Vegetarians

[Trudi]

Any vegetarians going to Japan?
I've heard it's really hard as they use fish stock in a lot of things.
Any advice?

[OdysseyOfNoises]

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5130

[Trudi]

Thank you!

[happytofu]

I like the idea of a 2012 version of this topic!

I'm vegan... which is near-impossible. In the past, I've cooked my own food and brown-bagged meals... but that was as a tourist who only ate out with/visited particularly nice/eager-to-please family. I realize with JET I will likely have to swing pescatarian occasionally, but for niku (possibly also dairy, since lactose intolerance is very common), I'll say I have an allergy. I'll definitely be asking my pred if I'll be expected to eat school lunches.

Of course, Buddhists* are often vegan, so I may have luck with that excuse... and it isn't total BS, since Buddhism is the closest way to describe how I live.

*Best food of my life was served by monks at a ryokan on Koya-san.

Most importantly, I know the JET position requires flexibility, and so long as nobody straps me to a chair and shoves chicken in my mouth, I won't let a little fish broth keep me from enjoying this experience.

[Siyris]

I like the idea of a 2012 version of this topic!

I'm vegan... which is near-impossible. In the past, I've cooked my own food and brown-bagged meals... but that was as a tourist who only ate out with/visited particularly nice/eager-to-please family. I realize with JET I will likely have to swing pescatarian occasionally, but for niku (possibly also dairy, since lactose intolerance is very common), I'll say I have an allergy. I'll definitely be asking my pred if I'll be expected to eat school lunches.

Of course, Buddhists* are often vegan, so I may have luck with that excuse.

*Best food of my life was served by monks at a ryokan on Koya-san.

I would not advise saying you have an allergy if you don't actually have an allergy. Say that you don't eat meat and deal with the looks you get. Allergies are taken super seriously here though and lying about it is not a wise course of action.

[happytofu]

I would not advise saying you have an allergy if you don't actually have an allergy. Say that you don't eat meat and deal with the looks you get. Allergies are taken super seriously here though and lying about it is not a wise course of action.

I have to politely disagree. One friend of mine lived in Japan (not as a JET) for years and avoids pork for religious reasons. She didn't just get looks--her request was consistently disregarded over and over. I've also experienced this. I've even been flat-out lied to. (Lied to not including the mindset that little chunks/broth don't count.)

Likewise, after fourteen years, meat pretty much affects me as though it were an allergy anyway. When I say I have a meat allergy, I'm saying that meat makes me sick. This isn't a lie. I don't like to eat fish/eggs/dairy, but I can bring myself to do it when required by the culture of country I've chosen to visit. This is not the case with non-sea meat.

But, I would much prefer to be upfront, particularly with the BoE, particularly if it gets me more veggies and less or no eggs/dairy/fish.

ESID, so we'll see.

[Trudi]

I've been a vegetarian for 11 years, and I don't want to eat fish/shellfish of any kind.
It's going to be tricky, but it can be done.

I got a few good ideas from the previous thread;
becoming a regular at a local restaurant so that they know what you won't eat,
using the phrase "vegetables only" to emphasise NO animal products, i.e. above and beyond just saying "no meat",
and that list with the Japanese for different types of food is going to be very useful when shopping (my first grocery shop is probably going to take about 4 hours if I have to read every ingredient and then translate it!).

Might end up having a bit of a repetitive diet, but I'll def lose weight!

[brainsteww]

I would not advise saying you have an allergy if you don't actually have an allergy. Say that you don't eat meat and deal with the looks you get. Allergies are taken super seriously here though and lying about it is not a wise course of action.

I have to politely disagree. One friend of mine lived in Japan (not as a JET) for years and avoids pork for religious reasons. She didn't just get looks--her request was consistently disregarded over and over. I've also experienced this. I've even been flat-out lied to. (Lied to not including the mindset that little chunks/broth don't count.)

Likewise, after fourteen years, meat pretty much affects me as though it were an allergy anyway. When I say I have a meat allergy, I'm saying that meat makes me sick. This isn't a lie. I don't like to eat fish/eggs/dairy, but I can bring myself to do it when required by the culture of country I've chosen to visit. This is not the case with non-sea meat.

But, I would much prefer to be upfront, particularly with the BoE, particularly if it gets me more veggies and less or no eggs/dairy/fish.

ESID, so we'll see.

I'm actually allergic to cows (and dogs, cats, horses, pigs, etc., anything with fur) so I think I might have a mild beef allergy... I haven't eaten beef since elementary school, but I am wary to saying I have an allergy when it's all speculation. I will probably try to start eating fish in Japan, but I don't feel comfortable eating anything more than that. I stayed with a host family for a month in Saitama, and I told them I was vegetarian but my host mom was convinced that I just didn't like American meat, and that she could win me over with Japanese meat. It was a struggle. She told me the first say I arrived that, "By the time you go home, you will love meat". Didn't happen XD

And yes, they might "trick" you, but not in a mean way. They also think pork is vegetarian. At least there are no "well where do you get your protein?" questions, but I do think they look at vegetarians as "picky eaters" sometimes, as opposed to left-wing, tree-hugging liberals

With JET, you don't live with a host family, so you can control what you eat at home. What I am worried about is going to enkais, or maybe having to eat the school lunch. I might say I am allergic to four-legged animals (which is true), or maybe I am Buddhist (which is kind of true), or maybe just take the opportunity to teach them about American culture, and explain that being vegetarian is seen as healthier, better for the environment, and kind towards animals.

