About Gluten-Free Japan & How We Verify
Gluten-Free Japan helps international travelers with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and wheat allergies eat safely across Japan. This page explains who we are, exactly how we verify every restaurant, and — just as importantly — the limits of what we can guarantee.
How We Verify Restaurants
Official sources first
We start from primary sources — each restaurant’s own website, menu, and official social accounts — to confirm that gluten-free options are explicitly offered.
Community cross-referencing
We cross-check listings against community reviews (Google, Find Me Gluten Free, and celiac travel forums) to catch discrepancies and recent changes.
On-site checks for a subset
Some venues are confirmed in person. We are transparent that not every listing has been visited — coverage varies by city.
Human review is mandatory
No AI-generated restaurant data is published without a human reviewing it first. Given the health stakes for celiac travelers, this is a hard rule.
What Our Safety Tiers Mean
100% gluten-free kitchen with no wheat on the premises. The safest option for celiacs.
Handles wheat, but follows documented protocols (separate prep, dedicated utensils, staff training) to control cross-contamination.
Offers gluten-free menu items in a shared kitchen. A risk of cross-contamination remains — confirm precautions with staff.
Our Limitations (Read This)
- We are a Japan-based research team, not celiac patients ourselves. We compensate for this by verifying every listing against multiple independent sources and never publishing unreviewed data.
- Restaurants change menus, suppliers, and staff. A listing that was safe last season may not be today. Always confirm with staff before ordering.
- Even at verified venues, a risk of cross-contamination can remain. Our free Japanese allergy card helps you communicate your needs clearly.
Found something out of date?
We rely on the community to keep listings accurate. If a restaurant has changed, please tell us.
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