[kimberlina81]

As a true vegetarian (no animal meat, fats etc), my husband found it quite difficult in Japan. We tried to talk to them (in Japanese) no meat, no fish etc, etc, but they didn't get it. A 'vegetarian' tenpura came out with chunks of fish in it, not to mention all the bonito dashi that gets used all over the place.

I am a pescetarian (no meat but eat seafood, mostly health reasons but moving slowly towards vegatarian for environmental as well) so I had no troubles at all.

A vegan eating out would probably have a few issues, I think. Vegetarianism seems a foreign concept, I couldn't imagine explaining that you also don't eat butter, milk, eggs etc.

We found the areas surrounding the shrines to be more vegetarian friendly.

Buying food is super easy in Japan so cooking meals for yourself would be fine as long as your homestay family were ok with that. You'd need to explain yourself fully because there is still a stigma in western countries so I think it would seem quite odd and even inconsiderate to not just eat what everyone else eats without being explained.