Complete Allergen Guide to Japan's Chain Restaurants (2026)

Quick Answer: How to Check Allergens at Japanese Chain Restaurants

Yes, Japan's major chain restaurants publish official allergen information for every menu item. Under the Food Labeling Act (食品表示法), restaurants must disclose the 8 mandatory allergens (特定原材料): egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, and walnut. Many chains voluntarily disclose all 28 regulated allergens, which also include soy, sesame, beef, pork, chicken, salmon, mackerel, squid, abalone, salmon roe, orange, kiwi, banana, peach, apple, yam, matsutake mushroom, cashew, almond, and gelatin. This guide lists every chain restaurant in our database, what allergens they disclose, and the direct links to their official allergen pages — so you can verify before you dine.

Japan's 28-Allergen System Explained

Japan's allergen labeling system is one of the most comprehensive in the world — far more detailed than the US (9 major allergens), EU (14), or Australia (10). It is administered by the Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁) and divides allergens into two tiers:

**8 Mandatory Allergens (特定原材料)** — must be disclosed by law: Egg (卵), Milk (乳), Wheat (小麦), Buckwheat (そば), Peanut (落花生), Shrimp (えび), Crab (かに), Walnut (くるみ — added 2025).

**20 Recommended Allergens (特定原材料に準ずるもの)** — voluntary but commonly disclosed by major chains: Abalone (あわび), Squid (いか), Salmon Roe (いくら), Orange (オレンジ), Cashew (カシューナッツ), Kiwi (キウイ), Beef (牛肉), Sesame (ごま), Salmon (さけ), Mackerel (さば), Soy (大豆), Chicken (鶏肉), Banana (バナナ), Pork (豚肉), Matsutake (まつたけ), Peach (もも), Yam (やまいも), Apple (りんご), Gelatin (ゼラチン), Almond (アーモンド).

McDonald's Japan (マクドナルド) — Full 28-Allergen Coverage

McDonald's Japan publishes allergen data for all 28 regulated allergens across their entire menu. This is the gold standard for allergy-conscious diners — you can check every dish against every allergen before ordering.

**Category:** Fast Food **Allergens Published:** All 28 (8 mandatory + 20 recommended) **Data Last Verified:** March 2025 **Official Allergen Page:** mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/allergy_info/

**Sample Menu Items and Key Allergens:**

• Big Mac (ビッグマック) — Contains: egg, milk, wheat, beef, sesame, soy. Free of: buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut, all 20 recommended allergens except beef/sesame/soy.
• Filet-O-Fish (フィレオフィッシュ) — Contains: egg, milk, wheat. Free of: buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut, beef, sesame (confirmed by McDonald's).
• French Fries (フライドポテト) — Contains: beef. Free of: egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut. Note: cooked in shared oil, but officially listed as containing only beef flavoring.

Yoshinoya (吉野家) — Full 28-Allergen Coverage

Yoshinoya, Japan's iconic beef bowl chain, also publishes complete 28-allergen data. With over 1,200 locations nationwide, it's one of the most accessible restaurants for tourists.

**Category:** Japanese (Beef Bowl) **Allergens Published:** All 28 (8 mandatory + 20 recommended) **Data Last Verified:** February 2025 **Official Allergen Page:** yoshinoya.com/service/allergy/

**Sample Menu Items and Key Allergens:**

• Beef Bowl — Gyudon Regular (牛丼 並盛) — Contains: egg, milk, wheat, beef, soy, pork, apple. Free of: buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut, and most other allergens.
• Miso Soup (味噌汁) — Contains: soy. Free of: egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut. Soy is the only allergen present (from miso paste).

CoCo Ichibanya / CoCo壱番屋 — 8 Mandatory Allergens Only

CoCo Ichibanya, Japan's largest curry chain, publishes allergen data for only the 8 mandatory allergens. This means the status of soy, sesame, beef, pork, chicken, and 15 other recommended allergens is UNKNOWN for their dishes.

**Category:** Curry **Allergens Published:** 8 mandatory only **Data Last Verified:** January 2025 **Official Allergen Page:** ichibanya.co.jp/allergy/

**Sample Menu Items and Key Allergens (8 mandatory only):**

• Pork Curry (ポークカレー) — Contains: milk, wheat. Free of: egg, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut. WARNING: Soy, pork, chicken, and other recommended allergens are NOT listed — status unknown.
• Chicken Cutlet Curry (チキンカツカレー) — Contains: egg, milk, wheat. Free of: buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut. WARNING: Same limitation — 20 recommended allergens are unpublished.

How to Read a Japanese Restaurant Allergen Chart

Most chain restaurants in Japan display their allergen information in a standardized grid format (アレルギー一覧表). Here is how to interpret these charts:

• ○ (circle) or ● (filled circle) = allergen IS PRESENT in this dish — do not eat if allergic
• × (cross) or blank cell = allergen is NOT present (confirmed absent by the restaurant)
• △ (triangle) = allergen MAY be present due to shared cooking equipment or facilities (cross-contamination risk)
• — (dash) or gray cell = allergen status is NOT PUBLISHED by this restaurant — treat as unknown, not safe
• Charts are usually organized with dishes as rows and allergens as columns
• The 8 mandatory allergens are always listed first (left side), followed by recommended allergens
• Some chains provide downloadable PDF versions — useful for showing staff if you cannot read the online version

What to Do When a Restaurant Isn't in Our Database

Our database covers Japan's most popular chains, but there are thousands of restaurants in Japan. Here is what to do when eating at a restaurant not listed here:

• Ask for the allergen chart: "アレルギー表はありますか？" (Arerugi-hyou wa arimasu ka?) — Do you have an allergen chart?
• Use the TravelSafe Japan Allergy Card — generate a free bilingual card at travelsafejapan.com listing your allergens in Japanese. Show this to the staff before ordering.
• Use the Photo Scanner — take a photo of any Japanese food label, menu description, or ingredient list. The scanner identifies all 28 allergens instantly.
• Check the restaurant's official website — most Japanese chain restaurants publish allergen PDFs. Search for "[restaurant name] アレルギー" in Japanese.
• At izakayas and independent restaurants, allergen charts are less common. The safest approach is the allergy card + verbal confirmation with staff.
• Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) label all packaged food with allergen information on the packaging — use the photo scanner to decode these labels.

Official Allergen Data Sources — Direct Links

Every piece of allergen data in our database comes from the restaurant's official website. Here are the direct links so you can verify and check for seasonal menu updates:

• McDonald's Japan — mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/allergy_info/ — Full 28-allergen chart, updated seasonally
• Yoshinoya — yoshinoya.com/service/allergy/ — Full 28-allergen chart, includes seasonal items
• CoCo Ichibanya — ichibanya.co.jp/allergy/ — 8 mandatory allergens only
• Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁) — caa.go.jp — Official source for Japan's allergen labeling regulations