What I Ate in Japan as a Carnivore

This is my second time in Japan, but my first time visiting as a meat-based carnivore. In the US, I eat beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, and recently, berries.

Unlike before—when I indulged in ramen, sushi, udon, and other Japanese street food—this time I focused on a clean diet to help heal my autoimmune conditions.

I had no plan going in this time. I realized I’ll need to explore the meat sections of supermarkets more, eat out less, and cook more in my Airbnb. I'm documenting this so that if a fellow carnivore is planning a trip to Japan, they’ll have an idea of what to expect.

Contents

• June 2, 2025
• June 3, 2025
• June 4, 2025
• June 5, 2025
• June 6, 2025
• June 7, 2025
• June 8, 2025
• June 9, 2025
• June 10, 2025
• June 11, 2025
• June 12, 2025
• June 13, 2025
• June 14, 2025
• June 15, 2025
• June 16, 2025
• June 17, 2025
• June 18, 2025
• June 19, 2025
• June 20, 2025
• June 21, 2025
• June 22, 2025
• June 23, 2025
• June 24, 2025
• Something to Ponder
• June 25, 2025
• June 26, 2025
• June 27, 2025
• June 28, 2025
• June 29, 2025
• June 30, 2025
• Takeaways

June 2, 2025

• Dinner: Beef patties and sunny-side-up eggs

We landed in Tokyo. After fasting for more than 12 hours, I was extremely hungry. I found ground beef, eggs, and butter at Kinokuniya in Takashimaya Shinjuku. Beef at Kinokuniya is quite expensive—I found 100g of ground beef for 3,000 yen (about USD 20).

Beef steaks at Kinokuniya in Takashimaya Shinjuku

Pork steaks at Kinokuniya in Takashimaya Shinjuku

As soon as I got to the Airbnb, I sprinkled some salt and pepper on the beef, sautéed it in butter, and cooked four sunny-side-up eggs. Even though beef patties aren’t my favorite, the meal tasted amazing after such a long fast and a busy travel day.

The beef patties I made with ground beef at Kinokuniya in Takashimaya Shinjuku

Quick sunny-side-up eggs I made with eggs at Kinokuniya in Takashimaya Shinjuku. Eggs in Japan are much cheaper than in the US.

June 3, 2025

• Breakfast: Breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet with eggs (from Katsudon), tempura sausage, and scallion soup
• Lunch: Sautéed beef tongue and beef strips, with sunny-side-up eggs
• Dinner: none (fasted)

Jetlagged, we woke up at 5 a.m. and went grocery shopping at Maruetsu by 6. On the way, we passed a ticket-style ramen shop where you pay at a vending machine. Since there were no pure meat dishes, I ordered katsudon and a sausage tempura—but didn’t touch the rice (but I heard Japanese rice tastes very good!).

The katsudon I ordered at a ticket-style ramen shop where you pay at a vending machine.

We bought many great, high-quality items:

For me and the family:

• steak
• beef stripes
• pork belly
• beef tongue
• eggs
• butter
• probiotic yogurt
• milk (it is non-homogenized)
• apples
• bananas
• beef tallow (it is free!!)

For the family:

• noodles
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• boy choy

The animal-based foods I bought

I was surprised to find that beef tallow is free at Maruetsu in Tokyo. It’s perfect for cooking and helps me avoid seed oils. I have to say, if you check the ingredients of many foods in Japan, a lot of them contain seed oils—which is kind of sad. But beef tallow is free!

Beef tallow is free at Maruetsu in Tokyo.

We were also surprised to find non-homogenized milk on the shelf: Yotsuba (よつ葉牛乳). It’s a high-quality milk produced in Hokkaido and is often non-homogenized. In the U.S., this type of milk is very rare. Homogenization breaks down fat globules to prevent separation. While it makes the milk look more uniform, it may reduce its nutritional value. I'm happy to have found non-homogenized milk in Tokyo.

The dairy section at Maruetsu

Cream varieties at Maruetsu. I heard it's hard to find half-and-half outside the U.S., so I plan to mix cream and whole milk to make my favorite yogurt.

