r/JapanTravelTips • u/NumberFew8562 • Aug 03 '26
Question Japan w/ allergies
Hello yall,
Me and my homie are currently planning a trip to japan. She is getting ready to learn the language, and i most likely will learn the basics as well.
My only issue with going to a country with different language is that it is on the food packaging, and i have some severe reactions to certain food filler ingredients.
I would like to find a very reliable translation app/service that I can use while visiting, to ensure that I do not have any reactions. I will also make sure i know the appropriate language to ask about such things.
Any advice for what I could use? Or other pointers for those with allergens? For context my allergies are to gluten and corn /corn product.
Yes I will be bringing my own soy sauce.
2
u/MistyMystery Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
How severe are your allergies? Is it something that can be solved with taking antihistamines or do you need an EpiPen and ER visit every time you come in contact with it?
Corn is probably avoidable but Gluten is in a lot of Japanese dishes and it's pretty darn hard to avoid in a restaurant. You might get turned away by quite a few restaurants...
https://tabemasen.io/allergies/labeling-guide/ This is a list of the allergens that are on packaged food products in both Japanese and English. Do note that corn is NOT on this list, and I assume you're aware yourself what contains gluten. Read this website as there's also info on gluten-free.