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Thank you, dear responders.  I received about 13 email messages.   Most of
them overwhelmingly cautioned against consuming soy sauce or shoyu... it
permeates most Japanese cooking, including marinated hamburgers, stir fry
vegetables, tempuru, etc.  They have strongly advised us to carry around
our own GF soy sauce in small bottles.  We can use it for sushi, etc.

There are about three messages from a woman who lives in Japan. One is a
copy of a summary in Archives.  The other two are addendums.   I have
decided to edit them and forward these separately to the list 

Two publications was referred:  Winter 2002 issue of Sully's Living
Without.  There's a great article written by the wife of a celiac, both of
whom moved to Japan.   She said everything we can/can't have there in terms
of tradtional japanese food.  (I subscribe to this wonderful magazine,
alas, I've thrown away the back copies, so I  have ordered a copy of this
issue via www.LivingWithout.com.)   It can also be ordered by mail through
sending $6.95 to Living Without, PO Box 2126, Northbrook, IL 60065.

The other publication is Against The Grain, by Jax Lowell.  In the back of
this  book is a section on restaurant cards.  .  Make several copies of the
card (enough to leave with people who will want a souvenir of the American
who cannot eat gluten) and pack in your suitcase!  (I had this book for
many years; I loaned it to a friend with suspected symptoms and never got
it back.  I ran out and bought a fresh new copy!)

Someone had their host family translate a "restaurant card" for his host
family, 

Contact Carol Fenster at CarolFenster.com or [log in to unmask] or
savorypalate.com

JAL (Japanese Airlines) was excellent about providing gluten free meals
coming and going to Tokyo

One traveller had taken to Germany an insulated food suitcase loaded up
with frozen food and ice packs.   Then he  would reheat it in a rice cooker
which he also brought along. (Not a bad idea, tho I cannot see myself
lugging this via local transportation to various cities!)

You can get two- piece bread packages from Energy Foods.

This is from a long time ago visitor to Japan:    I used to eat a lot of
beef and fried rice or shrimp and fried rice.  I used to watch them prepare
it in a Wok.  (I wonder if this has changed)

You will find plenty of rice, sushi, fruit and vegetables, fish.  Their
yogurt is awesome!.   There are some interesting snacks, rice and corn
puffs, and crackers,  The miso soup we ate was
gluten free.

The people are wonderful!  However, I understand that they don't adjust to
change well, so perhaps modifying a restaurant order could throw them into
a tizzie.  

We traveled through Japan four years ago and had NO trouble eating as 
long as we ate Japanese food. They use no wheat, gravies or sauces on meat
or  fish.  You don't need to worry about bringing bread along since every
meal is served with rice--served at the end of the meal.  
       
Food selections, even in buffet lines consisted of a wide variety of 
fresh fish and other sea foods, fruits and vegetables, and of course, rice.

desserts looked fresh and they are purportedly GF.
       
Milk is hard to come by. One has to ask, since it is not part of the 
average Japanese diet. 

If  you eat at reasonably priced restaurants and above you should have no
trouble.  Most of the  foods are not even high calorie.  

I have also visited some websites.  One thing I found revealing.  Wheat is
not typically raised in Japan.   Nevertheless, a great amount of it is
exported from Australia.  

Well, from all those mailings, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic on my
upcoming trip to Japan.  My friends and I usually dine in upscale
restaurants, and I've read somewhere that many of them would endeavour to
oblige GF needs if they're given advance notice.  I plan to bring GF bread
and slightly toast them ahead at home.   

Thank you all!!!

Mildred Oberkotter

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