thing on what foods people eat in Japan that didn't even mention which had gluten in! So I would love to hear about other people's experiences of eating gluten free in Japan. Oh, and is gluten free tamari easy to buy in Japan or should I bring loads with me? :S

I'm studying Japanese at university and a week from now I'll begin a year as an exchange student at university! I'm pretty worried that I'm just going to stick to rice and plain fish as coeliac disease is basically unheard of there and soy sauce seems to be in everything. I'm very worried it will stop me staying at other people's houses or travelling to places where I won't be able to cook for myself.

My dietician doesn't know anything about eating gluten free in Japan and I wrote to the UK Coeliac society for advice but all they sent me was a thing on what foods people eat in Japan that didn't even mention which had gluten in! So I would love to hear about other people's experiences of eating gluten free in Japan. Oh, and is gluten free tamari easy to buy in Japan or should I bring loads with me? :S

bon5151 Newbie
bon5151
Posted

I just came back from a vacation in Tokyo, with my Japanese husband. My advice is to bring food with you, so you can eat safely until you find a Western grocery store there. I carried peanut butter and Lara fruit/nut bars in my suitcase. And yes, take your wheat-free tamari with you. I carried the bottle in my suitcase, but I've seen it advertised here packaged in take-out packets. I haven't been able to find it, though.

It was difficult to eat at Japanese restaurants, even with my husband's ability to ask questions in Japanese. In fact, I ate sashimi at sushi bars a few times, while my family (kids don't eat fish) ate at another restaurant nearby. Unfortunately, because the Japanese are in love with noodles, it seems their other favorite food is Italian. Not good for us, the gluten-free brigade. However, I did well at Indian restaurants. I'm hooked on dosas and they're made with either garbanzo or lentil flour (I forget which, but ask -- most of the Indian staff at Indian restaurants speak English).

In Japanese food, soy sauce is the dominant problem. It's always in the marinade, sauce, broth, etc. and miso is in everything else, including salad dressings. I ate a lot of onigiri (rice balls with tuna, salmon or pickles in the center). They're delicious -- 7-11 stores carry a variety of them, but they often run out in the early evening because people pick them up for an easy dinner on the way home from work. Most have seaweed on the outside, but when my husband asked, he was assured that the brand we bought had roasted, salted seaweed with no soy sauce. (Sorry I don't know which brand.)

I have to admit, in a moment of desperation, we went to Tokyo's Outback Steakhouse because I knew I could get a hearty, safe meal there.

In spite of the challenges, I had a great time and I'm sure you will, too.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,837
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    RyanOB
    Newest Member
    RyanOB
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.4k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Dawn Meyers
      Vaccines

      By Dawn Meyers · Posted

      Hi I have celiac disease and the dermatitis herpetiformis rash Also other autommune diseases.  I have had bad side effects to all the vaccines I have had and now my Doctor wants me to have the pneumonia vaccine.  I am concerned because of some of the bad side effects I have had in the past example Hep B after shot couldn't  move arm for several months.  Flu shot and COVID was sick right after shot. Told not to get anymore. My lung is inflamed and have a cough I can't seem to get rid of. Very concerned 😟. 
    • knitty kitty
      Hidden Gluten in distilled vinegar

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Manaan2,  I'm so happy to hear you're going to try thiamine and magnesium!  Do let us know the results!   You may want to add a B 50 Complex with two meals of the day to help boost absorption.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins which are all water soluble.   When supplementing magnesium, make sure to get sufficient calcium.  Calcium and magnesium need to be kept in balance.  If you choose a calcium supplement, take two hours apart from magnesium as they compete for absorption.  Take Calcium with Vitamin D.  Vitamin D helps calm the immune system.   For pain, I use a combination of thiamine, B12 Cobalamine, and Pyridoxine B6.  These three vitamins together have analgesic effects.  My preferred brand is "GSG 12X Takeda ALINAMIN EX Plus Vitamin B1 B6 B12 Health Supplementary from Japan 120 Tablets".  Alinamin is another form of thiamine.  It really is excellent at relieving my back pain from crushed vertebrae without side effects and no grogginess.   Look into the low histamine version of the Autoimmune Protocol Duet (Dr. Sarah Ballentyne, a Celiac herself, developed it.)  It really helps heal the intestines, too.  It's like a vacation for the digestive system.  Add foods back gradually over several weeks after feeling better.   I'm so happy to have pointed the way on your journey!  Let us know how the journey progresses! P. S. Add a Potassium supplement, too.  Potassium is another electrolyte, like magnessium, that we need.
    • Manaan2
      Hidden Gluten in distilled vinegar

      By Manaan2 · Posted

      @knitty kitty I can't thank you enough!  My husband and I already started looking into those supplements.  We definitely plan to give it a try.  We've been against the Miralax since it was originally advised by PCP, but because of the level of pain she experienced on a daily basis, we decided to try it.  We've made many attempts to gradually decrease but due to her pain and related symptoms, we've kept her on it while trying all sorts of other dietary adjustments pre and post diagnosis specific to food; so far none of those efforts have made a significant difference.  I will definitely share how she's doing along the way!
    • BIg Nodge
      Opinions on my test results/symptoms

