At Ride Experience, we specialize in introducing the rich culture of Japan’s countryside through immersive cycling tours. Naturally, meals are a key part of our journeys, offering not just nourishment but a deeper connection to Japanese traditions.
Japanese cuisine is celebrated for its exceptional quality, with rural regions showcasing some of the freshest ingredients and most distinctive culinary traditions. These locally sourced delicacies, prepared using time-honored techniques, make the countryside an unparalleled destination for unique dining experiences.
Understanding the foundations of Japanese cuisine before your trip can help set expectations, as some ingredients and preparation methods may be unfamiliar. Essential elements like dashi (broth) and shoyu (soy sauce) are deeply embedded in most dishes, which may present challenges for certain dietary preferences.
The Foundations of Japanese Cuisine
Dashi: The Essence of Umami
Dashi is the base of many Japanese dishes, from miso soup and simmered vegetables to dashimaki omelettes and okonomiyaki. It provides much of the umami—the savory depth—that defines Japanese cuisine. Traditional dashi is made by simmering konbu (giant kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) in water. It may sometimes contain shellfish extract as well. While powdered versions are common in home cooking, fine restaurants prepare fresh dashi daily, with top chefs making a new batch for each dish.
Shoyu and Miso: Essential Seasonings
Among Japan’s most fundamental seasonings, shoyu (soy sauce) and miso add depth and complexity to countless dishes. Both are made through fermentation, a process that enhances their flavors, but it’s important to note their potential gluten content for those with dietary needs.
Shoyu (Soy Sauce): Traditionally brewed from soybeans, wheat, salt, and koji mold, shoyu develops its signature rich color and umami taste over months of fermentation. Since wheat is a key ingredient, general soy sauces contain gluten.
Miso (Fermented Soybean Paste): Made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji, miso is often mixed with rice or barley, which influence its flavor and texture. While many traditional miso varieties, such as mugi miso (barley miso), contain gluten, most other types of miso are naturally gluten-free.
As these ingredients are commonly used in Japanese cuisine, understanding their presence in meals can help set expectations, particularly for those with dietary needs.
Dietary Considerations
While Japanese cuisine offers a diverse range of flavors, certain ingredients are deeply ingrained in traditional cooking, making modifications challenging. Please inform us of any dietary needs before or at the time of booking so we can check whether they can be accommodated.
Vegetarian Diets
Vegetarianism is not widely practiced in Japan, and dashi—often made with fish—is a fundamental ingredient in many dishes. While we strive to accommodate requests, strictly vegetarian meals cannot always be guaranteed.
Gluten-Free Diets
Gluten is present in certain Japanese staples, particularly shoyu (soy sauce) and some traditional miso varieties, like mugi miso (barley miso). While it’s possible to avoid obvious sources of gluten, such as bread and noodles, ensuring completely gluten-free meals can be difficult.
Shellfish and Crustacean Allergies
Japanese cuisine features a wide variety of seafood, and shellfish (including crustaceans) are commonly used in many dishes. Dashi, a fundamental ingredient in Japanese cooking, may sometimes contain shellfish extract. Please be aware of the potential invisible presence of shellfish in meals.
Cross-Contamination
As Japanese kitchens are often compact, there is always a risk of cross-contamination. If you have severe allergies, this could pose a significant challenge. Please consider this when planning your trip.
A Note on Challenges
Please note that informing Ride Experience of your dietary requirements does not guarantee that your meals will fully meet your personal needs. We understand that this can be challenging, especially for those with strict dietary needs.
While we will do our utmost to accommodate dietary requests, neither Ride Experience, your tour leader, nor the accommodation providers can guarantee the exact ingredients of any dish.
On some tours, meals may be served buffet-style. In such cases, we recommend checking ingredient labels when available or asking hotel staff for assistance in identifying suitable options.
Allergen labelling on Packaged food
Understanding Japan’s food labeling rules can be helpful during your travels. By law, packaged food must clearly label specific allergens, including shrimp, crab, walnut, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk, and peanut. However, in restaurants, allergen information is not always displayed, so it is best to check directly with the staff.
For more details, refer to the Consumer Affairs Agency guidelines. They also provide an Allergy Communication Sheet, which may help when dining out in Japan: