Enjoying instant ramen might seem like a impossible situation for vegans living in Japan, considering nearly every option on convenience store shelves contains some sort of animal product.

Late last year, though, Tokyo’s health conscious T’s Restaurant — famous for its vegan ramen — released a line of vegan-friendly instant ramen, available at Natural Lawson.

There are two options, both meat-free and full of soy products. The tantanmen (Szechuan spicy soup) is more than solid — it’s as tasty as any other noodle option from the konbini that you need add hot water to, and less greasy.

Whatever your dietary choices, this is a solid fix for quick noodles.

In line with COVID-19 guidelines, the government is strongly requesting that residents and visitors exercise caution if they choose to visit bars, restaurants, music venues and other public spaces.

KEYWORDS ramen, vegetarian, vegan, tantanmen