At age 18 I decided to become a vegetarian. In the UK, in the 80s, it wasn't common, and for most people, I was a nuisance. They didn't understand and they felt uncomfortabl giving me just the roast potatoes from the "roast dinner". Here in Japan, the influx of Asian and Western vegetarians and vegans is helping to shape the restaurant landscape. In Koyasan, most people didn't know what a "vegan" was just 5 years ago, but now there are a few places here offering specific "vegan" or "vegetarian" lunches. It is a significant change driven by commerce and hungry, young vegetarians. :-)