October 7, 2024
KYOTO – Muslim tourists are flocking to a newly opened building in Kyoto’s Shijo-Kawaramachi district that specializes in halal food.
The four-story building is a comfort to Muslims, who tend to have trouble finding restaurants in Japan where they can eat.
Honolu Grande Kyoto is growing in popularity thanks to posts on social media about its halal-compliant versions of popular Japanese dishes, including ramen, beef sukiyaki rice bowls and beef cutlets. The building is also equipped with a prayer room.
During lunchtime, families from Southeast Asia and elsewhere are seen taking photos of the dishes while chatting.
Mohamad Fitri Bin Hashim said he was happy he could eat Japanese wagyu beef during a visit with his family from Singapore.
The 58-year-old said he hoped there would be more restaurants that Muslims could eat at without making a reservation.
Front entrance of the building. PHOTO: THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN
Halal means “permitted” in Arabic. Halal food does not include pork or alcohol, and even chicken and beef must be prepared in accordance with the precepts. Many Japanese dishes are taboo because soy sauce and mirin often contain alcohol.
The building is run by Assetfrontier Co., a Tokyo-based operator of halal-compliant restaurants. The firm’s dashi for ramen is made from familiar ingredients such as kombu, shiitake and bonito flakes. The soy sauce, mirin-style seasoning and beef come from Japan and abroad and have been certified as halal.
An item among its halal-compliant ramen dishes costs over ¥4,000 but is very popular.
“I hope that the presence of this building will make people feel that the Japanese welcome Muslims,” said Satoshi Shimasue, chief executive officer of Assetfrontier.
A prayer room inside Honolu Grande Kyoto. PHOTO: THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, a record 1 million tourists visited Japan last year from Indonesia and other countries with large Muslim populations.
The Kyoto City Tourism Association estimates that about 330,000 tourists from Southeast Asia and the Middle East stayed in the city’s accommodation facilities from January to July this year.
Ryotei traditional Japanese restaurants also provide halal-certified food. Kyoto Arashiyama Yosiya offers traditional washoku Japanese cuisine in addition to halal shabu-shabu set meals and curry with cutlets. The ingredients, the dishes and the kitchen are all halal compliant. The restaurant received certification in 2016.
Halal-compliant ramen with fried chicken. PHOTO: THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN
Hasna Aushafina Nabilah of Indonesia said she is proud to work at Yosiya.
“I’m so happy to see people from my home country enjoying their meals,” the 26-year-old said.
Despite a rapidly growing number of Muslim tourists to Japan, few restaurants offer halal food.
According to the Kyoto Council for Sharia and Halal Affairs, there have been only about 20 restaurants in the city that the council granted halal certification. Many of them closed after the pandemic.
It is not easy to manage halal food as a business, the council says, because it costs a lot to procure ingredients and restaurants have to follow a separate cooking process, which must be done in a limited kitchen space.
“Ideally, more restaurants will take steps that help Muslims enjoy meals without worries by, for example, displaying what ingredients are used for their dishes.”
Halal-compliant dishes offered at Kyoto Arashiyama Yoshiya in Kyoto. PHOTO: THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN