Life as a Muslim Student in Japan - The Eternal Search for Halal Japanese Food

Japan is a great country for pursuing education and day by day it is becoming more and more Muslim-friendly even though it’s still a long shot. The past two years have been a bitter-sweet experience for me as an international student here in Japan who has very limited Japanese skills. Aside from the struggle to find Halal food and missing my native vegetables, what I really liked was the fast transportation, safe and secure society and the green nature. In this blog, I will showcase 3 different aspects of a Muslim university student’s life in Japan!

Nearest Mosque: One Train and Bus Ride Away

According to 2016 statistics, there are around 120,000 foreign Muslims and 10,000 Japanese Muslims living in Japan. Japan has more than 80 mosques and a lot of Musallas spreaded around the country but most of them are based in city centers. It is hard to find a nearby mosque outside city centers. For example, my nearest mosque is a half an hour bus and train ride away from where I live. But there is reason to be hopeful; Musallas are being made by Muslim people in their communities, even if they are only seen in areas with a large Muslim population. Prayer spaces can also be found in shopping malls, stations in cities but are not that common in rural areas.

On the search for Halal Food

The majority of my Halal groceries are purchased from a neighboring Nepali or Pakistani Halal supermarket. In Japanese stores and supermarkets, halal-certifiedcertified products are hard to come by. The most frustrating aspect is not being able to eat several popular Japanese dishes such as Ramen, Chips, and Snacks. Most potato chips and Ramen contain pork, so read the ingredients list carefully before purchasing. Supermarkets like Belc have begun to sell Halal Brazilian Chicken meat at a few of their locations; maybe, other retailers will fall into line. However, currently, most international universities' cafeterias serve Halal cuisine, which is a bonus.

Japanese Muslims

I have a strong desire to meet native Japanese Muslims on occasion. Except for the one time when I went to a wedding of a senpai who married a converted Japanese girl, I have yet to encounter any Japanese Muslims in my two years in Japan. What I liked best about the wedding was how gracious the girl's family was! The majority of Japanese people are quite friendly and considerate. They are constantly interested in learning more about other people's religions!

What was a great help in settling down as a Muslim student in Japan was Halal Food in Japan! Their website gave me all the information I needed to find my nearby Halal restaurants, grocery shops and mosques! They also had blogs and features about Muslim lifestyle in Japan which was a great help!

Visit www.halalfoodinjapan.com to learn more today!