Halal Food in Japan: Your Ultimate Guide to Muslim-Friendly Cuisine

As Muslims, have you ever been troubled by looking for Halal food when visiting Japan?

Japan is renowned for its diverse culinary culture, ranging from rich ramen and delicious sushi to exquisite kaiseki cuisine and mouthwatering grilled meat. However, for Muslim tourists, this culinary paradise also has some challenges. Some traditional Japanese dishes contain non-Halal ingredients such as pork and alcohol.

However, this does not mean you have to give up exploring Japan's cuisine, as Japan now boasts increasingly comprehensive Halal amenities and Halal dining options. Travelers who eat Halal can definitely enjoy a reassuring food trip in Japan.

Discover Japan's top Halal food destinations, certified restaurants, and practical tips for Muslim travelers. Explore Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and more with our expert guide to authentic Halal cuisine in Japan.

Is It Easy to Find Halal Food in Japan?

It is certainly possible to find Halal restaurants or food in Japan. In major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, this is not difficult. The number of Halal-certified and Muslim-friendly restaurants in urban areas is increasing, and some restaurants are even owned by Muslims, though they may not have an official Halal certification. Near the local mosque, there might be grocery shops selling Halal food, such as the Halal Market at Tokyo Camii mosque.

However, in rural areas and small towns, Halal options are relatively limited and may even be impossible to find. But this doesn't mean you can only travel in big cities. You need to make preparations in advance, such as looking up and booking Halal restaurants in advance, eating vegan/vegetarian food, or bringing your own Halal food.

How to Find Halal Food in Japan: A Practical Strategy

As a non Muslim country, Japan does not always offer Halal food. Moreover, some processed foods are difficult to recognize whether they are Halal immediately. This may make it difficult for Muslim travelers to enjoy Japanese food with peace of mind. The good news is that with the right tools and knowledge, you can also enjoy a variety of delicious meals. Here are some important tips for Muslims to choose Halal food in Japan when traveling.

Look for Official Halal Certification

When you have strict requirements for your diet, the most reliable and hassle-free way is to look for restaurants and foods that have official Halal certification from trusted Halal certification bodies, such as Nippon Asia Halal Association (NAHA), Japan Islamic Trust (JIT), Japan Halal Foundation (JHF), and Malaysia Halal Corporation (MHC). This means that the preparation, processing, and other stages of the food or product are all carried out under Islamic law.

How to identify Halal restaurants in Japan? For restaurants that meet Halal standards, they will prominently display logos or certificates near the entrance or beside the cashier. If you don't see any signs, you can ask the staff whether the restaurant and food have obtained Halal certification.

Essential Apps and Resources

In the era of smartphones, technology is your best travel companion. By utilizing specialized Halal apps and websites, you can easily find the latest list of Halal restaurants, mosques, prayer spaces, and grocery stores.

Halal Gourmet Japan: This app helps Muslims search for Halal and Muslim-friendly restaurants with detailed information in Japan. The scanning feature allows you to check the ingredients of food by scanning the product's barcode.

Halal Navi: An app that helps you to discover Halal or Halal-friendly restaurants, Halal food, mosques, prayer rooms, stores, supermarkets, and accommodations near you, with reviews from local Muslims.

Japan Muslim Guide: You can find information about Muslim-friendly restaurants, hotels, shops, mosques, and other prayer spaces in Japan.

Muslim Pro: This app provides information on prayer, including prayer times, Qibla direction, Halal spots, the Holy Quran, and other Islamic resources.

Halal Japan: It offers updated information on Halal dining and products. And you can use it to scan the barcode to check if the food is Halal.

Language Hacks

1. Essential Japanese words and phrases. Mastering several basic Japanese phrases can help you eliminate a large amount of food that is not Halal. Don't worry. Even if you are not fluent in Japanese, you can still communicate through simple words, body language, and translation tools. Most Japanese shop/restaurant staff will be very patient in offering help.

2. Check Ingredients. When purchasing products at a convenience store or supermarket, this is a great way to read the ingredient lists. Some food packages may have Halal certification marks, which enable you to make a confident choice. Look out for some foods containing gelatin, animal fats, or other haram ingredients. Ask the staff if you're not sure。

3. Use translation apps to scan menu and ingredient lists. Since most Japanese products are written in Japanese, this means it is difficult to determine whether the products are suitable for Muslims, so you need to use translation apps like Google Translate to translate them.

Dine at Muslim-Friendly Restaurants with Confidence

The cost and process of obtaining certification are complex, so many high-quality "Muslim-friendly" restaurants have not applied for Halal certification, but their food still meets Halal standards.

Some restaurants, although not having Halal certification, also avoid using pork and alcohol. If there is no certification, please ask the staff if the details of ingredients, seasonings, soup, and preparation process are Muslim-friendly.

Although some restaurants claim to be Halal-friendly or Muslim-friendly, you still need to be cautious, as they may offer alcohol.

8 Must-Try Halal Japanese Dishes

Many classic Japanese foods can be enjoyed in their Halal-certified versions. Halal food in Japan offers you the chance to indulge in Japanese flavor without violating your dietary restrictions as Muslims. Here are some kinds of Halal comfort food that you can look forward to.

