When you take a stroll on Miyajima, you will find countless places selling oysters. As an island that relies on fishing, vegan or vegetarian food isn’t easy to come by. Fortunately, thanks to the island’s fame, Miyajima is one of the most-visited destinations among international tourists. Plant-based options, hence, have started appearing on the menu of a few cafes and restaurants.
The Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Spots on Miyajima
- Yamaichi Bekkan (山一別館)
- The vegan menu is allium-free.
- The restaurant can cater to various dietary requirements, including gluten-free.
- Akushu Restaurant (握手レストラン)
- Gluten-free options are available.
- Miyajima Cuillere (宮島 キュイエール)
- Tachibana (お食事処 たち花)
- Gluten-free options are available.
- Momiji-so (もみぢ荘)
- Rokaku Tea House (宮島六角茶房)
- Miyajima Morinoyado (みやじま 杜の宿) and Restaurant Oomoto (レストランおおもと)
- Other Vegan/Vegetarian Spots on Miyajima
Yamaichi Bekkan (山一別館)
If you want to have a meal in a traditional restaurant on Miyajima, Yamaichi Bekkan is your top choice. The restaurant, renown for its anago (saltwater conger eel) dishes, understands veganism surprisingly well. It even has a separate set of utensils for cooking vegan dishes!
While the restaurant ryokan looks a little bit shabby from the outside, the food presentation is certainly fancier than the building. Most importantly, the chef is highly skilled, so most customers are very satisfied with their order.
When you get to Yamaichi Bekkan, ask for the vegan menu. Everything on the menu is allium-free! It has a good selection of options, including vegetable tempura sets, sushi sets, and a course menu. You can also order sushi with different fillings on the side.
As a restaurant that prides itself on everyone being able to eat together at the same table, Yamaichi Bekkan caters to other dietary requirements, including gluten-free.
The portion size of each dish is decent for the price, making it one of the most visited restaurants on the island.
If you have the money to splurge, spend a night at Yamaichi Bekkan for the full ryokan experience. You will be treated to a traditional feast at night and start the next day the Japanese way! While not guaranteed, the chef or the staff will explain the dishes on the table in detail, adding context to the ingredients’ origins.
The staff are very kind and helpful. The service is fast and top-notch, too. If you have any requests, speak to them!
Refer to HERE for Yamaichi Bekkan’s vegan menu and to reserve!
Tips:
☛ Yamaichi Bekkan is popular. A reservation is highly recommended. Alternatively, you can pop in when you arrive in Miyajima and try to secure a spot for later in the day. The restaurant is opposite the ferry terminal.
☛ The vegan agadashi tofu is a must-try!
Yamaichi Bekkan’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Yamaichi Bekkan is open from
- 11 am to 2 pm for lunch
- 5 pm to 9 pm for dinner
- On Sundays and public holidays, it closes at 3 pm for lunch and 8:30 pm for dinner
- The restaurant ryokan is opposite Miyajima Ferry Terminal.
Akushu Restaurant (握手レストラン)
On the ground floor of Hotel Itsukushima Iroha (ホテル厳島いろは) near the start of Miyajima Omotesandō Shōtengai Street (宮島表参道商店街/清盛通り), Akushu Restaurant is a French fusion restaurant that has several vegan options. Its modern-looking appearance will definitely catch your attention as you walk on Miyajima‘s main street. As soon as you enter the restaurant, the hustle and bustle on the main road disappears. Instead, you will be surrounded by a calm and quiet atmosphere.
The staff will warmly greet you at the entrance and offer impeccable service throughout the entire time. Each dish cooked from fresh ingredients is tasty and well-presented. Besides vegan, Akushi Restaurant also cater to the gluten-free diet.
Note that Akushu Restaurant isn’t a place to grab a quick bite as you might have expected. It is a fine dining restaurant, which means a high price tag.
Refer to HERE for Akushu Restaurant’s menu.
