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Tree nut allergy in Japan: walnuts, almonds and a restaurant card
Japanese savory cooking rarely centers on nuts, but sweets, bread, salads and regional dishes use them. Walnuts are now a mandatory label allergen in Japan (phased in through 2025), so packaged food declares them. Restaurant awareness is another matter, so keep a card ready.
Quick answer: Say ナッツ類 (nattsu-rui) and name your nuts: くるみ (walnut), アーモンド, カシューナッツ. Ask about desserts, bread and dressings, and show the card.
Where nuts appear
- Wagashi and regional sweets. Kurumi mochi (くるみ餅) and kurumi yubeshi (くるみゆべし) in northern Japan, plus bean-paste sweets with chestnut or nut fillings.
- Bread and bakery. Walnut bread (くるみパン), almond croissants and granola.
- Salads and dressings. Walnut dressing, almond slices on salads, and pesto at Italian-Japanese restaurants.
- Ice cream and chocolate. Pistachio, hazelnut and almond flavors, and nut-based “milks” (アーモンドミルク).
- Ginkgo nuts (銀杏, ginnan) in chawanmushi (egg custard) are not a tree nut, but some travelers avoid them too.
Peanuts and coconut: separate questions
Peanuts are legumes, and many nut-allergic people avoid them anyway, so decide what you need and say it. For a peanut-only or combined card, use our peanut allergy page or the multi-allergen card builder. Coconut (ココナッツ) appears in some desserts and curries; include it explicitly if you avoid it.
Labels, shops and asking in practice
Walnut (くるみ) is a mandatory label item. Rules for other nuts, such as almond and cashew, differ and have been changing, so do not rely on the allergen line alone. Always read the full ingredient list, and see our label guide. In shops with open display cases, ask staff directly, because unpackaged goods may not list every ingredient. Department store basements (depachika) sell beautiful sweets, but many are wrapped as gifts with the ingredients only on the box, so check before you buy. At cafes, point to the item and show the card; staff often know quickly whether a cake or cookie contains nuts. If you are at a bakery counter, look for small labels with allergen icons, and when there are none, choose a different item.
Tree nut phrases in Japanese
| Japanese (kana) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ナッツるい（ナッツ類） | nattsu-rui | nuts (general) |
| くるみ | kurumi | walnut |
| アーモンド | aamondo | almond |
| カシューナッツ | kashuunattsu | cashew |
| ピスタチオ | pisutachio | pistachio |
| ヘーゼルナッツ | heezerunattsu | hazelnut |
| マカダミアナッツ | makadamia nattsu | macadamia |
| ナッツアレルギーです | nattsu arerugii desu | I have a nut allergy |
| くるみは入っていますか？ | kurumi wa haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain walnuts? |
| ナッツぬきにできますか？（ナッツ抜き） | nattsu nuki ni dekimasu ka? | Can you make it without nuts? |
Printable tree nut allergy card
Edit by hand if you react only to certain nuts. The card lists the most common ones.
私はナッツ類（くるみ・アーモンド・カシューナッツなど）アレルギーです。
I am allergic to tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.).
ナッツ類（くるみ・アーモンド・カシューナッツなど）が入っている料理は食べられません。
I cannot eat any dish that contains tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.).
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.
ナッツ類（くるみ・アーモンド・カシューナッツなど）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 tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.).
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
Are walnuts labeled in Japan?
Yes. Walnut (くるみ) is a mandatory-label allergen on packaged food, alongside egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp and crab. The rule was phased in through 2025.
Is almond or cashew labeled?
Not always in the same way. Rules for these nuts differ from walnut and have been changing, so read the full ingredient list for アーモンド and カシューナッツ.
Are Japanese sweets nut-free?
Many are, but some contain walnut, almond or chestnut. Ask about wagashi in particular, and check ingredients on packaged omiyage.
Is peanut the same as a tree nut?
No, peanut is a legume. If you avoid both, say ピーナッツ and ナッツ類 separately or use the multi-allergen card.
Related guides
Read dessert menus and shelf labels
Japan Interpreter translates menu and label text offline, so くるみ and アーモンド stand out.
Japan Interpreter: offline camera and text translation for Japan. Allergen flags help, but never replace asking the restaurant.