Allergies in Japan: Food Allergies, Hay Fever & Medicine Guide for Tourists

Japan is an extraordinary travel destination — but it presents real challenges for anyone managing food allergies or seasonal allergies. Japanese cuisine relies heavily on ingredients that are major allergens in many people: soy, sesame, shellfish, fish, eggs, and wheat are fundamental building blocks of countless dishes. Meanwhile, Japan's cedar and cypress pollen season affects tens of millions of people each spring, and the pollen counts in many regions can be severe.

With the right preparation, however, allergy management in Japan is very achievable. This guide covers everything you need to know: how to communicate your food allergies in Japanese, how Japanese allergen labeling works, what the hay fever calendar looks like, and which medicines — OTC and prescription — are available and effective.

Food Allergies in Japan

Japan's Designated Allergen System

Japan's food safety regulations require mandatory allergen labeling for eight major allergens. These are referred to as 特定原材料 (*tokutei genzairyō*), or "specified raw materials."

The eight mandatory allergens in Japan are:

In addition to these eight mandatory allergens, Japan has a second tier of 20 recommended-label allergens (特定原材料に準ずるもの) that manufacturers are encouraged (but not legally required) to declare. These include:

Abalone, squid, salmon roe, orange, cashew nut, kiwi, beef, sesame, salmon, mackerel, soybean, chicken, banana, pork, matsutake mushroom, peach, yam, apple, gelatin, almond

Critical caveat: The "recommended" category means these allergens may not be labeled even when present. Sesame and soy in particular — now mandatory allergens in many Western countries — are only "recommended" in Japan. If you have a severe sesame or soy allergy, communicate this directly in Japanese and do not rely on label absence as confirmation of safety.

Reading Japanese Allergen Labels on Packaged Foods

Japanese packaged foods list allergens in a standardized way. Look for the word アレルギー物質 (*arerugii busshitsu*, "allergenic substances") or the section heading 含む ("contains") or アレルゲン ("allergen").

The allergen listing typically appears at the end of the ingredients list in parentheses, or in a separate row in a product information table.

Example label text you might see:

> 原材料名：しょうゆ（小麦・大豆を含む）、砂糖、食塩

> Ingredients: Soy sauce (contains wheat and soy), sugar, salt

> アレルギー物質：卵、乳、小麦、えび

> Allergens: Egg, milk, wheat, shrimp

When in doubt at a restaurant or food stall — especially for unlabeled items like market foods, street food, or restaurant dishes — verbal communication supported by an allergy card is essential.

Japanese Food Allergy Communication Cards

The most effective tool for communicating food allergies in Japan is a laminated card in Japanese that you can hand to restaurant staff. Staff can then show it to the kitchen and confirm whether your allergen is present.

Below are template sentences you can use to create your own allergy card. Print, laminate, and carry with you.

Template — General Introduction (print this on every card):

> 私は食物アレルギーがあります。以下の食材が入っている料理は食べられません。命に関わることがあります。ご確認をお願いします。

>

> *I have food allergies. I cannot eat dishes containing the following ingredients. This may be life-threatening. Please confirm.*

Peanut Allergy:

> 落花生（ピーナッツ）アレルギーがあります。落花生・ピーナッツ・ピーナッツオイルが入っているものは食べられません。

Shellfish Allergy (shrimp, crab, lobster):

> えび・かに・ロブスターのアレルギーがあります。これらの甲殻類が入っているものは食べられません。

Tree Nut Allergy:

> 木の実（ナッツ類）のアレルギーがあります。くるみ・カシューナッツ・アーモンド・ピスタチオなどが入っているものは食べられません。

Egg Allergy:

> 卵アレルギーがあります。卵・卵白・卵黄が入っているものは食べられません。

Dairy / Milk Allergy:

> 乳製品アレルギーがあります。牛乳・バター・チーズ・生クリームが入っているものは食べられません。

Wheat / Gluten Allergy:

> 小麦アレルギーがあります。小麦粉・小麦が入っているものは食べられません。パン・うどん・ラーメン・天ぷらの衣にも注意が必要です。

Soy Allergy (important — soy is everywhere in Japanese cooking):

> 大豆アレルギーがあります。大豆・豆腐・味噌・醤油・納豆・豆乳が入っているものは食べられません。※醤油にも大豆が含まれています。

Sesame Allergy:

> ごま（セサミ）アレルギーがあります。ごま・ごま油が入っているものは食べられません。

Fish Allergy:

> 魚アレルギーがあります。すべての魚・魚介類が入っているものは食べられません。かつおだしにも注意が必要です。

Practical tips for using your allergy card:

1. Show the card before ordering, not after. Hand it directly to the server and ask them to check with the kitchen (*chotto kakunin shite moraemasu ka* — ちょっと確認してもらえますか).
1. Even with a card, cross-contamination risk at shared-kitchen restaurants is real. For severe anaphylaxis risk, choose restaurants with simpler menus or international cuisines that have allergy management protocols.
1. Convenience stores and supermarkets with packaged goods are generally safer — the mandatory label system applies to packaged foods.
1. International hotel restaurants and Western chains typically have allergen menus.

Major Allergen Risk Points in Japanese Cuisine

Soba buckwheat noodles require particular attention for guests with severe buckwheat allergies. In Japan, buckwheat allergy (*soba arerugii*, そばアレルギー) is recognized as a potentially severe allergen. Cross-contamination is also a concern at establishments that serve both udon (wheat) and soba — the water, utensils, and surfaces may be shared.

Hay Fever (花粉症 — Kafunshō) in Japan

What Is Kafunshō?

Hay fever (*kafunshō*, 花粉症) is one of the most prevalent seasonal health conditions in Japan, affecting an estimated 30–40% of the population. The dominant cause is Japanese cedar (*sugi*, スギ) pollen — a uniquely Japanese phenomenon tied to the mass reforestation of cedar trees following World War II.

If you have never experienced hay fever before traveling to Japan, you can still develop symptoms upon exposure to Japan's unusually high cedar pollen concentrations. Conversely, people with grass or tree pollen allergies from home frequently find Japan's cedar pollen extremely reactive.

Hay Fever Season Calendar

If you are visiting Japan in February, March, or April, especially in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or central Honshu, be prepared for significant cedar or cypress pollen. Check daily pollen forecasts on weather apps and the Japan Weather Association's pollen index before outdoor activities.

Hay Fever Symptoms and Prevention

Kafunshō symptoms in Japan tend to be more severe than what many visitors experience with milder seasonal allergies at home, simply because Japanese cedar pollen counts can be extremely high during peak season.

Symptoms include:

• Intense sneezing, often in prolonged bouts
• Heavy nasal discharge and congestion
• Eye irritation, redness, and watering (*kafun-sei kōnen*, 花粉性結膜炎, pollen conjunctivitis)
• Itching of the throat and ears
• Fatigue and mild headache in severe cases

Prevention measures:

• Wear a mask on high-pollen days (standard masks reduce pollen inhalation significantly)
• Wear wrap-around glasses or goggles on high-pollen days for eye protection
• Check daily pollen forecasts and limit outdoor time on high-count days
• Shower and change clothes after outdoor activities to reduce indoor pollen exposure
• Keep windows closed on high-pollen days
• Use air purifiers with HEPA filters if available

Allergy Medicine in Japan

OTC Antihistamines

Japan has an excellent range of OTC antihistamines available at drugstores. Many of the same active ingredients found in Western allergy medicines are available here, often at competitive prices.