Akushu Restaurant’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Akushu Restaurant is open from
- 11 am to 4 pm for lunch (L.O. 3:30 pm)
- 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm for dinner (reservation-only)
- The restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Miyajima piar.
Miyajima Cuillere (宮島 キュイエール)
If you plan to spend a night on Miyajima and your accommodation isn’t vegan-friendly, Miyajima Cuillere is where you can find plant-based food. The Italian restaurant is tucked away in a residential area of the island, a short walk from Miyajima Omotesandō Street. While you might not feel like having Western food on an island with a distinctly Japanese vibe, the Italian and French cuisine with a Japanese twist here is phenomenal enough to impress even Italians.
While Cuillere has a simple setting without anything unnecessary, much effort has been put into the well-presented dishes. The owner-chef used to work as a chef in a French restaurant. He is particular about using carefully selected specialties from Hiroshima Prefecture and ingredients from all over Japan.
Originally a sandwich shop, Cuillere has since expanded its menu. The menu offers a wide selection of à la carte dishes, including appetizers, pasta, mains, and desserts—and there is a vegan option for each course! The vegan curry doria is especially recommended. The country vegetable and bean soup is also nice.
Cuillere also offers sandwiches for takeout, with at least one vegetarian option available.
In addition to the amazingly cooked food, the hospitality offered by the accommodating staff at Cuillere is fantastic.
Refer to HERE for Cuillere’s vegan menu.
Miyajima Cuillere’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Miyajima Cuillere is open from
- 12 pm to 4 pm for lunch (L.O. 3 pm)
- 6 pm to 9 pm (L.O. 8 pm)
- The restaurant is a 7-minute walk from Miyajima Pier.
Tachibana (お食事処 たち花)
For those who prefer to have Japanese dishes, Tachibana is a good choice on Miyajima Omotesandō Street. This family-run restaurant has been running for over 80 years! The cozy spot features a spacious dining area with both table seating and traditional tatami floor seating, making it an ideal place to relax and savour local cuisine. Moreover, the CP value is very high.
As you walk into the restaurant, the welcoming staff will greet you. If you need a vegan menu, just ask! They also have a couple of gluten-free dishes. Even gluten-free soy sauce is available!
Tachibana’s menu is extensive and includes several vegan and/or vegetarian dishes. The restaurant’s tempura is incredible. So, whether you are on a special diet or not, treat yourself with this traditional Japanese dish. If you are a vegan, order the popular vegan tempura rice bowl. The perfectly cooked rice is topped with crispy, freshly fried battered vegetables before the special vegan sauce is drizzled on top.
If you dislike deep-fried food, order a plate of curry rice or curry udon. Their curry is creamy and flavorful. The udon’s texture is perfect, with the right amount of chewiness.
If you dislike deep-fried food, order a plate of curry rice or curry udon. Their curry is creamy and flavorful. The udon’s texture is perfect with the right amount of chewiness.
Important: Please check with the staff to confirm if their soba noodles are egg-free.
Tachibana’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Tachibana is open from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm from Saturday to Thursday.
- The restaurant is a 10-minute walk from Miyajima Pier.
Momiji-so (もみぢ荘)
If you visit Miyajima during the fall foliage season, Momijidani Park (紅葉谷公園) is a must-go spot on the sacred island. The great news is that there is an outdoor restaurant in the park filled with maple trees that offers a few vegan options. If you plan to hike Mt. Misen (弥山) or take the Miyajima Ropeway (宮島ロープウエー), Momiji-so is also a good spot to regain energy from their tasty, wholesome food. The vegan options are clearly labeled on Momiji-so’s menu. If you are unsure, ask the friendly staff.
Momiji-so has a traditional outdoor dining area. The low table set up makes the atmosphere more rustic and relaxing. In the colder months, hot teas are served with multiple heaters turned on so it won’t be too cold for customers.
