While Kawagoe has many mouthwatering restaurants and cafes, most are not vegan-friendly. But don’t be too disappointed! Not far from the town’s landmark, Toki no Kane Clock, there is a long-established traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant called Kawagoe Kou Sushi (川越 幸すし) that offers a few vegan options. It can also accommodate both gluten-free and halal diets, making it the perfect place for friends with various dietary requirements to enjoy food together!
Table of Contents
- About Kawagoe Kou Sushi
- The Vegan/Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Menus at Kawagoe Kou Sushi
- Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s Halal Certification
- Our Visit to Kawagoe Kou Sushi
- Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s Business Hours and Access Information
About Kawagoe Kou Sushi
Kawagoe Kou Sushi was established in 1878 to serve traditional Japanese cuisine. The restaurant is very proud of its nigiri sushi, so most set menus include a plate of colorful hand-pressed sushi.
Tucking away off the main road in Kawagoe, the noise is blocked. This means you can enjoy tasty food in a peaceful, calming ambiance with traditional Japanese music playing in the background.
In addition, Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s dining space is divided into three areas:
- The Sushi Counter (鮨カウンター): Where the sushi chef makes sushi in front of the guests.
- The 10-seater Japanese cypress counter is the origin of Kou Sushi.
- The Okuzashiki (奥座敷): The quiet Japanese-style private rooms in the area are perfect for various events, such as family dinners and celebrations.
- The rooms offer a garden view.
- Special room charges apply (10% for lunch and 15% for dinner).
- The Japanese Restaurant on the Second Floor (二階和食堂): The dining space on the second floor has Western table seats and seats on the tatami mat-covered floor at the traditional low tables.
- Sushi, mains, bento boxes, and set menus are offered at reasonable prices for what you can get.
If you are keen to try the food at Kawagoe Kou Sushi, call them at 049-224-0333 or 049-224-0332 to reserve.
Tip: Even if the restaurant is fully booked for lunch, you might still be able to dine at Kawagoe Kou Sushi after 12:30 pm or 1 pm.
The Vegan/Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Menus at Kawagoe Kou Sushi
The determination to accommodate customers with different dietary preferences is impressive. In addition to the vegan menus, it also caters to other types of vegetarian diets, such as the oriental vegetarian (allium-free). The oil used for vegan deep-fried dishes is also separated from those used for cooking meat and seafood.
While the tableware used for the vegan menu is the same as those used for the regular menu, Kawagoe Kou Sushi can serve your food in disposable tableware upon request.
Please note that all dishes are handled in the same kitchen. This means that there isn’t a set of cooking utensils dedicated to vegan dishes.
HERE is Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s menu.
Important: The vegan course, Oyasai Course (おやさいコース) and the vegan eel rice (うなぎの気持ち) need to be reserved at least two days in advance.
Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s Halal Certification
If you only eat halal-certified meat, you can dine at Kawagoe Kou Sushi. The restaurant has a set of cooking utensils dedicated to making halal dishes. While tableware is used across all menus, your food can be served in disposable tableware upon request.
Tip: There is a praying room. Please let the staff know if you need to use it.
Our Visit to Kawagoe Kou Sushi
We visited Kawagoe Kou Sushi on a Sunday during the Golden Week. Surprisingly, the restaurant wasn’t packed during our visit. Thanks to the emptiness, we were able to take photos with the low tables on the tatami mats!
While we reserved our seats, we didn’t reserve the vegan eel rice or the vegan course. Instead, we were left with the only vegan choice, the Saisai-gozen (菜彩御膳). While each dish on the tray seemed a little small, we felt satisfied by the end of the meal. Although a set cost 2,160 yen, it was worth every penny!
The vegan set consists of a bowl of soba noodles, vegetable tempura, and vegan sushi. The sushi tasted as incredible as it looked. As a person who hates eggplant, I was surprised that I didn’t dislike their eggplant sushi. The chef seasoned it very well.
The crunchy vegetable tempura was freshly fried, and salt was all we needed to enjoy it. With just one bite, we could tell that the vegetables used were fresh. For example, the delicious taste of carrot, pumpkin, and mushroom spread into our mouths as soon as we bit into them.
We were also happy with the soba noodles as there aren’t many places in Japan where buckwheat noodles are served with vegan dipping sauce!
Kawagoe Kou Sushi’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kawagoe Kou Sushi is open from Tuesday to Sunday from:
- 11:30 am to 3 pm on weekdays
- 11 am to 3:30 pm on weekends and public holidays
- 5 pm to 10 pm on weekdays
- 5 pm to 9 pm on weekends and public holidays
- The last order is taken an hour before the closing time.
- If Monday is a public holiday, it will close the next business day.
- The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from Hon-Kawagoe Station.
Other Attractions in Kawagoe
Now that you know where to go for lunch and/or dinner, it is now time to plan the rest of your time in Kawagoe!
The city’s historical area has many attractions, shops, cafes, and workshops that might interest you. You might also want to visit a couple of interesting shrines and temples and perform simple rituals that might boost your fortune!
Refer to our Guide to the Little Edo, Kawagoe, for more travel ideas!
