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Samuraize: Japanese Muslim content creator promoting friendship between Japan and the Arab world

In 2023, Samuraize joined the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia to study Arabic. (Supplied)
In 2023, Samuraize joined the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia to study Arabic. (Supplied)
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14 Jan 2025 05:01:37 GMT9
14 Jan 2025 05:01:37 GMT9

Amin Abbas

DUBAI: Samuraize is a Japanese Muslim content creator with a commitment to promote friendship between Japan and the Arab world. He is skilled in branding and marketing Japanese products to the Arab market, leveraging his cultural understanding and market insights.

Samuraize shared exclusively with Arab News Japan his inspiration to become a content creator, saying, “I embraced Islam in 2020, and in 2022, I enrolled in an Islamic university in Indonesia, where I majored in Arabic and Islamic jurisprudence. Living in Indonesia was a truly joyful experience, as I was surrounded by a vibrant and supportive Muslim community.”

“After graduating, I returned to Japan and settled in the countryside. Unfortunately, I found myself isolated, with no Muslim community around. I prayed and fasted during Ramadan alone, and I deeply missed the companionship I had in Indonesia. This longing inspired me to share the challenges of life as a Japanese Muslim online in Arabic. That was the initial spark for my content creation journey. To my delight, I began receiving positive and encouraging comments from Arab viewers. Their support made me feel like I had Arab friends close by, even though I was living in rural Japan.”

“I started my content creation journey in May 2023. Within just one year, I garnered over one million followers and became the number one Japanese influencer among Arab audiences. This success is entirely thanks to the incredible support I received from my Arab viewers. The core concept of my content is to promote friendship between Japan and the Arab world. When I began exploring the Arab world, I noticed something significant: Arabs admire Japan but often lack accurate, authentic information about it. Meanwhile, Japanese perceptions of Arabs are often vague, revolving around oil or stereotypes. As someone who understands both cultures, I felt a responsibility to act as a bridge between them,” he added.

Samuraize studied Arabic during his studies in Indonesia at an Islamic university. “The rules were very strict,” he said. “We were forbidden from speaking Japanese or English and were required to communicate only in Arabic. At first, I didn’t know any Arabic vocabulary or grammar, so I couldn’t communicate with others.” 

“When teachers spoke to me in Arabic, I couldn’t understand them. I used Google Translate to interpret what they were saying and also to express myself. I’d type what I wanted to say, let the app translate it into Arabic, and read it out loud. The first six months were incredibly challenging, and I struggled a lot. Through relentless practice and dedication, I gradually became proficient in Arabic,” he added.

Moreover, in 2023, Samuraize joined the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia to study Arabic and Islamic studies. “When I first arrived in Madinah, I felt as if I had returned to my homeland. I have visited over 20 countries in my life, but this was the first time I experienced such a deep sense of belonging,” Samuraize said.

“Madinah’s tranquility and peacefulness made it a truly special place for me. I studied alongside Muslims from over 190 countries, which was an unforgettable experience. In Japan, I didn’t have a mosque near my home, so being able to visit the mosque daily and pray with my fellow Muslims was refreshing and heartwarming. Today, Madinah feels like my second home,” he added.

Regarding his upcoming projects in the near future, Samuraize said, “I founded the ‘TOKYO ARABIAN CLUB’ which is a platform that connects Japanese entrepreneurs seeking opportunities in the Middle East with Arabs who are interested in Japan.”

“Every day, Japanese business people approach me, asking, ‘How can we start doing business in the Arab world?’ Leveraging my knowledge and experience in the Arab world, I created this platform to bridge the gap between Japan and the Arab region. So far, I have worked as a content creator to foster friendship between Japan and the Arab world through videos. Moving forward, I aim to strengthen this bond further through business ventures,” he added.

About his advice for those who want to learn Japanese language and culture, Samuraize said, “Learning Arabic has profoundly changed my worldview, my way of thinking, and the people I interact with. When you learn a new language, you gain the ability to connect with people from entirely different worlds. Language is the key that unlocks doors to new cultures. Even if you’re a beginner, I highly recommend speaking with native speakers of the language you’re learning. It will motivate you to improve faster and build meaningful connections.”

“I run courses through VIP Japanese Dojo, where all instructors are native Japanese speakers. Most of our students from the Middle East start as complete beginners. Within just three months, they can introduce themselves, have basic conversations, ask and answer questions, and describe their daily activities. Time passes quickly, so if you’ve decided to learn a language, start immediately. With consistent effort, you’ll accomplish more than you ever expected and feel grateful for having taken that first step,” he added.

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