Tokyo Vegan Meetup Group

In Tokyo there is, like in many other large and small cities, a group on meetup.com for vegans. In my experience, these sorts of things can be very hit or miss, but we decided to check it out since we didn't know many people in Tokyo, or any vegans for that matter. This particular group has 1 or 2 meetings a month at the various vegan restaurants around Tokyo, plus a montly all-you-can-eat at the Pink Cow in Shibuya.

Our first experience we met some really nice people, but had some meh kind of food at Ohana Brown Rice Cafe. Unfortunately, nobody there we spoke to was vegan, mostly vegetarians and omnis, so we thought that was kind of weird. Fast forward another 2 weeks and we go to the Pink Cow for the monthly buffet, which was delicious although a bit expensive at Y2800/person. Again, we meet some really nice people but only vegetarians and omnis! It seems like this is one of the biggest and most active meetup groups, so I think alot of expats and Japanese alike just attend for that alone.

So another month goes by, and its time for another Pink Cow buffet. We sort of hemmed and hawed about whether or not we should go, but I decided we could since things have been working out pretty well lately with our finances. Success! We meet another vegan and he is almost as shocked as we are. We also met another guy who was interested in switching from omni to vegan, and hopefully we can get together and I can educate him on the process.

I think I learned that it is important not to be too judgmental about where people are on their path to veganism. Its true that we were both vegetarians not all that long ago. Although in some ways vegetarians can be a vegans worst nightmare, as vegans, it is our job to gently nudge them along the way. I wish someone had been there to give me that nudge, maybe it wouldn't have taken me nearly six years to figure it out! (thanks Vegan Freak from my local library).