Ramen

Ramen is one of the most popular of Japanese cuisine. Most traditional ramen is based on a rich pork broth, but this brings a challenge for Muslim diners. Fortunately, today you can find many Halal ramen shops that feature rich chicken or beef broth. In addition, some ramen shops also offer vegetarian and seafood ramen, which Muslims can enjoy.

Sushi and Sashimi

Sushi is made with vinegared rice and seafood, and sometimes it also includes vegetables. Sashimi is usually made from thinly sliced fish and seafood and is served as raw food.

Although most seafood is a safe choice, it is important to avoid seasonings or marinades containing mirin (a Japanese sweet rice wine) and dashi (Japanese soup stock) containing pork. Halal sushi and sashimi will replace these seasonings with Halal ingredients.

Wagyu Beef

Wagyu beef is renowned worldwide for its marbled meat, tenderness, and flavor, making it a luxurious dining experience. If you want to savor Halal meat in Japan, Beef is a safer choice. Some farms and restaurants in Japan offer Halal-certified wagyu. Halal wagyu beef is raised, produced, and slaughtered according to Islamic law.

Tempura

Tempura is a dish in which ingredients are coated with a thin batter and then fried until golden and crispy. The ingredients used are usually seafood and vegetables, which are relatively safe choices, but being careful is always a good idea for Muslim tourists.

Make sure that the frying oil being used does not contain animal fat or lard. The batter used for making tempura may contain mirin or sake. Tempura can be served with tentsuyu, a traditional Japanese tempura dipping sauce, which usually contains mirin that Muslims need to avoid.

Japanese Curry (Kare Raisu)

Japanese curry features its thick and rich texture, usually served with rice. Although Japanese curry is popular among tourists, it is not always Halal. It may include ingredients that do not meet Halal standards, such as chicken or beef stock and pork lard.

If you want to enjoy Japanese curry without any worries, restaurants offering Halal Japanese curry are the best, like Halal-certified CURRY HOUSE CoCo ICHIBANYA in Tokyo's Akihabara and Shinjuku.

Soba

Soba is a popular noodle dish made from buckwheat flour and water. Soba is typically served with hot broth or cold dipping sauce. Be sure to check whether the broth and dipping sauce contain non-Halal ingredients, like mirin. Shinshu Sojibo in Tokyo's Odaiba provides Halal-certified soba noodles. All the food and seasonings served in this restaurant are prepared according to Halal standards, including dishes without mirin and soy sauce containing alcohol.

Yakitori

Yakitori, also known as Japanese skewered chicken, refers to a delicious dish where chicken, vegetables, and other ingredients are skewered on bamboo sticks and then grilled. Taking a bite of the tender and juicy grilled skewers is an excellent way to experience the culture of Japanese izakayas and street food.

Some yakitori skewers are made of pork, which is forbidden in Islam. And the marinade and sauces may contain alcohol. It is important to check carefully if it is alcohol-free or Halal-certified.

Karaage

Karaage is Japanese fried chicken. Usually, chicken pieces are marinated with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, etc., and then coated with a thin layer of potato starch or corn starch and fried until crispy. When making Karaage, Halal restaurants ensure that the marinade and batter do not contain any non-Halal ingredients. And use specialized fryers to ensure that you can enjoy authentic and reassuring Japanese fried chicken. Some marinade ingredients of Karaage may contain mirin or sake.

Top Cities for Halal Food in Japan

The major cities in Japan not only attract tourists from all over the world with their unique culture and scenery, but also have increasingly improved Halal dining facilities. From the international choices in Tokyo to the street food in Osaka and the exquisite cuisine in Kyoto, Muslim travelers can easily find delicacies that are allowed by the Islamic dietary laws in these cities.

Tokyo: The Halal Capital

As the capital of Japan, Tokyo has the most concentrated and diverse Muslim dining choices in the country, from high-end Wagyu beef to street food.

Must-Visit Halal Restaurants in Tokyo

Yakiniku Panga has obtained the Halal certification and operates as a Halal Wagyu restaurant. Yakiniku Panga selects flavorful A5-grade Wagyu beef.

Gyumon is also a Halal-certified Wagyu Yakiniku restaurant in the Shibuya district, offering the finest A5-grade Halal Wagyu beef. Gyumon Halal Ramen Asakusa is another Halal restaurant of the Gyumon Group, where you can enjoy Halal ramen. These two restaurants both set up a prayer room.

Halal Ramen Honolu specializes in Halal-certified ramen, featuring rich Chicken-based broth. It also offers a prayer space for Muslims.

Ayam-YA (Okachimachi) is one of the Halal restaurants in Japan, offering Halal-certified ramen and chicken karaage. Ayam-ya is close to As-Salaam Masjid and features a prayer room.

Sushi Ken, the first Halal sushi restaurant located in Asakusa, provides authentic, Halal sushi prepared with fresh ingredients. All of the seasoning and meat is Halal. There is a small prayer room on the second floor of the Sushi Ken restaurant.

