How to say gluten-free in Japanese, plus the phrases for the table

UPDATED=2026-09-28READ=3 MINREVIEW=HTGF EDITORIAL

“Gluten-free” in Japanese is グルテンフリー (roughly guruten-furī). That’s the word you’ll see on packs and menus. At the table you need a little more: that it’s a medical condition, which grains to avoid, and the kitchen questions. Here they are, in Japanese, with the English meaning.

The phrases that help at the table

Show the Japanese line to the staff; the English underneath tells you what it says.

What it says	Japanese
I have coeliac disease I have coeliac disease, an autoimmune medical condition, not a diet choice or preference.	私はセリアック病を患っています、自己免疫疾患であり、食事の選択や好みではありません。
What I can’t eat I cannot eat wheat (including spelt, kamut, durum and semolina), barley, rye or standard oats, or anything made from them: bread, pasta, batter, breadcrumbs, flour.	小麦（スペルト小麦、カムット小麦、デュラム小麦、セモリナを含む）、大麦、ライ麦、一般的なオート麦は食べられません、それらを使ったもの（パン、パスタ、衣、パン粉、小麦粉）もすべて食べられません。
Even a crumb Even a tiny amount, a crumb, makes me genuinely ill.	ごく少量、パンくず一つでも、本当に具合が悪くなります。
Clean pan and utensils Please use a clean pan, clean utensils and boards, and fresh oil.	清潔なフライパン、洗いたての調理器具とまな板、新しい油を使っていただけますか。
The shared fryer Was this fried in a shared fryer or in shared oil? Oil used for breaded food is not safe for me.	これは共用のフライヤーや共用の油で揚げましたか？衣付きのものを揚げた油は、私には安全ではありません。
Hidden gluten Does this contain soy sauce, malt, flour, breadcrumbs or stock cubes? Could you check?	これに醤油、麦芽、小麦粉、パン粉、固形スープの素は入っていますか？確認していただけますか？
Please check with the kitchen Could you please check the ingredients with the kitchen? I am very happy to wait.	原材料を厨房に確認していただけますか？喜んでお待ちします。
What I can eat I can eat rice, corn, potatoes, plain fresh meat and fish, eggs, dairy, vegetables and fruit, as long as they are not cooked with, or alongside, the items above.	米、とうもろこし、じゃがいも、味付けしていない新鮮な肉・魚、卵、乳製品、野菜、果物は食べられます、上記のものと一緒に、または隣で調理されていなければ大丈夫です。
Thank you Thank you so much for taking care of this, it genuinely makes all the difference.	ご配慮に心から感謝いたします、本当に大きな助けになります。

What the staff might answer

はい、清潔なフライパンと器具で、別に調理できます。
Yes, we can prepare it separately, with a clean pan and clean utensils.
申し訳ありません、本日は保証できません。
I am sorry, we cannot guarantee that today.
少々お待ちください、厨房に確認します。
One moment, let me ask the kitchen.

On labels

Japan has no legal “gluten-free” threshold like the EU, so a グルテンフリー sticker tells you less than the ingredient list does. Look for 小麦 (wheat), 大麦 (barley) and ライ麦 (rye) in the allergen box, which is headed アレルギー物質. Wheat is a mandatory allergen in Japan; barley and rye are not.

Local things to watch

Soy sauce (醤油) is the number one hidden gluten in Japan: almost all shoyu is brewed with wheat, and it goes into marinades, tare, tsuyu (noodle broth) and dressings. Ask for tamari (たまり) and check the label: not all tamari is wheat-free.
Miso soup can be made with barley miso (麦味噌), and ready-made dashi mixes can contain wheat or soy sauce; rice miso (米味噌) avoids barley, but check the label too.
Soba is usually blended with wheat flour: only juwari (十割そば, 100% buckwheat) avoids it.
Sushi rice is often seasoned with grain vinegar (穀物酢), which can be made from barley or wheat.
Tempura, karaage, tonkatsu and fu (麩) contain wheat, and imitation crab (カニカマ) often does. Kewpie mayonnaise made in Japan uses a vinegar brewed from apple juice and malt (barley), according to Kewpie’s own FAQ.
Konbini: tuna-mayo onigiri and soy-marinated eggs are not gluten-free; check labels for 小麦 (wheat) and 大麦 (barley).

Take it with you

Reviewed against the HTGF methodology: every claim sourced, every listing tiered and dated. This article is practical guidance, not medical advice.

Newsletter

Gluten-free confidence in your inbox.

Practical tips, new guides and community stories. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

FREE, ALWAYS · RECALL ALERTS ARE NEVER PAYWALLED