1) Rice ball lollipop covered in nutty sauce and ryokan veggie feast (opposite meaty and fishy feast)
Local speciality, very tasty. Tsumago street stall model (knitted not plastic); Hanaya ryokan (note the cherry blossom shaped carrot).
2) Rice flour balls skewer covered in sweetish soy sauce
Local speciality from Tsumago street stall.
3) Tempura
Akimitsu in Asakusa, Tokyo; Fuji Tempura Idaten in Fujikawaguchiko. I also had tasty tempura and flame-grilled aubergine at a 'pub' in Ginza sat next to a tank of marine creatures waiting to be eaten by other diners.
4) Inari deep fried tofu pockets filled with sushi rice
The photo shows hoto fudo, a Fujikawaguchiko local speciality, which was ok - thick udon/wheat noodles in a soup with squash/pumpkin and other veggie things. The inari sushi was very tasty but I didn't photograph it. I also had some at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Asakusa.
5) Monks' vegetables?
It's a unique experience going to Koyasan and staying in a monastery where they serve a veggie feast - there was one item that I wasn't sure if it was a mushroom or something else modelled into a mushroom shape.
6) Cold soba/buckwheat noodles and wasabi
Matsumoto local speciality - I like noodles, I like wasabi, I like cold pasta eg in pasta salad, so this worked for me and was filling.
7) Gyoza and ramen
Chabuton in Kyoto. I've eaten tastier veg dumplings but these were nice, available and easy to order via the vending machine, along with a big bowl of green veg noodles.
8) Ice cream
Sweet potato in Kamakura; Baskin Robbins in Nagano; I also liked green tea/matcha ice cream. Available everywhere!
9) Baked goods
Osaka - less risk of finding ham etc inside sweet patisserie like these custard-filled cats but there were tasty buns filled with potato chunks in a creamy mildy cheesy sauce; Fujiyama Cookie.
10) Oyaki
Nagano local speciality, from Midori department store - pastries with various vegetable/legume fillings like pumpkin or bean, ok.
11) Bean sushi
From Ginza, Tokyo minimart - like cold baked beans with a dash of soy sauce - a possibility rather than a recommendation!
12) Vegan food truck at Commune 246
Tokyo - hipster food truck park like in London and other cities but cleaner. Hearty salad etc.