      By BIg Nodge · Posted

      Hi, I have recently embarked on the gluten-free journey. I have what to me seems like a somewhat confusing set of test results and symptoms. I have been impressed by the accumulated knowledge and thoughtfulness as I browse this forum, so I figured I'd make a post to see if anyone can offer any insight. I know there are many posts like this from new users, so I have tried to do my baseline research first and not ask super obvious questions.  I'm 43, overall very healthy. No history of gluten sensitivity or really any of the classic GI symptoms. About three years ago I started to experience intermittent bouts of fatigue, chills/cold intolerance, and shortness of breath/air hunger (sometimes feels like a hollowness in my chest, hard to describe). The symptoms over time have become fairly significant, though not debilitating, I am able to exercise regularly and am fairly physically active, continue to perform well at work. But for example I have gone from someone who consistently ran hot, was always cranking the a/c, to someone who wears a down vest inside at work in winter and get chills if the a/c even blows on me in summer. I get tired and lose energy even when getting decent amounts of sleep, and have to have my wife take over on long drives that I could previously handle with no problems. More generally when I am experiencing these symptoms they seem to crowd out space in my mind for focusing on my family, my hobbies/activities etc, I sort of withdraw into myself.   I happened to be experiencing these symptoms during an annual physical with my PCP a few years ago, he observed post nasal drip and suggested it was allergies and that I treat it with claritin. At first it seemed to respond to claritin (though not zyrtex), but over time I became unsatisfied with that answer. There didn't seem to be any seasonal rhyme or reason to my symptoms, and I felt like I was on an endless loop of taking claritin, then stopping, not being sure if it was even making a difference. I did eventually get allergy tests and found modest allergies to dust and pollen, which didn't feel like a smoking gun.  I then started seeing a natural medicine doctor who was much more willing to explore my symptoms via testing. The first thing that came back abnormal was elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies/TPOs, 137 IU/mL vs a reference range of <9. At the same time my thyroid panel showed normal thyroid hormone levels. So it appears my immune system is attacking my thyroid even though it is working fine. I got a thyroid ultrasound at the time, it was clear, but with some abnormalities such that they suggested I get is scanned again in a year. These are certainly risk factors for a thyroid autoimmune disease, though my thyroid seems to be working fine for now.  From here my doctor considered celiac due to the murky thyroid/celiac links, so we did a panel. Results were as follows: TT IGA <1 U/ml, TT IGG <1 U/ml, deamidated gliadin IGA 24.6 U/ml, deamidated gliadin IGG <1 U/ml, IGAs 170 mg/dL. Readings greater than 15 considered high by my lab for the first four, my IGAs are within reference range. So basically just the deamidated IGA popped, but my IGAs are normal. I also notice on the tests that my thyroglobulin was high, 86.7 ng/ml vs a range of 2.8 - 40.9.  My doctor suggested that it certainly wasn't conclusive for celiac, but it was possible, and likely that I have some sort of gluten sensitivity. She suggested going gluten free and seeing how I felt as opposed to doing a biopsy. The best theory I can come up with is perhaps I am a silent celiac or just have a gluten sensitivity that doesn't produce immediate GI symptoms, but is still doing damage and over time has caused leaky gut. So now gluten is getting into my blood, and my immune system is attacking it but also mistakingly attacking my thyroid.  So that's what I did, went gluten free in October. It's been about four months, and I am really not feeling any difference. I still get the same symptoms that come and go. My bowel movements may be a bit more regular, but it was never a major issue before so I would consider that a minor improvement. I know that it can take a while to see improvements, and I am going to remain gluten-free and see how I feel. But I am definitely questioning whether I really understand what is going on, and am open to any thoughts or suggestions from the forum. Sometimes I wish I just went ahead with the biopsy before going gluten-free. While I would certainly be down to start drinking IPAs again ahead of a biopsy, you know, for science, I feel like at this point I would be throwing away four months of work and am better off staying the course and seeing what happens. But I'm really not sure.  I know there is a lot of thyroid knowledge on these boards, along with the celiac expertise, so I'm curious if this resonates with anyone's experience. And I'm interested in what sort of timelines people have experienced in terms of feeling improvements for some of these non-GI symptoms like chills, SOB, brain fog etc. Thanks in advance. 
    • cameo674
      Testing positive for antibodies, are there visible changes to the colon that could be seen without a biopsy?

      By cameo674 · Posted

      Does it taste like black licorice?  It said it was chewable.  I do not like that flavor.     Since the burn at the back of my throat is there everyday, I usually only take something when it is unbearable and keeping me from ADL especially sleep.  
×
×
  • Create New...