If you are planning to visit or live in Japan, are currently in Japan, or recently bought or received a food item from Japan, and have a lot of food allergies, the table below might help you. Please note that it is not a comprehensive list, but a table of some of the most common allergy-inducing food or ingredients. When in doubt, try to consult an English-speaking staff, or don't consume/buy the product unless you are sure. Also, if you have a smartphone, try downloading Japanese translator apps such as ImiWa?, and apps that can help you read Japanese characters (Kanji) by using the camera on your device to detect characters.
Note: As a general rule, the Japanese writing system uses Hiragana characters for native Japanese words, and Katakana characters for borrowed words. However, after living in Japan, I learned that they now sometimes write native words in Katakana, which were originally written in Hiragana, in posters, ads, etc. to provide emphasis. I heard that it's their version of italicized words. That being said, some words below are written in their Hiragana and Katakana versions. The Katakana version is (parenthesized).
It is also important to look at terms such extract, read as ekisu - えきす ( エキス), and phrases that indicate that the item in question has been made with the same equipment used to create other products having certain ingredients or allergens. Look for keywords such as 原料 (raw materials), 同じ (same), 設備 (equipment), 作られています (was made). Again, this is not a comprehensive list of what the product label might indicate.
当製品は、
For example:
当製品は、ピーナツ を原料にした製品と同じ設備で作られています。
rough translation: This product was made with/in the same equipment/facility where peanuts were used as a raw material.
It might also be convenient to learn how to know how to ask shops or restaurants regarding ingredients, or to tell them that you have food allergies (アレルギー). "アレルギー" is read in the same way as in English.
| Japanese | Reading | English | Remarks |
| あわび (アワビ) | "awabi" | abalone | The kanji for awabi is 鰒, which is the same kanji for fugu, or pufferfish. Both are potentially dangerous, so please be careful. Abalone is a group of edible mollusks. |
| りんご (リンゴ) | "ringo" | apple | |
| バナナ | "banana" | banana | |
| そば (ソバ) | "soba" | buckwheat | buckwheat or soba noodles are a staple food in Japan |
| かに (カニ) | "kani" | crab | |
| 卵 or たまご (タマゴ) | "tamago" | egg | |
| いくら (イクラ) | "ikura" | fish eggs or fish roe | usually refers to salmon roe |
| ゼラチン | "zerachin" | gelatin | |
| キウイフルーツ | "ki-u-i fu-ru-tsu" | kiwi | |
| さば (サバ) | "saba" | mackerel | |
| 松茸 or まつたけ (マツタケ) | "matsutake" | matsutake mushroom | |
| 乳 or ぎゅうにゅう (ギュウニュウ) | "gyuunyuu" | milk | |
| オレンジ | "orenji" | orange | |
| 落花生 or らっかせい (ラッカセイ), ピーナッツ | "rakkasei", "pi-na-tsu" | peanut | "rakkasei" may also refer to tree nuts; ピーナッツ is more commonly seen on labels, but please be aware of both |
| 米 or こめ (コメ) | "kome" or sometimes, "okome" (honorific term) | rice | |
| さけ (サケ) | "sake" | salmon | not to be confused with "sake", which is Japanese for rice wine |
| えび (エビ) | "ebi" | shrimp | |
| 大豆 or だいず (ダイズ) | "daizu" | soy bean | |
| 烏賊 or いか (イカ) | "ika" | squid | The kanji for ika is 烏賊, which is the same for cuttlefish. |
| 桃 or もも (モモ) | "momo" | peach | |
| くるみ (クルミ) | "kurumi" | walnut | |
| 小麦 or こむぎ (コムギ) | "komugi" | wheat | |
| やまいも (ヤマイモ) | "yama imo" | yam |
| Japanese | Reading | English | Remarks |
| 亜硫酸塩 or ありゅうさん塩 (アリュウサン塩) | "Aryuusan shio" | Sulfite | Sulfite is commonly used in preserved fruit |
| グルタミン酸ナトリウム | "gurutamin san natoriumu" | Monosodium glutamate (MSG) | (glutamine acid sodium) |
| 遺伝子組変えでないもの | "idenshi kumikae denai" | Not genetically modified product | もの - thing, product |
| デキストリン | "dekisutorin" | Dextrin | Written in Katakana, pronounced as the same in English |
| たん白加水分解 | "tanshiro kasuibunkai" | protein hydrolizate | |
| カテキン | "katekin" | catechin | Written in Katakana, pronounced as the same in English |
| 鰹エキス or かつおエキス(カツオエキス) | "porifeno-ru" | polyphenol | Written in Katakana, pronounced as the same in English |
