Halal food in Tokyo: where to eat, pray and shop

How halal certification works in Japan

Several private organisations certify restaurants and products in Japan, including the Japan Halal Association and the Japan Muslim Association. You'll see two kinds of places:

• Halal-certified: the kitchen, ingredients and meat supply have been checked by a certifier. Ask to see the certificate and check what it covers, since some cover only certain dishes.
• Muslim-friendly: no pork and usually no alcohol on the menu, but not independently certified. Many travellers are comfortable with these; others aren't, so decide what works for you.
• Hidden ingredients to ask about: mirin and sake (rice wines used in many sauces), pork extract or lard in ramen broths and curry roux, and gelatin in desserts.

The best neighbourhoods for halal food

• Shin-Okubo: Tokyo's biggest cluster of halal restaurants and grocers, around the streets near Shin-Okubo Station, often called "Islam Yokocho". Expect Turkish, Uyghur, South Asian and Middle Eastern food, plus halal meat and snacks to take away.
• Asakusa: close to Senso-ji Temple, with halal-certified ramen at Naritaya and several Muslim-friendly restaurants, plus a small mosque nearby.
• Ueno and Okachimachi: Ayam-Ya in Shin-Okachimachi serves halal chicken ramen, a short walk from Ueno and Asakusa.
• Shibuya: Gyumon serves halal-certified wagyu yakiniku (grill-your-own beef), one of the few places to try halal Japanese beef.
• Across the city: the Shinjukutei ramen chain describes its ingredients and kitchen equipment as halal-certified, with branches in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Ginza and Asakusa.

Where to pray

• Tokyo Camii in Yoyogi-Uehara is Japan's largest mosque, with Friday prayers and a beautiful Ottoman-style interior. It's a short ride from Shibuya and Shinjuku, and visitors are welcome outside prayer times.
• Airports: both Haneda and Narita have prayer rooms, so you can pray on arrival or before your flight home.
• Shopping centres and stations: some large malls and department stores, such as Takashimaya Times Square in Shinjuku, have prayer rooms. A qibla or prayer-times app helps you find the direction and the nearest space.

Convenience stores, snacks and self-catering

• Don't assume a convenience-store item is halal because it's vegetarian or pork-free; mirin, sake and animal extracts are common. Read the label, or use a translation app's camera to check ingredients.
• Halal grocers in Shin-Okubo sell certified meat, instant noodles and snacks, which are useful if you're staying somewhere with a kitchen.
• Fruit, plain rice balls with simple fillings, and packaged snacks with a halal mark are the easiest grab-and-go options, but check each label.

Getting around and saving money

• Use a Suica or Pasmo card (or the mobile versions) for trains and buses. If you're riding a lot, the Tokyo Subway Ticket gives unlimited Tokyo Metro and Toei subway rides for ¥1,000 (24 hours), ¥1,500 (48 hours) or ¥2,000 (72 hours).
• Lunch sets are usually much cheaper than dinner at the same restaurant, and many halal places offer them.
• During Ramadan, check restaurant hours, since some close between lunch and dinner service, which may not line up with iftar.
• Canadians can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days. Fill in Visit Japan Web before you fly to speed up immigration and customs.