Unless the restaurant is fully packed, your food will arrive quickly. The broth of the plant-based udon noodles is full of flavor. Topped with fried bean curd and vegetables, the udon soup will surely rejuvenate your body. You can also order the vegan curry. It is very tasty with the right amount of spice.
Important: Check with the staff to ensure they still use plant-based soup for udon noodles before ordering.
Momiji-so’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Momiji-so is open from 10 am to 4 pm from Saturday to Thursday.
- The restaurant is a 1-minute walk from Miyajima Ropeway.
Rokaku Tea House (宮島六角茶房)
Daishōin Temple (大聖院) is one of the main attractions on Miyajima. If it is on your itinerary, schedule it so that you visit the temple in the late morning or early afternoon. Why? The temple features a vegan-friendly cafe that serves incredibly tasty food!
The quaint building near the main gate has been renovated into a unique-style cafe. If you pay attention to the shape of the architecture and the furnishing, you will realize that many are hexagonal. Hence, the cafe’s nicked name is Hexagon Cafe. In Japan, the hexagonal shape is considered very auspicious. Thus, the shape was incorporated into the design of the building, which was completed centuries ago.
As you wait for your order, check out the Japanese garden next to the cafe. There might even be a couple of deer pop into the picture! You can also examine the wooden table sets in detail. Apparently, they were made from the precious Yakusugi cedar (屋久杉).
The Food at Rokaku Tea House
Okita-san (沖田さん), the friendly owner-chef of Rokaku Tea House, put a large emphasis on creating a menu that isn’t just delicious but healthy. Fresh, local ingredients are used as much as possible, with a focus on minimising processed food. The menu has some plant-based options, including at least one vegan light meal choice.
If the soy milk pudding is on the menu, order it. The pudding has the perfect sweet level and is light, making it ideal for dessert after a plate of vegan nutty curry rice.
During the warmer months, cold vegan ramen noodles are also served at the cafe. Like the vegan curry, it is full of flavors and is likely to be one of the best plant-based ramen noodles you will have in Japan!
As Okita-san enjoys hearing stories from her overseas customers, her English is getting better each day. In return, she acts as a “tourist information center” and will tell you places that only locals know!
Rokaku Tea House’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Rokaku Tea House is open from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The cafe is a 20-minute walk from Miyajima Ferry Terminal.
Miyajima Morinoyado (みやじま 杜の宿) and Restaurant Ōmoto (レストランおおもと)
Near the trailhead of the Mt. Misen mountain trail, Miyajima Morinoyado is a traditional inn in Ōmoto Park (大元公園), where large fir trees grow close to the coastline. Moreover, this part of Miyajima has long been a famous cherry blossom. The scenery here is counted as one of the Eight Views of Itsukushima. The ryokan isn’t just surrounded by the rich natural scenery formed by the sea and mountains; it is vegan-friendly!
Restaurant Ōmoto is a restaurant in Miyajima Morinoyado. It has an amazing plant-based lunch set on its lunch menu. You can also make a reservation by filling out an Enquiry Form to have dinner at the ryokan if you aren’t a guest.
Refer to HERE for Restaurant Ōmoto’s lunch menu.
Staying at Miyajima Morinoyado
The ryokan has three types of guestrooms. You can get either an ocean or mountain/park view from the window of its Japanese-style guestrooms. All of its Western-style guestrooms come with an ocean view. While the architecture is old, the rooms are clean, and you will surely have a comfortable stay.
Note some Japanese-style rooms don’t have a shower facility. Toilets, however, are equipped in all the guestrooms.
Whether your room has a shower facility or not, you are welcome to use the public bath. Bathing is the best way to relax after a day of exploration on Miyajima. You can also utilize the bathing facility as a day visitor between 10:30 am and 5 pm. It will only cost you 500 yen for admission and 150 yen for towels.