I scanned through all the yogurt options and found three that could be good candidates for my yogurt starter. The criteria are:

• Made from whole milk
• No additives
• Ingredients must list the names of the bacteria

Here are the yogurts:

1. Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt (明治ブルガリアヨーグルト): A well-known yogurt in Japan, modeled after Bulgarian yogurt. It contains LB81 lactic acid bacteria. The packaging is blue and white with a red ribbon design.
2. Oishii Yogurt (おいしいヨーグルト): "Oishii" means "delicious" in Japanese. This variety includes LKM512, a probiotic strain. It comes in a white container with a red lid.
3. Morinaga Bifidus Yogurt (森永ビヒダスヨーグルト): Contains Bifidus (Bifidobacterium), which is beneficial for digestion. The container is white and blue with red accents.

I bought three high-quality probiotic yogurts. I plan to taste them all and use one as the starter for my homemade yogurt.

This unsalted butter is pretty good and free of additives.

I found sliced pork belly at Maruetsu, and marinated it with salt and pepper. I can use it to make bacon and lard.

For lunch, I sautéed some beef tongue and beef strips with some butter, and ate with unsalted butter. It was a very satisfing meal!

June 4, 2025

• Breakfast: 6 sunny-side-up eggs, 3 strips of bacon and 4oz of beef steak
• Lunch: Sardines
• Dinner: none (fasted)
• Snack: 1 banana

I gradually switched to fasting for dinner only, and I loved it. I felt less hungry in the morning.

We ate at a Michelin-starred restaurant called 新宿割烹 中嶋 (Shinjuku Kappo NAKAJIMA). This little restaurant takes no reservations, only accepts cash, is located in a basement, and has the best ways of cooking sardines. Their menu offers only four set meals to choose from, and each set costs about $8.

The sardines I ate at Shinjuku Kappo NAKAJIMA. The restaurant is located in a basement and has the best ways of cooking sardines.

As a carnivore, sardines are a great source of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.

June 5, 2025

• Breakfast: Fried pork and sunny-side-up eggs
• Lunch: Sushi without rice (just fish)
• Dinner: none (fasted)
• Snack: 2 bananas

We went on an Airbnb Experience with a sushi chef and learned how to shop for, prepare, and make sushi. He took us on a shopping trip to Tsukiji Market and taught us how to choose the best ingredients for sushi.

In his studio, we learned the 8 steps to making nigiri sushi. The fish and seafood we used included:

• Surf clam (hokkigai)
• Yellowtail (hamachi)
• Tuna (maguro)
• Mackerel (saba)
• Salmon (sake)
• Squid or cuttlefish (ika)
• Surf clam (hokkigai)
• Scallop (hotate)
• Eel (unagi)
• Shrimp (ebi)
• Octopus (tako)
• Seared wagyu beef
• Mackerel (aji)
• Crab stick (kani)
• Fatty tuna (toro)

The sushi I made with the chef.

The chef knew I don’t eat rice. Although he was surprised, he prepared octopus for me instead—which is my favorite.

June 6, 2025

• Breakfast: Wagyu beef, 5 sunny-side-up eggs, cheese, butter, and yogurt
• Lunch: Chicken wings
• Dinner: none (fasted)
• Snack: 1 apple

Wagyu beef, 5 sunny-side-up eggs, cheese, butter, and yogurt.

June 7, 2025

• Breakfast: Wagyu beef, thick bacon, and sunny-side-up eggs
• Lunch: boiled eggs, cod liver, and an apple
• Dinner: yakitori (chicken livers, ground chicken)

Wagyu beef, thick bacon, and eggs.

We visited Asakusa and decided to eat at a yakitori restaurant. I brought my own boiled eggs and cod liver, as usual, to keep myself from eating restaurant food.

June 8, 2025

• Breakfast: Matcha latte, and a piece of Matcha Warabimochi (抹茶わらび餅) (cheated)
• Lunch: American beef, Japanese wagyu beef, stirred eggs with cucumbers, and butter
• Dinner: 2 pieces of cheese, butter and wagyu beef
• Snack: cherries and watermelon

I originally planned to fast for breakfast, but the whole family had a tea ceremony at Rakuu-tei Tea House (楽羽亭) inside Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑公園). I ended up having a matcha latte and a small piece of matcha warabimochi (抹茶わらび餅). The warabimochi was soft, smooth, and cold—very refreshing.

