Does miso soup contain fish?

Usually yes. Miso soup is normally made with dashi stock, which contains bonito fish flakes.

Is sushi gluten-free?

Sushi rice and raw fish are gluten-free, but soy sauce, some rice vinegars, tempura and surimi may contain gluten.

What allergens are in a California roll?

Usually surimi (fish, sometimes crustaceans, egg and wheat), mayonnaise (egg), sesame and avocado.

Is edamame an allergen?

Yes. Edamame are young soybeans and must be declared as soy.

Is wasabi an allergen?

Wasabi is not one of the 14 EU allergens. Many 'wasabi' pastes are horseradish with mustard, so check for mustard.

Does ramen broth contain fish?

Many ramen broths contain fish or seafood ingredients such as dashi, bonito or dried sardines. Ask about the specific broth.

Is tempura safe for a shellfish allergy?

Tempura usually shares fryer oil with prawns, so it is not suitable for crustacean allergy unless fried separately.

Is soy sauce safe for wheat allergy?

Most Japanese soy sauce (shoyu) contains wheat. Tamari is often wheat-free, but check the label.

Is mochi an allergen risk?

Mochi is made from glutinous rice, which despite the name contains no gluten, but fillings and coatings may contain milk, soy (kinako) or sesame.

Japanese Food Allergens: where allergens hide and how to order safely

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

Japanese food commonly contains fish and crustaceans (sushi, sashimi, dashi stock), molluscs (squid, octopus, scallop), soy and gluten (soy sauce, miso, teriyaki), sesame (seeds and oil), egg (tamago, Japanese mayonnaise) and gluten (tempura batter, ramen, udon, panko). Dashi, made from bonito fish, is the base of many soups and sauces, including miso soup.

Allergens in Japanese cooking

Japanese cuisine uses a few foundations: dashi stock, usually made from kombu seaweed and bonito (fish) flakes; soy sauce; miso; mirin; and rice vinegar. Dashi puts fish into miso soup, noodle broths and many sauces. Soy sauce and most miso contain soy, and soy sauce usually contains wheat.

Sushi adds raw fish, shellfish and sometimes crab sticks (surimi), plus sesame seeds and spicy mayonnaise in many rolls.

Common Japanese dishes and their usual allergens

Recipes vary between kitchens, so treat this as a guide to where to look, not a substitute for each restaurant's own allergen record.

Typical allergens in common Japanese dishes
Dish	Usual allergens	Watch for
Nigiri and sashimi	Fish, crustaceans, molluscs	Soy sauce on the side
California roll	Crustaceans or fish (surimi), egg, sesame	Mayonnaise, sesame seeds
Miso soup	Soy, fish	Dashi from bonito; miso may contain barley
Tempura	Gluten, egg, crustaceans	Batter; shared fryer
Ramen	Gluten, soy, egg, fish, sesame	Wheat noodles, broth, egg
Teriyaki	Soy, gluten	Soy sauce, mirin
Tamagoyaki	Egg, soy, fish	Dashi and soy sauce
Gyoza	Gluten, soy, sesame	Wheat wrappers
Edamame	Soy	Soybeans

Japanese allergen hot spots

Sushi counters handle raw fish, shellfish and sesame on the same boards and with the same knives. Tempura fryers carry crustaceans and gluten.

Dashi in soups, sauces and egg dishes.
Surimi (crab sticks) contains fish and may contain crustacean extract, egg and wheat.
Some miso is made with barley or wheat.
Sesame seeds sprinkled on many rolls.

Saying it in Japanese

Japan has its own allergen labelling system for packaged food, and allergy cards in Japanese are useful. These phrases help:

'… arerugī ga arimasu' – I have a … allergy
sakana (fish), ebi (shrimp), kani (crab), kai (shellfish)
tamago (egg), gyūnyū (milk), komugi (wheat), soba (buckwheat)
goma (sesame), daizu (soy), pīnattsu (peanuts), kurumi (walnut)

Buckwheat and soba

Buckwheat is a serious allergen in Japan and is one of the allergens Japanese law requires on packaged food labels, although it is not one of the EU's 14. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, often mixed with wheat. Soba restaurants may cook all noodles in the same water, and buckwheat flour can be airborne. Guests with buckwheat allergy should avoid soba and ask about cooking water for other noodles.

Sushi without fish

Guests with fish allergies can sometimes eat vegetable sushi such as cucumber (kappa maki), avocado or pickled radish rolls, but cross-contact at the sushi counter is high and soy sauce and rice seasoning may include dashi or fish-based ingredients in some kitchens. Ask for rolls made on a cleaned board with clean knives and plain soy sauce.

For the kitchen

List dashi, sauces and mayonnaise as components with their allergens. Record surimi's full allergens from its label. Offer tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce on request. Clean boards and knives before preparing allergy orders at the sushi counter.

Keep sauces such as spicy mayonnaise, eel sauce and ponzu as components with their own allergens, and list the toppings used on each roll. Many rolls are finished with sesame seeds or tempura flakes by habit; make sure allergy orders are finished without them.

For guests with allergies

Ask whether soups and sauces use dashi, what is in crab rolls, whether gluten-free soy sauce is available and whether tempura shares a fryer. Guests with fish allergies should be aware that dashi is widespread.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.