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Egg allergy in Japan: where egg hides and a card to show
Egg is everywhere in Japanese food, and not only where you can see it. It binds the meat in burgers and meatballs, helps coat fried cutlets, sits in batters, and appears in Japan’s favorite mayonnaise. Egg is a mandatory-label allergen on packaged food, but restaurants are another story.
Quick answer: Say 卵 (tamago) or 玉子 (also tamago), then ask about 衣 (koromo, batter), つなぎ (tsunagi, binder) and マヨネーズ. Show the card before ordering.
Obvious egg dishes
You will spot these by name: tamagoyaki (玉子焼き, rolled omelet), chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し, steamed egg custard), omurice (オムライス), oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl), and katsudon. Also look for tsukimi (月見, “moon-viewing”) on a menu: it means a raw or soft egg on top of noodles or rice. Sukiyaki is usually eaten dipped in raw egg (生卵, nama-tamago).
Where egg hides
- Fried food. Tempura batter and the breading on tonkatsu and korokke often use egg.
- Binders. Hamburger steak (ハンバーグ), tsukune chicken meatballs and gyoza fillings can include egg. Tsukune at yakitori shops often comes with a raw yolk to dip.
- Batter foods. Okonomiyaki and takoyaki batter, and many pancake and cake-like street sweets such as castella.
- Mayonnaise. Kewpie mayo, made with egg yolk, is on okonomiyaki, takoyaki, salads and konbini sandwiches. Ask for mayonēzu nuki (マヨネーズ抜き).
- Ramen. The seasoned egg (味玉, ajitama) is a topping you can skip, while some noodles contain egg, so ask.
Eating out safely: a routine
Fukui Prefecture’s sōsu katsudon (ソースカツ丼) is pork cutlet in sauce over rice with no egg topping, though the breading may still contain egg. Ask. For general menu reading, see how to read a Japanese menu.
A simple routine works well. Choose a restaurant type with fewer egg-heavy dishes, such as plain grilled fish, sashimi or rice-and-miso set meals. Show the card before ordering. Ask about the batter, the binder and the sauce one by one rather than “is there egg?” in general, since staff may think only of visible egg. If the kitchen cannot confirm, pick something else. Konbini onigiri and plain rice balls are a reliable fallback, with the egg line clearly marked on the label.
Egg phrases in Japanese
| Japanese (kana) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| たまご（卵） | tamago | egg |
| なまたまご（生卵） | nama-tamago | raw egg |
| ころも（衣） | koromo | batter / coating |
| つなぎ | tsunagi | binder |
| マヨネーズ | mayonēzu | mayonnaise |
| たまごアレルギーです（卵アレルギー） | tamago arerugii desu | I have an egg allergy |
| ころもにたまごは入っていますか？ | koromo ni tamago wa haitte imasu ka? | Is there egg in the batter? |
| たまごぬきにできますか？（卵抜き） | tamago nuki ni dekimasu ka? | Can you make it without egg? |
| マヨネーズぬきでおねがいします | mayonēzu nuki de onegai shimasu | No mayonnaise, please |
| なまたまごは食べられません | nama-tamago wa taberaremasen | I can’t eat raw egg |
Printable egg allergy card
Hand this to your server and ask them to check batters, binders and sauces.
私は卵（たまご）アレルギーです。
I am allergic to egg.
卵（たまご）が入っている料理は食べられません。
I cannot eat any dish that contains egg.
だしやソース、調味料、揚げ油にも入っていないか、ご確認をお願いします。
Please also check the stock, sauces, seasonings and frying oil.
卵（たまご）に触れた調理器具や油は使わないでください。
Please do not use utensils or oil that have touched egg.
少量でも命に関わります。
Even a small amount can be life-threatening.
ご協力ありがとうございます。 Thank you for your help. · japanmust.com
Printing tip: set the page to “fit to page”, or take a screenshot and show it on your phone. Delete the last line if your allergy is not severe.
Allergy safety: this is travel information, not medical advice. Restaurants often cannot guarantee an allergen-free meal, and cross-contact in kitchens is common. Carry any prescribed medication and a doctor’s letter, and check current Japanese rules for bringing medicine into the country.
Frequently asked questions
Is there egg in tempura?
Often, in the batter, though recipes vary. Ask “衣に卵は入っていますか？” rather than assuming.
Does ramen contain egg?
The noodles in many shops are egg-free, but some contain egg, and the toppings (ajitama, tamago) always do. Ask and show the card.
Is Japanese mayonnaise made with egg?
Yes. Kewpie and most Japanese mayos use egg yolk, and it appears on okonomiyaki, takoyaki, salads and konbini sandwiches.
Is egg labeled on Japanese packaged food?
Yes. Egg (卵) is one of the mandatory-label allergens. Look at the allergen line, often written 卵・乳成分・小麦を含む, “contains egg, milk, wheat”.
Related guides
See what is on top of the bowl
Japan Interpreter explains dish names like 月見 and 卵とじ offline, so egg does not surprise you.
Japan Interpreter: offline camera and text translation for Japan. Allergen flags help, but never replace asking the restaurant.