Even though I cheated a bit, it still felt worthwhile because we shared a special moment together, and the piece was very small.

Matcha Warabimochi (抹茶わらび餅) at Rakuu-tei Tea House (楽羽亭) inside Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑公園)

Matcha latte at Rakuu-tei Tea House (楽羽亭) inside Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑公園)

For lunch, I made American beef, Japanese wagyu beef, and stirred eggs with cucumbers (for my family).

June 9, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: dumplings (cheated)
• Dinner: bacon and eggs
• Snack: a slice of watermelon, a cup of matcha tea, homemade yogurt

My parents came from China to Japan to visit us. Making and eating dumplings has always been a family tradition. As soon as they arrived, both kids were begging for dumplings 🥟, and my parents—姥姥 and 姥爷—declared, “We can make it happen, even in Japan!”

The tiny kitchen was packed with people. There was no rolling pin, so we used a vinegar bottle. Couldn’t find dumpling vinegar? Sushi vinegar worked surprisingly well. No pot big enough for boiling water? A frying pan did the job. No five-spice powder? Just salt—and the dumplings still tasted amazing.

At first, my parents offered me just the meat filling, since they know I usually only eat meat—but I ended up eating the whole dumplings, wrappers and all. The wrappers are quite a lot of carbs. Still, I don’t see my parents often, and I love their dumplings. This cheat was totally worth it. (I might have to deal with the constipation tomorrow, but so be it.)

My parents made delicious dumplings for us.

We didn’t just eat dumplings—we passed on the Chinese dumpling tradition to the next generation - my children. What does this show? Tools don’t matter. As long as the people are here, nothing is a problem. 😄

Besides dumplings, I’ve also been experimenting with yogurt again. The key to my yogurt recipe has always been half-and-half, which only exists in the U.S.—but no worries, you can recreate it. Half-and-half has about 12% fat content. In Japan, I found 36% cream and whole milk, so I mixed them in a 1:3 ratio (cream to milk), and voilà—DIY half-and-half!

I even brought a few strains of probiotics from the U.S. to mix with the Japanese cultures. Back in the U.S., 4 hours of fermentation was usually enough. But since Japanese milk isn’t homogenized, I let it ferment longer—8 hours this time—so the bacteria had time to break down the lactose (carbs) and turn it into short-chain fatty acids, which are easier to digest.

The final result was amazing—thicker than any yogurt I’ve found in stores here. And even with such a long fermentation time, the sourness was mild, meaning I can probably go even longer next time!

June 10, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: wagyu beef, pork ribs, eggs, salmon roe, cheese and butter
• Dinner: wagyu beef, butter, homemade yogurt
• Snack: a slice of watermelon

We took my parents to Tsukiji Fish Market again. We bought some fresh fish fillets, salmon roe, and seaweed. We also stopped by the wagyu beef shop and asked them to grill some for us. It was the best beef I've ever had—so juicy, tender, and flavorful.

For lunch, we cooked at home. I made pork ribs in the Instant Pot, stir-fried eggs with tomatoes (a famous Chinese homemade dish), and stir-fried broccoli for the family.

Braised pork ribs in the Instant Pot

Some family members had issues with constipation, as some foreign visitors in Japan do. I decided to make some broccoli for them to help with the digestion. For me, there's no such problem anymore, thanks to a high-fat diet. I consume almost no fiber, yet have no issues. That's the magic of butter and animal fat!

For dinner, I fried some wagyu beef strips I bought from the supermarket in lard. Very fatty—and I love it!

Wagyu beef strips cooked in lard

June 11, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: 2 eggs, nigiri sushi (octopus)
• Dinner: 4 eggs, beef and butter
• Snack: none

We loved the sushi chef from Tsukiji Market so much that we invited him back to our Airbnb to do an omakase, so my parents could enjoy it too.

It was absolutely the best. Just like before, the chef prepared octopus for me in place of sushi rice. Each of us had around 20 pieces of nigiri sushi—and we finished them all.

The sushi chef making nigiri for us at our Airbnb.

