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Essential Japanese Phrases for Food Allergies

The exact phrases to say at restaurants, convenience stores, and markets in Japan when you have food allergies — with pronunciation guides.

⏱ 5 min read·March 5, 2025

Before You Enter

Japan's restaurant staff are generally very accommodating about allergies — but only if you can communicate clearly. The language barrier is real: most restaurant staff speak limited English, especially outside Tokyo. Memorizing even a few key phrases dramatically improves your safety.

The Most Important Phrase

Start with this when you sit down:

〇〇アレルギーがあります。
[allergen]-allergy ga arimasu.
“I have a [allergen] allergy.”
💡 Replace 〇〇 with your allergen: ピーナッツ (peanuts), えび (shrimp), 小麦 (wheat), 乳 (milk), 卵 (egg), そば (soba/buckwheat), etc.

Asking About Ingredients

この料理に〇〇は入っていますか？
Kono ryouri ni [allergen] wa haitte imasu ka?
“Does this dish contain [allergen]?”
〇〇を使わないで作ってもらえますか？
[Allergen] wo tsukawanaide tsukutte moraemasu ka?
“Can you make it without [allergen]?”
メニューを見せてください。
Menyu wo misete kudasai.
“Please show me the menu.”

If You're Unsure About a Dish

アレルギーがあるので、原材料を確認してもらえますか？
Allergy ga aru node, gen-zairyou wo kakunin shite moraemasu ka?
“I have allergies — can you check the ingredients for me?”
すみません、これは食べられません。
Sumimasen, kore wa taberaremasen.
“Excuse me, I cannot eat this.”

Emergency Phrases

If you accidentally eat something you're allergic to:

アレルギー反応が出ています。救急車を呼んでください。
Allergy hannou ga dete imasu. Kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai.
“I'm having an allergic reaction. Please call an ambulance.”
119番に電話してください。
119-ban ni denwa shite kudasai.
“Please call 119 (Japan emergency number).”

Allergy Card: The Best Tool

Instead of memorizing phrases in a stressful moment, use the TravelSafe Japan Allergy Card generator. Enter your allergies, and it creates a printable card in Japanese (and other languages) that you can simply hand to staff. It lists your allergens clearly, in Japanese, with a polite explanation. Much more reliable than trying to speak under pressure.

Quick Reference: Common Allergens in Japanese

  • Peanuts — ピーナッツ / 落花生 (rakkasei)
  • Shrimp — えび (ebi)
  • Crab — かに (kani)
  • Wheat / Gluten — 小麦 (komugi)
  • Milk / Dairy — 乳 (chichi) / 牛乳 (gyuunyu)
  • Eggs — 卵 (tamago)
  • Soba / Buckwheat — そば (soba)
  • Tree nuts — ナッツ類 (nattsu-rui)
  • Soy — 大豆 (daizu)
  • Fish — 魚 (sakana)
  • Sesame — ごま (goma)
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