Let’s not kid ourselves, ice cream is excellent no matter what season! But, it’s extra special in Tokyo’s hot summers when you want something that’s both going to keep you cool and be a nice sweet treat. Whilst I enjoy kakigori (shaved ice with syrup) the options are expanding when it comes to plant-based vegan ice cream in Tokyo.
From creamy soft serve to multiple flavours of plant-based gelato and refreshing fruity ice lollies you can pick up from any convenience stores, the choices don’t disappoint when you have a craving for vegan ice cream in the city.
So, if you’ve thought “Where can I get vegan ice cream in Tokyo?” keep reading to find some of the dairy-free, animal-free vegan ice creams and frozen treats to enjoy in Japan’s capital!
1. TUTTO
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Almond milk
TUTTO is a vegan gelato store in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, making unique flavours of gelato, using seasonal fruit and herbs to make flavours such as “lavender blueberry” and “Italian salt”- single flavour for ¥550, ¥770 for a double.
They also do vegan crepes and have a great selection of drinks (which you will need to order if you want to eat in, have a look at their menu!)
Location: TUTTO Kiyosumi Shirakawa (map)
Nearest Station: 8 min walk from Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 – 18:00
2. Premaché Gelateria
V / V.O: Vegan Option
Made from: Plant-based milk
Premaché Gelateria is a gelato shop with vegan options and plant-based mochi waffle cones made from rice! I first discovered them at the Vegan Gourmet Festival in Tokyo where I tried the yummy ice cream for the first time.
You can try their creamy and unique vegan gelato flavours like “roasted brown rice caramel” and “Uji matcha & ume” but if you’d rather have something refreshing go for the sorbet. Just be careful as not all sorbet flavours are vegan-friendly as they contain honey. A single scoop starts at ¥600.
Location: Tokyo Nakameguro Station (map)
Nearest Station: 1 min walk from Nakameguro Station
Open: Monday to Sunday 12:00 – 20:00 (Closed Thursday)
3. Coconut Glen’s
V / V.O: 100% Vegan
Made from: Coconut milk
Coconut Glen’s makes coconut ice cream that’s vegan, natural and organic. They have three stores in Tokyo making delicious ice creams without the use of dairy, white sugar or eggs. You can get a scoop for ¥540 or three for ¥756.
There’s a range of flavours from original coconut ice cream, and ginger lemongrass to coffee toffee. They also sell vegan busse sandwiches and vegan cookie sandwiches for those who want more than ice cream.
Location: Azabujuban (map), Ikebukuro (map), Asakusa (map)
Open: dependent on each store
4. Ballon
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Soymilk
A fully vegan cafe in Nakameguro known for its delicious falafel sandwiches and soft-serve vegan ice cream. Their soft serve is made from soymilk and allergen free as only agave powder, amazake, canola oil, hemp fruit, vanilla beans and a pinch of salt are used.
Enjoy the ice cream on its own (¥550) or choose from their 4 store-made toppings and 7 sauces to add on top.
Location: Nakameguro (map)
Nearest station: 5 min walk from Nakameguro Station
Open: Monday to Friday 11:30-17:30, Sat & Sun 10:00-17:30 (have a look at their Instagram for irregular closing times)
5. IKEA
V / V.O: Vegan Option
Made from: Plant-based products
IKEA probably isn’t the first place you think about when you’re craving ice cream, however, the three stores in Tokyo offer a few plant-based foods including a ¥50 (£0.27/ $0.34) ice cream!
I first spotted it when I was walking by the Shibuya store and couldn’t believe my eyes. ¥50 and vegan? Yes, please! The flavours often change but so far I’ve tried kiwi and strawberry-flavoured plant-based ice cream from IKEA. It’s more of a refreshing sorbet but equally delicious!
Location: Shinjuku (map), Harajuku (map), Shibuya (map)
Open: dependent on each store
6. Harlow Ice Cream
V / V.O: Vegan Options
Made from: Plant-based milk
Harlow is a trendy ice cream shop that makes all its products by hand, in-store and in small batches using natural sweeteners. You can get a scoop for ¥550 or two for ¥830.
They have around 4 dairy-free vegan ice cream flavours such as “coconut soy maple cookie” and “mix berry” and they also offer a vegan cone for an extra ¥50.