I also loved the kombu dashi (昆布だし) soup he made with dried kombu seaweed (kelp) and bonito flakes (katsuobushi). It has a uniquely savory flavor known as umami. I’d love to try making this soup at home.

The sushi chef making kombu dashi for us at our Airbnb.

For dinner, since everyone else was stuffed with sushi rice, I was the only one still hungry. I ended up eating four sunny-side-up eggs, a lot of beef, and plenty of butter. I felt so satiated and satisfied. No butter, no satisfaction.

Four sunny-side-up eggs, and plenty of butter.

June 12, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: 1 egg, homemade yogurt, butter, beef, and cheese
• Dinner: tomahawk beef steak, butter
• Snack: 1 banana, 1 apple

I made stir-fried eggs with cucumbers, stir-fried beef with green peppers, sautéed beef, and all sorts of fish from yesterday’s omakase leftovers for the family. For myself, I had the sautéed beef, the fish, and lots of butter.

Stir-fried eggs with cucumbers, stir-fried beef with green peppers, sautéed beef, and all sorts of fish from yesterday’s omakase leftovers for the family.

My parents got me a tomahawk steak—a huge one. With limited tools (just a small indoor grill and a frying pan), I managed to grill the beef in lard. I don’t think my skills are quite good enough for a tomahawk. We ate some, but the meat was a little chewy.

Tomahawk that my parents got me

Steak from the tomahawk that my parents got me

For the leftovers, I put the beef and the bone into the Instant Pot to make a rich bone broth.

June 13, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: Beef bone broth, 4 poached eggs, and ground beef (from the pancakes that my parents made)
• Dinner: bacons and beef
• Snack: grapes

My parents made some Chinese pancakes for us. Unfortunately, I could only eat the ground beef filling. The wrappers used to be so tasty, but I don’t eat carbs anymore. The filling, though, was delicious.

Chinese pancakes that my parents made for us.

June 14, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: 4 eggs, and ramen (cheated)
• Dinner: none (fasted)
• Snack: grapes

Today was not my proudest moment. I cheated a bit by eating carbs—and possibly seed oils.

As a big family with my parents and children, we went to a famous ramen place in Shinjuku called Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho (つけ麺 五ノ神製作所). The restaurant claimed to use shrimp broth and natural oils extracted from shrimp, which provide most of the fat and flavor in the soup. The noodles were thick, straight, and homemade, with a strong wheat flour aroma.

I had actually prepared my own meal: six eggs and bacon. But this restaurant had very strict rules—everyone had to order a bowl of noodles, and takeout wasn’t allowed. It was so popular that there was a long line of Japanese customers waiting outside. The anticipation was strong, and I started feeling FOMO. So I ate a bit of noodles, along with my four eggs. I didn’t feel satisfied—more like regretful.

The ramen I ate at Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho (つけ麺 五ノ神製作所)

After the meal, I asked myself: was it really that good? Ehh, it was okay. The soup was oily. Am I sure there were no seed oils? I’m not. This is a standard diet that most people eat—not necessarily clean.

I decided to fast for 24 hours to make up for it. Feast, fast and repeat!

June 15, 2025

• Breakfast: homemade yogurt, butter, bacons, half a flavored egg (ajitama), pork filling patties from the pancakes that my parents made, and an apple
• Lunch: beef and 4 eggs
• Dinner: 1 egg, 2 flavored eggs (ajitama), cheese and butter
• Snack: matcha ice cream with japanese green tea (not so sweet)

I was so hungry that I woke up at 5 a.m., so I had to feed myself with a lot of high-quality food: yogurt, butter, bacon, eggs, and pork-filled patties made from the pancakes my parents prepared.

Last night, my daughter and I made Japanese-flavored eggs (味噌卵) by marinating boiled eggs in soy sauce, mirin, and bonito flakes. This morning, we tried one, and clearly, the flavor hadn’t fully soaked into the yolk yet. It needed more time.

Japanese-flavored eggs (味噌卵)

We had lunch at a restaurant in the Ueno area. While the rest of the family ordered seafood, I chose wagyu beef—and, as usual, I brought my homemade eggs. I ate four eggs.

Wagyu beef and eggs

In the afternoon, to celebrate Father’s Day, we went to Jugetsudo (寿月堂) in Ginza to enjoy some matcha. The desserts looked amazing, and the environment was lovely.

