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To explain a vegetarian or vegan boundary, state what you do not eat and ask about hidden ingredients: 肉と魚を食べません (“I do not eat meat or fish”) and だしに魚を使っていますか (“Is fish used in the broth?”). Then act on yes, no, or uncertainty. The labels vegetarian and vegan do not guarantee the same ingredients or preparation in every restaurant.
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Ask about broth, not only visible meat
Leo sees no meat pieces in a vegetable noodle dish and assumes it meets Maya's restriction.
Leo野菜だけです。
It is only vegetables.
Maya asks staff about broth and sauce before ordering.
Mayaだしに魚を使っていますか。
Is fish used in the broth?
The staff member explains that the broth contains fish and cannot be substituted.
Staff魚のだしです。変更できません。
It is fish broth. We cannot change it.
Maya declines the dish and chooses only after another item is confirmed.
Mayaでは、これは注文しません。
Then I will not order this.
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State the dietary boundary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
肉と魚を食べません | niku to sakana o tabemasen | I do not eat meat or fish | A broad vegetarian boundary |
動物性の食品を食べません | dōbutsusei no shokuhin o tabemasen | I do not eat animal-derived foods | Add concrete examples |
卵と乳製品も食べません | tamago to nyūseihin mo tabemasen | I also do not eat eggs or dairy | Clarify a vegan boundary |
これは好みではなく、食事制限です | kore wa konomi dewa naku, shokuji seigen desu | This is a dietary restriction, not a preference | Clarify importance without claiming an allergy |
If the restriction is an allergy, say so explicitly and use the food-allergy lesson. Preference, religious restriction, vegan practice, and allergy require different risk conversations.
Ask about hidden animal ingredients
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
だしに魚を使っていますか | dashi ni sakana o tsukatte imasu ka | Is fish used in the broth? | Check dashi |
スープに肉が入っていますか | sūpu ni niku ga haitte imasu ka | Does the soup contain meat? | Ask about the base |
ソースに卵や乳製品は入っていますか | sōsu ni tamago ya nyūseihin wa haitte imasu ka | Does the sauce contain egg or dairy? | Check condiments |
調味料も確認してください | chōmiryō mo kakunin shite kudasai | Please check the seasonings too | Ask staff to verify |
Understand certainty and substitutions
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
入っています | haitte imasu | It is included | Do not order if it violates the boundary |
入っていません | haitte imasen | It is not included | Continue other relevant checks |
分かりません | wakarimasen | We do not know | Uncertainty is not confirmation |
変更できません | henkō dekimasen | It cannot be changed | Choose another item or decline |
Ask 確認していただけますか once when staff can check a label or kitchen record. Do not pressure someone to guess.
Convert the answer into an order decision
Build a small decision chain: ingredient confirmed absent, preparation boundary acceptable, then order; ingredient present, decline; staff uncertain, choose a separately verified item or do not order. A polite 大丈夫です can be ambiguous, so repeat the fact: 魚のだしは入っていない、ということですか (“Do you mean fish broth is not included?”).
Do not ask staff to call a dish “vegan” if they can more reliably confirm individual ingredients. Conversely, a packaged certification or ingredient list still may not answer restaurant cross-contact. Use the evidence that matches your personal boundary.
Ask about shared preparation when it matters
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
同じ油で揚げていますか | onaji abura de agete imasu ka | Is it fried in the same oil? | Ask about shared frying |
同じ調理器具を使いますか | onaji chōri kigu o tsukaimasu ka | Do you use the same utensils? | Ask about shared equipment |
別に作ることはできますか | betsu ni tsukuru koto wa dekimasu ka | Can it be prepared separately? | Ask; accept no or uncertainty |
確認できない場合は注文しません | kakunin dekinai baai wa chūmon shimasen | If it cannot be confirmed, I will not order | A clear safe exit |
Treat allergy-level risk more strictly than a diet label
Restaurant labels and staff knowledge vary. For allergy-level risk, use explicit allergy language, ingredient evidence, and professional guidance; “vegan” or “vegetarian” alone is not a safety guarantee. The Consumer Affairs Agency food-labeling page provides an English Food Allergy Communication Sheet, but restaurant and cross-contact questions still require a direct safety conversation. Source boundary last checked: August 11, 2026.
Order only after the ingredient answer is clear
- State concrete foods, not only a label.
- Check broth, sauce, seasoning, and preparation.
- Treat unknown as unknown.
- Decline clearly when the boundary cannot be confirmed.
Separate dietary preference from allergy communication
Use the allergy lesson when trace exposure or cross-contact can create medical risk; vegetarian or vegan labels alone are not a substitute. Then practice carrying the confirmed answer into an actual restaurant order.
Street Check · 1–3 minutes
Try the real-world task
Choose or decline one dish after checking its ingredients.
Ready means:
- I can state my dietary boundary.
- I can ask about meat, fish, broth, or other relevant ingredients.
- I can respond safely to yes, no, or uncertainty.
Build the route
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