Location: Shibuya (map)
Nearest station: 15 min walk from Shibuya Station
Open: 12:00 -18:00 (closed Tuesday and Friday)
7. Gelateria Sincerita
V / V.O: Vegan Options
Made from: Fresh fruit
Creating gelato using fruits grown by farmers around Japan, Gelateria uses seasonal fruit to create their flavours. There are only a few vegan-friendly gelato flavours in their store so just double-check with the staff.
Location: Asagaya (map)
Nearest station: 7 min walk from Asagaya Station
Open: Monday to Sunday 11:00 – 21:00
8. Kippy’s Coco-cream
V / V.O: Vegan Options
Made from: Coconuts
At Kippy’s, they make dairy, sugar and gluten-free ice cream from USDA-certified organic coconuts. They pride themselves on making healthy desserts using five or fewer ingredients.
Instead of sugar, they use plant-based sweeteners such as dates . The vegan flavours are vanilla date, chocolate date and coffee date. You can get 2 scoops for ¥650 and ¥100 for one topping.
Location: Sendagaya (map)
Nearest station: 10 mins from Harajuku Station or Sendagaya Station
Open: Monday to Sun 11:00-19:30
9. Sasaya Cafe
V / V.O: Vegan Option
Made from: Soy and rice milk
Sasaya Cafe is a vegetarian cafe in Yokokawa Park which serves fresh plant-based meals, desserts, ice cream sandwiches and soft-serve ice cream! They get their produce from local farmers and use organic and pesticide-free produce as much as possible. Sasaya Cafe is mostly vegan apart from honey which gets used in some of their food.
Location: Yokokawa, Sumida (map)
Nearest station: 10 min walk from Tokyo Skytree Station
Open: Monday to Sunday 8:30 – 18:00
10. Far East Bazaar
V / V.O: Vegan Options
Made from: Soymilk
Far East Bazaar is a chain store selling Arabic and Middle Eastern food, they have stores all around the country and 4 stores in Tokyo.
They sell smoothies as well as vegan ice creams (¥540) and vegan ice cream sandwiches (¥594) without the use of artificial colours and sugars. They have flavours such as fig, Hinamitsu caramel, almonds, and pistachio.
A little while back, I got to try the pistachio ice cream sandwich. The biscuit had a lovely aroma from the spices and the ice cream was not overly sweet yet still very tasty.
Location: Futako Tamagawa (map), Shibuya (map), Kichijioji (map), Lumine Shinjuku (map)
Open: dependent on each store
11. Premium Sow
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Plant-based milk
Premium Sow is a vegan and gluten-free bakery and patisserie in Daikanyama. As well as their beautiful selection of cakes, they serve ice cream sandwiches and ice creams that regularly change flavour.
Some of their flavours include “rum & raisin”, “vanilla & chocolate crunch” and “chocolate brownie & roasted almonds” with prices starting from ¥550. Keep up-to-date with their Instagram to see the newest vegan ice cream flavours.
Location: Daikanyama (map)
Nearest station: 5 min walk from Daikanyama Station
Open: Monday to Sunday 10:00-18:00 (closed Thursday)
12. Cafe Slow
V / V.O: Vegan Option
Made from: Soy
Cafe Slow is a spacious organic cafe in Kokubunji with a small eco shop selling crafts and organic food produce. They have a vegan menu serving vegan plates, and curry and have vegan desserts including tofu ice cream and soft serve.
Location: Kokubunji (map)
Nearest station: 7 min walk from Kokubunji Station
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11:30-18:30, Saturday 11:30 – 15:00 (closed Mondays)
13. Falafel Brothers
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Plant-based milk
Falafel Brothers, (you might have guessed it) serves vegan falafel sandwiches at their two stores in Tokyo. Amongst sandwiches, burgers, salad bowls and vegan desserts, they also have vegan and gluten-free vanilla ice cream- 1 scoop for ¥480, 2 for ¥650
Location: Shibuya Parco (map), Roppongi (map)
Open: dependent on each store
14. Rainbow Bird Rendevouz
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Ice cream made from: Nut milk
A vegan and organic cafe serving Japanese food such as soy karaage, hamburgers, and potato croquette. Grab their homemade soft serve ice cream made from nut milk for ¥600.
