The first small step.

Founder Shu Kudo started a vegan lifestyle for reasons of animal ethics and environmental issues in 2016 when he was a high school student.

At that time, there were fewer vegan options in Japan than there are today, which made it difficult to shop and eat out.

In 2020, he founded the company with the mission of Creating a “Hello Vegan!” society where everyone can choose to be vegan.

This is our first small step!

Since then, members sharing our mission have gathered there.

At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been providing a vegan recipe service, online store, and frozen bento.

It all began withmeeting 100 vegans.

In 2023, the number of tourists visiting Japan from around the world increased.

We traveled not only in Tokyo but also to Kansai, Hiroshima, and beyond, meeting over 100 vegetarian and vegan travelers.

Many shared experiences such as, “I want to enjoy Japanese food even as a vegan,” or “There were no vegan restaurants, so I ate convenience store rice balls.”

We realized that many were forced to give up either sightseeing or meals. From our wish for vegans to enjoy Japan 100%, the idea of Vegan Sushi Tokyo was born.

With vegetable sushi chefs’help, vegan sushi was born.

What we ultimately arrived at was sushi, one of Japan’s traditional foods.

We then began exploring “vegan sushi,” made entirely from plant-based ingredients without using seafood.

Along the way, we met Ko Tanimizu, a vegetable sushi chef with over 10 years of experience, whose guidance helped us achieve a level of quality we could confidently serve.

Through our work, we also learned that Japan is home to world-class vegan ingredients. By combining traditional sushi with innovative plant-based ingredients developed through Japan’s advanced technology, vegan sushi was born.

In 2024, Vegan Sushi Tokyo launched as a pop-up.

To share vegan sushi with as many people as possible, we searched for ways to begin with limited funds.By borrowing the lunchtime hours of a bar, we launched Vegan Sushi Tokyo in June 2024.

After opening, guests gradually began to visit, and over the course of a year and a half, we were able to continue thanks to the support of both our customers and staff.

Our next goal was to have our own space, but once again, we did not yet have sufficient funds.

With support from239backers, we openedour first location.

We visited dozens of investors and banks, but were often turned away, told that “vegan businesses are too niche.”

Even so, we kept moving forward.

By reaching out to the global vegetarian and vegan community, we received support through crowdfunding and individual contributions and investments.

Thanks to this, we opened our first permanent location in Shibuya on December 1, 2025.

But our vision goes further.

We aim to expand across Japan and then worldwide, making the vegan choice—kind to animals, future generations, and ourselves—easier and more accessible.

Vegan Sushi Tokyo is one step toward a “Hello Vegan!” society where everyone can choose vegan.