So, last month (WOW, I started this post on Halal Food in Japan only a month after we got back from Japan, abandoned it and now it has nearly been a year! I do apologize) M and I set off on our maiden voyage to the land of my dreams: Japan. It was a rollercoaster of a trip (we weren’t expecting to get caught in the middle of an earthquake in Osaka), but we definitely left large chunks of our hearts behind and can’t wait to go back. There’s a reason why Japan is on so many bucket lists. It’s the perfect mix of culture, history, heritage, modernism, technology and futuristic trends. It amazed us how in only an hour you could get from a bustling metropolitan city to serene tea valleys. Japan is the best of ALL worlds.

When we were planning our trip, we were fully aware of and prepared for the fact that our halal-conscious selves would only be able to eat a small fraction of Japans culinary brilliance, and lowered our expectations to the point of convincing ourselves that this would not be a foodcation, and that we would not make food the focal point of this trip (which is a huge ask from two people who love to eat). I mean, we knew that we could always eat sushi, but much to our delight, there were a lot more halal food options, and even pork-free/seafood only options than we had anticipated, and it should come as no surprise that most of the things we ate in Japan were pure and utter bliss and there was PLENTY of halal food in Japan.

I must admit that while a lot of blogs and vlogs promise that there is no bad food in Japan, I beg to differ. We actually had some quite underwhelming dishes from some very overhyped places, which were definite tourist traps. Dotonburi is a perfect example. That said, while not all the sushi/takoyaki/ramen/etc. we had in Japan was mind-blowing, we did have the best sushi/takoyaki/ramen/etc of our lives in Japan, so it really is a matter of where you eat from, which is easier said than done in the land that has so many restaurants that it has more Michelin stars that New York, Paris and London combined!

Here are some of the best things we had in Japan (all either halal food or simply seafood), and you should too!

• Tea! I know, this is kind of an obvious one but we have to talk about this. We’ve been to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan when it comes to Far Eastern countries, and Japan has been the only country where we found an abundance of good old, unsweetened, absolutely phenomenal tea. Singapore is more about Kopi, Malaysia most about Teh Tariq, Thailand all about Thai Milk Tea, but Japan is what’s heaven for all you tea lovers! From Oolong to Hojicha to Sencha to Matcha and many more, Japan is truly tea heaven! Do try to cook yourself an authentic Japanese tea ceremony experience.

• Matcha! This requires no explanation, as Japan is where matcha was born, as were the hundreds of matcha flavored desserts, sweets, ice-creams, drinks and even savory foods. You don’t have to look hard to find matcha flavored treats, but I do highly recommend the best and richest matcha gelato we’ve ever had, at Nanaya Gelato in Shibuya. If you’re new to matcha, start with Level 1, but we had the Level 7 and it was phenomenal! You can also find matcha powder, and matcha flavored chocolates here.

 

• Okonomiyaki: by far one of the best things we ate in Japan, and our only regret is not having more of it! I can’t remember for the life of me the name of the place where we had the (best) Okonomiyaki (ever), but it was in the alley to the very right of Tsutaya in Shibuya, if you have your back facing Tsutaya. Just a few steps in, you’ll see a sign prompting you to go upstairs for the most delicious Okonomiyaki.

• Tempura: There are a million places you can have tempura in Japan, but the one we tried and fell in love with was Tenya Tendon. You can find it anywhere, it’s cheap and its absolutely delicious. Read all about it here.

• Onigiri: one of the easiest things to find at every 7 Eleven and Family Mart. Beware though, as is the case with most convenience store food, the ones here aren’t that great. The best Onigiri we had was at a store specializing in onigiri, at the East exit of Ikebukuro station, called Bongo.

• Takoyaki: M’s favorite Japanese snack. He must’ve had 20 plates of these in the 2 weeks we were there, but interestingly enough, although this dish originates from Osaka, we enjoyed the versions we had in Tokyo far more. Perhaps because most of the places we tried in Osaka were tourist traps?

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• Ramen. I mean, this really should have been the first thing I mentioned, because how does one go to Japan and NOT have one of the biggest culinary marvels in this world? It’s NOT just soupy noodles, it’s science and an art to have the perfectly springy noodles, and smooth but rich broth that will feel like a hug from inside with every sip. Our favorite Halal Ramen spot in Tokyo with Shinjuku Gyoen Ramen Ouka. The best we had in Kyoto was Ayam Ya Karasuma. We always went for the spicier options, which are so perfect on a cold and rainy day!

• Baked goods. Fact: the Japanese do everything better, so why would baked good be any exception? Some of the bakeries sell extremely kawaii (cute) breads and buns, and you’ll find very unique flavors ranging from Azuki through matcha to sesame to katsu and so on. Just beware of one thing: in some places, even the apparently vegetarian buns have lard in them, so make sure you google translate and ask.

• Yuzu Ice-lollies, or any ice-llollies really, but when in Japan, why NOT have the best flavor of all?

• Wagashi. This is the broad term for most Japanese sweets, cookies and tea accompaniments.

• Dango. Imagine mochi balls on a stick. YUM.

• And last but not the least, to state the obvious: ALL the sushi. You could have the cheap conveyor belt sushi if you want, but remember that you get what you pay for. I’d suggest treating yourself to some of the best Japan has to offer, like Sushi Bar Yasuda.

Things the halal-conscious should be careful about:

• Unagi, while delicious and presumably just “seafood”, is actually nearly always glazed with a sauce that contains mirin. Mirin has alcohol and is therefore not halal.
• Lard is used quite often in baked goods, so it’s best to always ask before buying baked goods, whether they contain lard or not. In our experience, the Japanese people have always been so helpful, and they always took my Google-translated question so seriously that sometimes they dug up the detailed ingredient lists to check if there is any lard in my desired purchase or not.
• Gelatin: also far more common than you’d think, even in unexpected things like cookies and cheesecakes, sometimes.