Finding halal foods in Japan

It may be ironic that living here in Japan, one of the least ethnically diverse countries in the world, I find myself living in the most international environment of my life. With an English-language graduate university located in my small Niigata town, we are blessed with residents hailing from Tanzania to Thailand, South Africa to Sri Lanka and more. My family all adore the melting pot of cultures we get to appreciate, and with that comes a great deal of learning about different customs and traditions, too. 

Many students at the international university follow the Muslim faith, which means that they are required to eat halal (translating to "permissible" in English) foods. Certain foods are forbidden (such as pork and alcohol products) and others require special preparation to meet these halal requirements.

I asked several of the Muslim students studying at the international university about their successes and difficulties in finding halal foods in Japan, and here is what they had to say:

"I wanted to study in Japan for a very long time, but didn't know how easy it would be to find foods I am able to eat. Some places are easier than others, but as long as I have some plans in advance it has been okay. I've even found some places that serve halal ramen!"

Female, mid 20's, from Indonesia

"Cupid (a local supermarket in Urasa) is where I do most of my grocery shopping, since they have a halal section and everything is labeled clearly. At other supermarkets it's not always so easy, since I don't speak or read Japanese. The cafe on campus is good, since most of the meals served are halal, but going out for a meal can sometimes be difficult unless I have a Japanese speaking friend with me."

Male, early 30's, from Uzbekistan

"Sometimes it can feel hard living here, since haram (non-halal) foods are common in Japanese cuisine. Pork is maybe the most popular meat in Japan, and Muslims can't eat it. It's not just pork though, we have to be aware of things like mirin (rice wine) which is usually an ingredient in things like sushi rice. Depending on where I visit in Japan, it's not always easy to find restaurants to eat at."

Male, late 20's, from Kyrgyzstan

Slowly, awareness of dietary requirements and restrictions, such as vegetarianism, veganism, gluten-free (celiac), and halal, has been increasing in Japan. In saying that, what options do you have if you follow a halal diet and you're moving to Japan? Here are some tips on how to find halal foods in Japan, without the stress.

International Supermarkets

Often a first port of call for expats when they move to Japan, international supermarkets can be much easier to navigate than your run of the mill Japanese ones, because you'll find many familiar products and English labeling. In the instance of halal products, some even have a logo indicating they are "halal friendly," completely eliminating any guesswork.

Some imported foods in Japan already have the halal logo on them - it takes a great deal of stress out of finding suitable products.

Here in Urasa, one local supermarket frequented by the international student population has taken to labeling their halal product's price tags in green, like you can see below. They also have a halal product corner with a range of both local and international halal-friendly items.

International supermarkets are often helpful to easily locate halal foods in Japan. In Urasa, Niigata Prefecture, one local supermarket has taken the extra step of labeling the price tags of halal products in green. 

There is one potential downside to buying goods at international supermarkets in Japan: you can find yourself paying significantly more for certain products than what you may expect to pay back home, since many of them are imported.

Turning to technology: apps for halal foods in Japan

In the day and age of everyone having smartphones with them at all times, it's perhaps no surprise that apps have been created to help in many areas of life. That extends to halal eating, too! Head to the app store and start downloading these useful (and free!) resources:

Halal Gourmet Japan

Halal Gourmet Japan is a convenient app for finding halal-friendly eats across the country. The app allows users to filter by the prefecture they're in and the type of cuisine they're seeking. Halal Gourmet Japan lists over 700 venues across the country which are confirmed as halal friendly, and occasionally there are even discount coupons available in the app to save you some yen. As well as the list of restaurants, the app also outlines places that have prayer rooms on site.

Halal Navi

You could liken the Halal Navi app to the TripAdvisor of Halal restaurants. Users of the app are able to review restaurants they've eaten at (including photo uploads of the tasty dishes!) or verify which dishes are halal friendly. There is content in the app for Japan based halal eateries, alongside several other countries too.

Halal Navi allows users to rank their experiences at different halal restaurants across the country. Uploading photos is encouraged, too!

Osaka Muslim and Vegetarian app

For all you folks living or visiting the Kansai region, this app may be particularly useful for you to help you find halal foods in that part of Japan! The app has a host of halal food recommendations, which are easy to identify in the list format thanks to a handy icon system. It's worth downloading if you're a vegetarian, too.

A super easy to navigate icon system makes you immediately aware of what different Osaka-based restaurants cater to.

Specific halal restaurants

There are also a growing number of specific halal restaurants in Japan, including plenty of ramen places! One that this expat has personally tried is in Tokyo -- Shinjuku's Halal Ramen Ouka, a spot which also caters to vegetarians and vegans. The ramen here not only is delicious, but was also very aesthetically pleasing, with a host of colored vegetables used as garnishes. It's a popular spot, so if you visit during peak times there can be a wait - bear that in mind if you're super hungry!

Halal Ramen Ouka in Shinjuku, offers a fully halal friendly menu, with some options that also cater to vegetarian and vegan diners. The ramen pictured above that I enjoyed is vegan friendly, and extremely aesthetically pleasing!

Map details for Halal Ramen Ouka are below.

Honolu in Ebisu, Tokyo, is another halal ramen spot which comes highly recommended. The store is part of a chain, and their signature dish is a chicken ramen which comes topped with a soft boiled egg. There are various side dishes available at Honolu too, including halal gyoza which is packed full of chicken and tofu.

Map details for Honolu's Ebisu branch are below.

If you're in Osaka, Halal Media Japan actually produced a brochure which outlines a number of halal friendly dining spots across the city. You can find a PDF copy of the brochure at the link here.

If you are Muslim and living in Japan, what difficulties have you faced in finding halal foods in Japan? Do you have any restaurant recommendations or other helpful resources which have made your life in Japan easier? Please feel free to share them in the comments section below to help others!

Author: genkidesu