I especially loved my Matcha Affogato (抹茶アフォガート). This rich and smooth matcha gelato is made with matcha grown using the Nakajima farming method and fresh milk from Hokkaido. You pour freshly whisked warm matcha over the gelato before enjoying it. The elegant aroma of the matcha pairs beautifully with the refreshing tartness of the berries.

Matcha Affogato (抹茶アフォガート)

It’s not sweet at all, and the fruit provides a bit of natural electrolytes. I don’t feel guilty about indulging in this treat.

For dinner, I wanted to prepare for a good night's sleep, so I ate until I felt full.

I also did some meat shopping. I found deep discount on beef steaks.

Meat shopping at YORK FOODS in Shinjuku

June 16, 2025

• Breakfast: braised pork belly, 3 eggs
• Lunch: none (fasted)
• Dinner: beef steak, butter, homemade yogurt, and an apple
• Snack: matcha tea

I didn’t sleep well again last night. I have a few hypotheses:

1. Low electrolytes, which may have caused a rapid heartbeat and made it hard to fall asleep.
2. Not eating enough.
3. The fasting I did two days ago seems to have thrown off my sense of satiety and balance around eating.
4. The matcha consumption during the day may have thrown off my sleep.

In the morning, I immediately made myself a high-protein, high-fat breakfast to feel full and satisfied, and to prepare for a long day trip to Kamakura, outside Tokyo. I also mixed some water with electrolytes to drink. I'm not sure which hypothesis is correct, but I'm testing both.

My high-protein, high-fat breakfast to feel full and satisfied, and to prepare for a long day trip to Kamakura, outside Tokyo.

Right before lunch, I had some matcha tea at Hokokuji Bamboo Forest. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the tea was refreshing.

Matcha tea at Hokokuji Bamboo Forest. Best matcha experience ever!

While my family ate lunch, I had nothing but a cup of tea. I still didn’t feel hungry—breakfast had kept me full.

By dinnertime, I still wasn’t very hungry. But to prepare for a good night’s sleep, I ate a solid amount of beef with butter and a cup of yogurt.

June 17, 2025

• Breakfast: butter, cheese and homemade yogurt
• Lunch: a few strips of leftover steak, butter, and dumpling meat filling (homemade by my parents)
• Dinner: steak and butter
• Snack: grapes

I finally had a great sleep last night. I’ve realized I need to give myself enough food and energy to sleep well. It was not the matcha's fault.

This morning, I felt a little hungry, so I ate some high-fat food to stay full before heading out for a 1.5-hour walk.

For lunch and dinner, I focused on moderate-protein, high-fat foods.

I didn’t eat any food from outside today, which felt great!

June 18, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: steak, butter, and homemade yogurt
• Dinner: 4 chicken wings and butter
• Snack: grapes

I had another great sleep last night—it was so good that I hated to wake up. I think it’s because I had enough food the night before, and I felt relieved knowing my parents had arrived home safely from Tokyo.

For lunch, I cooked myself another steak. I’ve noticed I can’t eat much steak now and have shifted to making butter the main part of my meal. I also made chicken wings for my family and had some leftovers for dinner. Of course, I added extra butter to the wings to make them more satisfying.

Had chicken wings and steak for lunch, and the only vegetable on the table was a sad little slice of cucumber. Lol.

It was another day of clean eating. That makes me happy!

My poop was perfectly loose today, which I think shows the effect of increased fat intake.

I don’t have a scale right now, but I’ve noticed a significant increase in belly fat. My hypothesis is that I’ve been consuming too much protein, which is one reason I wanted to increase my fat intake.

In Tokyo, we can conveniently use Amazon Fresh for groceries (we used quite a few times!), but I love the 20-minute walk to the supermarket. It’s a natural rucking exercise.

June 19, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: 6 oz steak, butter and homemade yogurt
• Dinner: chicken, lamb offal soup (羊杂汤), and roasted lamb kidney (羊腰子)
• Snacks: grapes and a banana

Today we went to Ueno Park, originally planning to attend the Taiwan Festival. But it turned out that there was an admission fee just to enter the festival, even before buying any food. It seemed to be a ripoff for tourists.