Coco Ichibanya (CoCoICHI) serves Halal-certified Japanese curry with various delicious toppings. You can customize your own Japanese-style curry rice.

Halal Convenience Stores

Famous Halal convenience store chains, such as 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart, offer a lot of Halal-certified items, like snacks, bentos, and beverages.

Osaka: Street Food Paradise

Osaka is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and mouthwatering street food, and is known as "Japan's kitchen". Here, you can also find Halal cuisine that blends with local flavors, especially in the bustling Dotonbori area.

Dotonbori's Halal Gems

Matsuri sells various Halal food, such as takoyaki (a ball-shaped Japanese octopus snack), okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake), ramen, curry, and more. It's not a Halal-certified restaurant and serves alcohol. There is a prayer space.

Ali's Kitchen Halal restaurant offers authentic cuisine of Pakistani, Arabian, and Japanese flavors.

Ajikitcho Horie is a Muslim-friendly and Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant, offering pork-free dishes and using Halal ingredients and cooking methods.

Kyoto: Temples and Halal Cuisine

Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan, known for its peaceful temples, traditional streets, and exquisite kaiseki cuisine.

Vegetarian Kaiseki and Halal Sushi

Ganko Sushi offers a Halal-certified menu, including Halal sushi kaiseki. All the dishes are safe for Muslims to eat.

Ayam-YA, just like the similarly-named ramen shop in Tokyo, serves Halal-certified Japanese-style chicken ramen. Ayam-YA has a prayer room.

Honke Tankuma Honten is a Muslim-friendly restaurant, offering a Michelin-starred kaiseki experience. But it should be noted that alcohol is served in the restaurant.

Essential Resources for Muslim Travelers in Japan

Prayer Spaces and Accommodation

Muslim-friendly facilities in Japan are considerate in service details, and many public places have set up prayer spaces.

Major airports: Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Narita Airport, Osaka's Kansai International Airport, and Sapporo's New Chitose Airport. Some have the prayer accessory and separate prayer rooms for men and women.

Train stations: Tokyo Station, Osaka Station.

Mosques: Tokyo Camii, As-Salaam Masjid (Tokyo), Osaka Mosque, Kyoto Mosque, Kobe Muslim Mosque.

Shopping malls: Hankyu Umeda Main Store (Osaka), Matsuya Ginza department store (Tokyo), Shibuya Parco (Tokyo).

Restaurants: Gyumon, Ninja Yakiniku, Matsuri, Ayam-YA.

Hotels: Some Halal-friendly hotels offer prayer items and Halal or Muslim-friendly menus, such as Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, Palace Hotel Tokyo, Kyoto Century Hotel, and Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka.

Seasonal Halal Experiences

The charm of traveling lies in experiencing the local culture in depth. In Japan, you don't have to miss out on those unique activities and experiences due to dietary restrictions.

Sushi-making classes: In cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, you can now find sushi-making courses led by Halal-certified chefs. You will learn how to handle fresh fish with Halal ingredients and make perfect sushi by hand.

Local festivals: There are many festivals, like Gion Matsuri, Takayama Matsuri, and Hanabi events (Japanese firework festivals), that Muslims can enjoy like locals. There are some Halal street food options, including takoyaki, yakitori, taiyaki, and tempura.

The snacks offered at the food stalls during the festival are quite attractive, but some of them may not be Halal. Ask the vendor whether the food is certified as Halal. You can also bring your own Halal snacks or bento.

Pack Halal Snacks

If you travel to rural areas or small cities in Japan, there will be many fewer options for Halal cuisine compared to big cities. Preparing and carrying Halal snacks in advance can be very helpful. Before departure, you can purchase Halal food from major cities, such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

FAQs about Japan Family Trips

1. Does Japan have Halal food?

Yes. In major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, there are an increasing number of Halal-certified or Halal-friendly restaurants. Supermarkets, convenience stores, and grocery stores also offer some Halal products.

2. How to check Halal food in Japan?

Look for a Halal certification logo, use Halal apps and websites to check, read Japanese ingredient labels, and ask the staff for help.

3. How to ask for Halal food in Japan?

Communicate using some simple phrases, like Haral menyū wa arimasu ka (Do you have a Halal menu?) or Harāru no tabemono wa arimasu ka? (Do you have Halal food?).

4. Are major fast-food chains like McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut in Japan Halal?

No, they aren't Halal-certified food in Japan.

5. What Japanese snacks are Halal?

Many Japanese snacks can be Halal and Muslim-friendly, such as Mochi daifuku, fried rice crackers, and baked Yatsuhashi.

6. Can I find Halal meat in supermarkets?

Yes. Supermarkets like Gyomu Super, Roger, and Aeon offer Halal meat in Japan.

Plan Your Japan Trip with Hi Five Trip

Satisfying a Halal diet in a foreign country can be overwhelming, but it's not a must. Traveling with Hi Five Trip, we create a seamless and stress-free Japan tour for Muslim travelers. We understand your needs, from finding Halal restaurants and prayer spaces to arranging Muslim-friendly accommodations, and designing itineraries that you will enjoy.