My Japanese teacher is vegetarian, actually. He brings bento to school, but I think I remember him saying that when he goes back to Japan he eats fish. I think I'll ask him, from a slightly Americanized Japanese standpoint, how to best go about being vegetarian in Japan as a foreigner.

[happytofu]

Yah... I'm starting to think Buddhism may be the way to go. I've been studying and semi-practicing it for two years now, partially because it aligns so nicely with veganism, so it's a reasoning I can back up. Saying "Buddhist, therefore veggies/fruit only" should cover most of my bases... especially coupled with requesting permission to pack my own lunches. You know, to be considerate!

But really, occassional fish doesn't undermine the good of an otherwise-veg diet. Remember this is their country and culture, so you need to balance personal morals/choices with respect for that. IMHO. (IE, if your veg-only meal comes seeped in fish broth, or you're trapped at an enkai, be cool.) Although fingers crossed we can have our soy cake and eat it, too.

@Fluttershy: Oh... "teaching American culture." That's good!! I was even going to explain vegan cooking, since it's my main hobby, so that totally works!

[Trudi]

I totally respect their country and culture, but I still don't want to eat fish! (Never really liked the taste of fish anyway!)

[happytofu]

I totally respect their country and culture, but I still don't want to eat fish! (Never really liked the taste of fish anyway!)

Don't get me wrong... I *love* my vegan diet and identity. I also don't touch white flour, sugar, and most oils... and I refuse to compromise my health for JET.

But... personally... I am prepared to flex a little. I REALLY hope I never do, and I am unafraid of eating out/day-to-day (I just cook from scratch myself!), but the dreaded enkai... and for example, I ate sashimi in Beppu once because this family had fished and prepared it for me, because sashimi is the town's pride. I didn't like it, but I didn't show that. That is also a very rare occasion. And just me.

[sooky]

Hi guys, I was raised a buddhist and do not eat beef (religious) or lamb (because of the taste), and during certain days of the year it is a vegetarian diet. I actually wrote that I can't eat beef for religious reasons on my application form. During my interview, they askd how would i respond if i was given beef to eat. Catching me off guard, I replied ...that under professional circumstances I would eat and pray later but if it was with friends I'd tell them directly. My interviewers then encouraged me to say I don't eat beef in Japanese. I believe they wanted me to be firm on this aspect. So it is best to set the story straight about your preferences with your peers.

[Trudi]

But... personally... I am prepared to flex a little. I REALLY hope I never do, and I am unafraid of eating out/day-to-day (I just cook from scratch myself!), but the dreaded enkai... and for example, I ate sashimi in Beppu once because this family had fished and prepared it for me, because sashimi is the town's pride. I didn't like it, but I didn't show that. That is also a very rare occasion. And just me.

I don't think I am prepared to flex with this. I really don't know though, because I've never been to Japan before.
I will do my best to let people know what I eat before the event, and if they can't provide it I can just share a drink with them (or maybe have plain rice?) and I will just eat later at home. Always doing my best not to offend people, of course. It's a bit easier for me as I'm just vegetarian, not vegan.
Obviously this might all change when I'm starving and can't read anything in the supermarkets etc!
But that's how I feel about it right now.

I'm not actually worried about it too much; just interested to see what happens!
Might take some meal replacement bars with me for the first few days in placement, just in case!

[hatefulsandwich]

Just wanted to add my two cents here, even though I'm not going to Japan. I did a fair amount of research into this even though I'm not a strict vegetarian, but what I did find is that in a lot of places, Buddhists are not vegetarians. I know that seems to be in strict opposition of all that is Buddhist, but what can I say? People like their meat. This said, the predominant school of Buddhism in Japan appears to be the meat-eating kind. Don't count on the whole Buddhist thing making your life any easier, is all I'm saying.

It's probably much easier to get away with simply not eating meat, but you may be considered a bit difficult for not eating fish. I don't even know how one can survive being vegan in that type of environment, but it is apparently possible with a certain amount of perseverance. The hardest thing will probably be the fact that fish stock is the major flavourant there.

Had I been accepted into the JET Programme, I was considering, like, keeping a little card with me with pictures of what I do and don't eat including the Japanese for those things. Just to be very clear that while things like fish are fine, whale certainly is not.

[happytofu]

Surprisingly, fish is a WAAAAAY bigger deal than dairy and eggs. Besides mayo (the single worst substance in existence, but man the Japanese love it), veganism and vegetarianism are about equally difficult in Japan. Unlike America, which runs on butter and cheese.

Also, almost all "whale" meat in Japan is actually dolphin. Beyond the "awww cute" factor, dolphin meat contains deadly amounts of mercury which is the root of Japan's epilepsy epidemic. Just FYI.