I had brought my eggs, thinking that while my family enjoyed Taiwanese food, I could have my eggs. But we ended up going straight back home. So I made noodles for my family and steak for myself. It was clean—free of seed oils and additives, and worry-free.

For dinner, we went to Ikebukuro(池袋), which felt like a Chinatown in Tokyo. There were tons of Chinese restaurants. We chose a Xinjiang restaurant that serves spicy chicken stew（大盘鸡）, my husband's favorite. I had the chicken, lamb offal soup (羊杂汤), and roasted lamb kidney (羊腰子). Everything was delicious—a great way to get some nutritious animal organs.

June 20, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: wagyu beef, butter and homemade yogurt
• Dinner: wagyu beef, butter and chicken leftover from the previous night (大盘鸡)
• Snacks: grapes and an apple

Had a fully fasted morning and went for a 2-hour walk in the city.

For lunch, I made fatty wagyu beef with butter and homemade yogurt — very clean.

For dinner, I finished the leftover wagyu beef from lunch and some chicken from yesterday’s dinner. There's always some concern about seed oils and additives in restaurant food.

June 21, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: wagyu beef, lamb at a all you can eat grill
• Dinner: bacon wrapped steaks and butter
• Snacks: apple

We went to meet my cousin's husband in Tokyo. He treated us to an all-you-can-eat wagyu beef restaurant—it felt like heaven.

He's the one who introduced me to the carnivore diet and fasting during the lowest point of my life, when I had no hope. In the beginning, he gave me so much wisdom and encouragement during the transition.

So today, we ate a lot of meat—no need for any explanation about why.

Wagyu buffet

For dinner, I made bacon-wrapped steaks for the first time, inspired by the carnivore Cary Kelly. I wrapped my steaks differently than in Cary's recipe—I wrapped them vertically (because the steaks were very thin), while he wrapped the bacon around the sides of the steak. Now I understand the reason for his method: wrapping around the steak allows you to sear it. With my method, the steak was completely enclosed, so I couldn’t sear it. Well, it was a nice try. The taste wasn’t bad!

Bacon wrapped steaks

June 22, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: pork cutlet with eggs (かつ煮), 4 boiled eggs
• Dinner: leftover bacon wrapped steaks, butter, and beef slices
• Snacks: matcha tea

Today we visited the biggest flea market in Tokyo — the Oi Racecourse Flea Market. I brought my boiled eggs with me in case my family decided to eat out. We ended up having lunch at a soba noodle shop called Yudetaro. I ordered かつ煮 (pork cutlet with eggs). With the boiled eggs, I was able to make a satisfying meal.

かつ煮 at Yudetaro with my boiled eggs (Sorry my photo is not that great. I forgot to snap a photo before digging in!)

For dinner, I surprisingly wasn’t hungry. I ate the leftover bacon-wrapped steaks, some butter, and a few slices of beef.

Today felt unusual — I didn’t feel as hungry as I usually do. Maybe it’s due to hormonal changes since my period just started today?

June 23, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: steak, butter, homemade yogurt, and cheese
• Dinner: fried chicken wings in beef tallow, and butter
• Snacks: grapes and an apple

Today I went for a walk in the city under the sun to test my photosensitivity after stopping HCQ. I felt better than before — just a little discomfort, but no more stingy pain around the knees. I’ll continue to monitor.

I have a clearer goal now: laser-focused on healing, without worrying about weight gain. This way, I can concentrate on eating clean meat and exercising.

I ate steak for lunch. Unfortunately, I forgot that I had already salted it yesterday, so I salted it again. It turned out a bit too salty, but with unsalted butter, it tasted alright. I need to eat some fruit to get potassium to balance out the salt.

Steak with butter for lunch

I’ve noticed that my body isn’t drawn to any food other than beef and butter — my microbiome must have adapted to it. Yesterday, my family had taiyaki in front of me, and I had no appetite for it at all.

For dinner, I fried some chicken wings in beef tallow. It took some mental courage to eat them because I had been taught for so long that fried foods were unhealthy. But the truth is, it’s the seed oils that are unhealthy—not the process of frying itself. The fried chicken wings tasted delicious, and the whole family loved them. They were all gone before I remembered to take a photo.