Miyajima Morinoyado’s breakfast is served in Restaurant Ōmoto. On the wooden tray is a Japanese-style breakfast consisting of several well-balanced side dishes made with locally produced ingredients. The tasty food will recharge your energy and get you ready for another day of exploration on Miyajima.
Tip: If you choose a Japanese-style room, lay two sets of futons to make it softer to sleep on.
Restaurant Ōmoto’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Restaurant Ōmoto is open from
- 11 am to 2 pm for lunch
- 5:30 pm to 9 pm for dinner (reservation only)
- Miyajima Morinoyado is a 25-minute walk from Miyajima Ferry Terminal.
- If you are a ryokan guest, utilize the free pick-up and drop-off service. It is available from 9 am to 7 pm.
- If you want to be picked-up from the ferry terminal, give the ryokan a call at +81-829-44-0430 before you board the ferry.
- You can also entrust your luggage at the ferry terminal to the ryokan staff.
Other Vegan/Vegetarian Spots on Miyajima
- Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki Kurawanka (広島風お好み焼き くらわんか)
- An okonomiyaki pancake restaurant that can cater to the vegan/vegetarian diet on the Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street. If you pay a little bit extra, you can even add vegan cheese to your savory pancake!
- Remember to ask for vegan sauce.
- Unlike some other okonomiyaki restaurants in Japan, the pancakes at Kurawanka isn’t too salty.
- The staff are friendly and patient. Even if you have many questions, the staff would still answer without losing their temper.
- There is a traditional painting of people eating on a boat on the wall inside the restaurant. It represents where the restaurant’s name comes from. Back in the Edo period in Osaka, people on the small food-selling boats that sold food to the passengers on bigger boats would shout out “Kurawanka”, meaning would you like to eat?
- Note that it can take a while before your order is brought out.
- An okonomiyaki pancake restaurant that can cater to the vegan/vegetarian diet on the Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street. If you pay a little bit extra, you can even add vegan cheese to your savory pancake!
- Miyajima Coffee (宮島珈琲)
- A cafe on the Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street that offers soy milk for coffee. It also has some snacks, but they aren’t vegan.
- The cafe specializes in coffee brewed from locally roasted beans, offering drinks with a deep and balanced flavor.
- If all the seats on the ground level have been taken, head to the second floor!
- The service provided by the friendly staff is good and quick.
- Sonoma (素の間)
- The cafe is located on the way to Momijidani Park (紅葉谷公園) and has several vegan/vegetarian options on its menu, including two vegan curry rice options.
- The couple who runs Sonoma is friendly. Together with their service and the thoughtfully decorated interior, the atmosphere of Sonoma is relaxing and welcoming.
- If you are a vegan, let the staff know before ordering, as sweets such as soy gelato might be served with a drizzle of honey.
- Sonoma also sells vegan curry pouches and vegan instant noodles. You can grab a couple and save it for the days when you can’t find plant-based meals in rural Japan.
- Handicraft workshops are available at Sonoma, too! A nice selection of handmade crafts and accessories on the self can also be purchased.
- Hiroshima Ramen Momiji Miyajima-guchi Shop (広島ラーメン 椛 宮島口本店)
- A ramen restaurant on the second floor of Miyajimaguchi Ferry Terminal that has one vegan ramen and one vegan pan-fried dumpling on its menu. Both are flavorful and taste amazing. It is a good place to have dinner after a day on Miyajima.
- Power charging stations are equipped on the table for you to charge your devices.
- From the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling window, you can enjoy the ocean view while eating the noodle soup.
- You can also add more spice to your noodle soup using the free soy sauce or chilli oil on the table.
Discover the Fascinating Attractions on Miyajima
Now that you know where to find vegan and vegetarian food on Miyajima, it is time to plan your time on the island.
Miyajima has many things to offer. Whether you are a foodie, nature or cultural property lover, or want to hike, Miyajima is the ideal destination. Not even mention the deer walking on the street and trying to steal paper from your bag!
For more information, refer to our article on Miyajima!