Location: Meguro (map)
Nearest station: 10 mins walk from Nakameguro or Yutenji Station
Open: Lunch 11:30 – 15:00, Dinner 17:00-20:00 (closed Tues & Wed)
15. 2Foods
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Ice cream made from: Soymilk
2Foods is a fully vegan eatery with 5 locations around Tokyo, known for its “healthy junk food”. Amongst a selection of tasty plant-based savoury food, vegan sweets and seasonal changing desserts, they have vanilla ice cream (¥471) which pairs really nicely with their other offerings.
Address: Shibuya (map), Ginza Loft (map), Yaechika (map), Ark Hills (map), Azabujuban (map)
Open: dependent on each store
16. Great Lakes
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Nut milk
This fully vegan American-style burger restaurant makes everything in-store from its buns, and burger patties to its ice creams (¥600). The flavours of the plant-based ice creams are everchanging so keep up to date on their socials to see what the newest combinations are!
Location: Nishiwaseda (map)
Station: 6 mins from Omokagabashi Station, 14 min from Waseda Station
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11:30 – 7:30
17. Komeda is
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Almond milk
Located in Ginza, ‘Komeda is’ serves delicious vegan meals, desserts, as well as drinks and they also happened to have smooth and velvety plant-based soft-serve ice cream for ¥580. You can enjoy the soft serve on its own, in a coffee (we chose this one!), or on their famous plant-based Shiro noir!
Location: 1-chōme-13-1 Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
Nearest station: 4 minutes from Tsukiji Station, 3 minutes from Higashi-Ginza Station
Open: Monday to Sunday 7:00 – 17:30
18. Cosme Kitchen Adaptation
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Ice cream made from: Soymilk
If you’re after something a bit fancier, come to Cosme Kitchen Adaptation, a reservation-only restaurant serving vegan, gluten-free and organic food. Have a nice meal and end with a vanilla soft serve using organic soy milk and organic amazake for ¥748.
Location: Shibuya Hikari (map) – also a store in Osaka.
Open: 11:00-22:00
Station: Connected to Shibuya Station on the 2nd floor
19. Superiority Burger
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Plant-based milk
This vegan burger restaurant in Shimokitazawa has monthly changing homemade gelato flavours. The last time I visited, they had chocolate, milk ‘n’ kinako cookie and black sesame – 1 scoop for ¥450, 2 for ¥500 and for 3 scoops it’s ¥700.
Location: Shimokitazawa (map)
Nearest Station: 5 mins from Shimokitazawa station
Open: Monday & Friday 12:00-19:00, Saturday & Sunday 12:00-20:00 (closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
20. AIN SOPH.
V / V.O: 100% vegan
Made from: Soymilk
AIN SOPH. has 3 vegan restaurants in Tokyo, Ginza, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. The menu varies depending on which store you visit but ice cream is available from ¥720 with flavour options such as vanilla, chocolate, matcha, rum and raisin- which would pair really nicely with the amazing selection of desserts!
Location: Ginza (map), Shinjuku (map), Ikebukuro (map)
Open: dependent on each store
So you’ve eaten your weight in vegan ice cream in Tokyo, but you’ve still got room for more. I’ve got you covered! Here are a load of sweet and savoury vegan snacks you can grab from your local Konbini. Because who doesn’t love a good midnight food run?!
FAQs about vegan ice cream in Japan
Is Japanese ice cream made with dairy?
The majority of ice cream you will come across in Japan will be made using dairy. Even those that are advertised as “soymilk soft serve” or “tofu soft serve” usually contain dairy inside, (you will usually see these in markets and touristy areas) so always best to check before eating.
Can you buy vegan ice cream in Tokyo?
Absolutely! Although not as common as ice creams made from animal products, there are many places to get vegan ice cream in Tokyo. From plant-based ice cream stores, restaurants and cafes to a handful of supermarkets and convenience stores that sell vegan options. The key is to know what you’re searching for so, get familiar with packaging and a selection of vegan Japanese keywords.
Is vegan ice cream actually vegan in Japan?
In Japan where being vegan or plant-based is seen as more of a health choice and lesser known in general, you do have to be cautious. The stores in this post definitely offer vegan choices, but watch out for honey which is used as a sweetener.
Is IKEA ice cream plant-based?
Yes! The IKEA ice cream and cone do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