After dinner, I took a walk with my husband around Shinjuku Station. I couldn’t stop thinking about the apple—I felt like I had to eat it. I’ve heard that this is usually a sign of needing electrolytes. I ate a Golden Delicious apple and felt satisfied.

June 24, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: sushi (without the rice), roasted wagyu beef with york (without the rice)
• Dinner: Pork ribs and butter
• Snack: apple

Today we visited Akihabara, the electronics district in Tokyo. We had been there two years ago and loved a standing sushi restaurant called Uogashi Nihon Ichi (魚がし日本一). We went back today, and it was just as good as before.

Uogashi Nihon Ichi sushi restaurant, where customers stand to eat.

Unlike last time, I don’t eat many carbs anymore, so I ordered just a few pieces (octopus, fatty tuna) and skipped the rice. The minced tuna nigiri was my favorite.

Minced tuna nigiri that I had at Uogashi Nihon Ichi

My main lunch was later, at Oono Beef (ローストビーフ大野). I ordered the L-size A4 Wagyu beef bowl. The presentation was impressive—roast beef shaped like a volcano, with a yolk on top and white sauce flowing down like lava. The taste was okay. I skipped the rice for this one as well.

Oono Beef bowl with Wagyu beef, yolk, and white sauce

The menu at Oono Beef

For dinner, I made braised pork ribs with the instant pot.

Something to Ponder

I compared some photos from a month ago to now. My cheekbones are disappearing, and my face has become rounder. I don’t have access to a scale at the moment, but I have a hunch that I’m gaining weight.

I’ve been trying to figure out the cause. After reviewing my food log here, I noticed that I’ve been eating fewer eggs and more Wagyu beef than before, since Japan has an abundance of marbled Wagyu. Initially, I thought fat was just energy, so I consumed it without worrying about calories.

Based on Grok,

• "Wagyu’s higher fat content means it’s more calorie-dense. For example, a 100g serving of Wagyu ribeye can have 300-400 calories, while a lean U.S. Choice ribeye might be around 200-250 calories. If calorie control is a priority, leaner U.S. cuts may be preferable."

• "For the same weight (100 grams), Wagyu beef has roughly 2–3 times more calories than eggs, primarily due to its higher fat content. Cooking methods (e.g., adding oil or butter) can increase calories for both, but Wagyu starts with a higher baseline."

• "Eating fat doesn’t directly make you fat—weight gain comes from consuming more calories than you burn, regardless of the source (fat, carbs, or protein). Dietary fat is calorie-dense (9 calories per gram vs. 4 for carbs/protein), so it’s easier to overconsume calories with high-fat foods. However, fats are essential for hormone production, nutrient absorption, and satiety, which can help control appetite."

So I do think my weight gain is due to the higher calorie intake from Wagyu beef and ignoring some satiety cues. I’m going to try tracking the calories of what I eat and see how that goes—mainly focusing on eggs and U.S. beef for now.

June 25, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: sliced duck roast, marinated smoked salmon, a little sesame tofu
• Dinner: beef, beef bone broth, 3 eggs, and homemade yogurt
• Snack: none

Before we went to the Tokyo National Museum, we stopped by Nezu Kamachiku (根津釜竹) near Ueno Park so my family could have some udon. They ordered a few side dishes for me: sliced duck roast (鴨ロース) and marinated smoked salmon (スモークサーモンのマリネ).

Duck roast (鴨ロース)

Marinated smoked salmon (スモークサーモンのマリネ)

I also had some sesame tofu (ごま豆腐), which I heard is limited to their first 10 customers. The tofu is very sticky and very different from traditional tofu.

Sesame tofu (ごま豆腐)

A very elegant meal overall.

For dinner, I planned to reduce my intake of dietary fat and calories, and I was also craving some bone broth and poached eggs. So, I seared a steak, cut it into small pieces, and braised it in the Instant Pot. I then used the bone broth from the braise to poach some eggs. It was both delicious and filling my stomach.

