This article was published on November 2016
It’s not easy to find a halal meal restaurant in Japan as most Japanese people are not familiar with a halal food, however, I know one place I bet you can have a delicious halal meal at an affordable price. That is actually University cafeteria. Nowadays, Muslim exchange students are more and more increasing. University changes according to the circumstance, a food service as well.
On this article, let me share the information of Halal meat at University in Japan.
https://flic.kr/p/5XrjV8
Most national universities have a partnership with “National federation of university Co-operative associations” (CO-OP) which tried offering halal meal at university cafeteria. Most organizations are bothered with a strict standard of halal meal and gave up to offer. Nevertheless, CO-OP dealt with the problem, and finally, they could pass an inspection and receive authorization from religious corporation “Japan Islamic Trust” two decades ago.
Thanks to the CO-OP’s effort, Muslim students became able to have a lunch with a friend without caring difference in religion.
(Japan Islamic Trust is doing an activity to spread understandings of Muslim.)
Homepage / Japan Islamic Trust / http://www.islam.or.jp/en/
https://flic.kr/p/dCGeHE
In Japan, anybody can enter university campus freely, therefore, you can use a school cafeteria even if you’re not a university student. All meals are affordable and delicious, so it is worth going to University cafeteria even though the aim is not for halal food.
25 National University cafeterias, including Tokyo University, Kyoto University, offer a halal meal now. The number will increase more and more. Before visiting, you should check the opening hours. You can check it out on below site,
→ http://www.univcoop.or.jp/service/food/halal.html
→ http://www.univcoop.or.jp/en/index.html
Kyoto University started offering Halal meal in 2005. Halal kebab is popular not only with Muslim students but also with other students. So, having a halal food section promotes better understanding of culture difference, especially for Japanese people who are almost an atheist.
Saitama University cafeteria, located in Saitama prefecture, Saitama city, opened halal food section in 2014, moreover, they are planning to provide halal lunch box. In fact, this movement started from an advice that one Muslim exchange student offered to cafeteria. Sophia university in Tokyo already started selling Lunch box (350~500 yen). In Tokyo University campus, on Fridays, after the Jumuah prayer you can see many Muslim students gather in the cafeteria and have a halal meal while chit chatting.
Besides these cases, Muslims have a great effect on Japan food industry.
If you are curious about cafeteria’s halal meal, by all means, you should visit!
National federation of university Co-operative associations
http://www.univcoop.or.jp/en/index.html
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