Amin Abbas

TOKYO: Shinjuku-Tei Akasaka is a Japanese restaurant that offers a delightful Japanese dining experience, serving an array of traditional dishes including halal sukiyaki, shabu shabu, Yakiniku, ramen, and more. The restaurant prides itself on using halal-certified A5 Wagyu beef from Shiretoko, known for its exceptional taste and quality.

“Originally, I was running a Japanese restaurant for Japanese people. However, when I went out to eat with my Muslim friends, there were not many choices of Japanese restaurants,” Keito Tanaka, PR manager of the restaurant, told Arab News Japan. “Even in halal restaurants, some of the products were not halal, and my Muslim friends were troubled because there was no place for them to pray. So, I decided to open a 100% halal Japanese restaurant by myself, hoping that my Muslim friends would enjoy the experience of eating at a 100% halal restaurant.”

“The concept is to provide the most memorable experience when you come to Japan. I believe this can only be achieved by providing not only the taste and appearance of the food but also the spirit that Japanese people cherish, such as hospitality and respect for harmony,” she added.

About the challenges for opening the restaurant, Tanaka said: “Gathering the funds to open the restaurant, finding halal ingredients for Japanese food, recreating traditional Japanese flavors using only halal ingredients, gathering colleagues to work with, etc. It was a lot of hard work, but I’m thrilled that we were able to open a restaurant that everyone has said was wonderful.”

Tanaka mentioned that the response and feedback from the customers have been positive, especially from Muslim tourists.

The PR manager mentioned that the restaurant is planning to expand to tourist destinations throughout Japan. “(Also, we want to) promote the establishment of prayer rooms and make the world a place where people do not have to worry about where to pray.”