June 26, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: french cuisine (cheated)
• Dinner: 2 flavored eggs, beef soup and homemade yogurt
• Snack: none

My husband treated us to a very nice French restaurant. It was quite difficult to get a reservation, and the lunch prix fixe was lovely. (A funny twist: my husband told the restaurant staff that I didn’t eat carbs, and they canceled the reservation right away!) I didn’t want to disappoint my family, so I decided to order as close to carnivore as possible.

I skipped the bread. I had pork pâté for the appetizer and fish for the main course. The cheat parts were the vegetables and desserts. Everything tasted great!

Appetizer: Special Pork Pate de Campagne (特製 豚肉のパテドカンパーニュ)

Main course: Today's fresh fish with cumin, tomato and basil sauce (本日の鮮魚クミンきトマトとバジルのソース)

Dessert: Chocolate fondant with walnuts and birch ice cream (クルミ入りフォンダンショコラビスタチオのアイスクリーム)

Continuing to keep my intake of dietary fat and calories low, I had two flavored eggs and some beef soup for dinner—to get some fat, protein, and minerals. I felt a bit hungry after walking 26,000 steps, but the hunger subsided after a while. Hopefully, this helps reduce my body fat.

Flavored eggs and beef and tomato soup

June 27, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: soba with duck loin (cheated)
• Dinner: steak, 3 eggs, and homemade yogurt
• Snack: apple

Today we visited the Imperial Palace near Tokyo Station. Afterwards, we found an izakaya called Inataya. With no carnivore-friendly options, I chose the most meat-forward meal: Cold Seiro Soba with Warm Duck Dipping Sauce (鴨汁せいろ). I ate the soba, which wasn’t much, skipped the rice, and enjoyed the duck loin with the dipping sauce.

Cold Seiro Soba with Warm Duck Dipping Sauce (鴨汁せいろ)

I’ve been feeling a bit of brain fog today—probably due to the reduced dietary fat. For dinner, I cooked steak in tallow and had two sunny-side-up eggs. To finish, I made myself a steamed egg and some homemade yogurt—something warm and comforting to end the day.

June 28, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: half red snapper, 1 raw egg, miso soup and 1 piece of cheese
• Dinner: 3 pieces of bacon, half an avocado
• Snack: 1 banana, matcha affogato

We went back to Ginza, where the excitement never fades. We ate at a coal-grilled fish place called Echigoya Hachikichi. They grill all kinds of fish over charcoal, and I ordered the biggest dish—with red snapper—because I was quite hungry. It was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. I skipped the rice that came with the set.

Grilled Red snapper (鯛)

We also revisited Jugetsudo, where we loved the matcha experiences. I ordered my usual matcha affogato, where you pour warm matcha over cold, firm matcha ice cream, topped with a few berries and walnuts. It wasn't sweet at all—just another way to savor matcha's unique flavor.

Matcha Affogato (抹茶アフォガート)

For dinner, I cooked myself some bacon to go with avocado. I had missed this combo.

June 29, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: 3 sunny-side-up eggs, beef steak bits, 2.5 pieces of bacon, 1.5 cup of homemade yogurt
• Dinner: lamb ribs with bone broth, homemade yogurt, 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 slice of cheese
• Snack: grapes

For lunch, I went back to the basics: eggs, bacon, and yogurt. I felt full and satisfied.

I didn’t feel energetic since the morning—not sure whether it was due to the reduced dietary fat, the high protein intake, or the fact that I didn’t go out for exercise today.

For dinner, we ate at a Chinese Xinjiang restaurant that served lamb dishes. After I got home, I had some butter and cheese to add more fat and protein to my diet.

June 30, 2025

• Breakfast: none (fasted)
• Lunch: chicken wings
• Dinner:
• Snack:

We’re leaving Tokyo tomorrow, so we need to finish what’s left in the fridge.

Takeaways

• Besides ramen, udon, soba and sushi, the Japanese diet actually includes a lot of meat: wagyu beef, pork, duck, fish, and chicken.
• Marbled Wagyu beef is a very calorie-dense food that can contribute to weight gain, even though you don't eat other carbs.
• When fat intake is high, it's important to pay attention to satiety cues. You don't need to eat a lot of fat to feel full.
• It’s hard to find beef ribs or other sizable cuts of meat in supermarkets in Japan — most of the meat is sliced.