If you are looking for Halal food in Japan, the Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant in Tokyo is a highly recommended place to savour traditional Japanese Ramen. During a quick trip to Tokyo in February 2017, I was introduced to this small and exciting Muslim-friendly restaurant in the Asakusa district. Halal Japanese Ramen was quite similar to traditional Ramen noodles.

Update: This Halal Japanese Restaurant has closed permanently since the COVID-19 pandemic on my last visit to Tokyo in 2022.

Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo

Muslim travellers can now experience traditional Japanese food at Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant, located near the famous Asakusa Senso-Ji Temple. This makes finding the restaurant easier, and if you come in from the temple’s main entrance, head in and exit through the west gate.

For your information, Asakusa is also the birthplace of traditional Ramen in Tokyo, so you are in the best place to try it.

I will get straight to the point about the food—it is fantastic! I managed to speak to the owner, who is also the chef, and he told me that the entire menu selection is provided without any use of pork or alcohol and is certified 100% Halal.

Aromatic broiled Halal chicken is used as a substitute for roasted pork fillet, and tasting the Halal Ramen, it was almost hard to tell the difference. Trust me, I have also tasted the general Ramen from other places around Tokyo.

To order, you slide the door open, go in and order from the staff, who are Muslims but from Asian countries. So they speak Japanese and English but not Malay.

In 2016, there was an ordering vending machine outside Naritaya Halal Ramen. You placed your order through the machine, paid for it, and received a coupon. It was no longer available when I was there in mid-February 2017.

The Naritaya Chef’s Story

This Halal Japanese restaurant has been in operation since 2015, and the owner previously ran another Japanese restaurant for the last ten years. When I asked him why he decided to venture into Halal Japanese food, he told me that his old restaurant had had a bad time during the last tsunami and earthquake in Japan.

In 2015, he decided to enter the Muslim market by opening a Halal restaurant serving traditional Japanese food. This was also due to the sudden trend in Muslim travellers visiting Tokyo since 2015. Business has been perfect till today as this is one of the most popular Halal Japanese Restaurants in Asakusa.

According to the chef, there are about seven other Halal restaurants in the Asakusa area. Naritaya is also part of a group of Halal restaurants in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Recommended Halal Food at Naritaya Restaurant

The Special Ramen (1200 Yen) is the most popular dish here, but several other house specialities exist to try. One is the deep-fried chicken or Karage (300 Yen), which is quite good. My friends ordered the Beef Bowl (1000 Yen), which was equally tasty.

Another ordered the highly recommended Pokok Pisang Abura Soba (1000 Yen), which tasted very nice. Generally, the soba and ramen noodles they use are quality, complementing the broth and other ingredients. However, we had to eat and move to our next destination due to time constraints, so I could only order a few dishes.

As I was leaving, I saw a group of Muslim travellers at the following table, where they ordered many Japanese dishes. A couple of them stood out, which were the traditional Gyoza (300 Yen), Gorogoro Beef Ramen (1200 Yen) and Mazesoba (700 Yen).

On the menu of Naritaya Halal Restaurant in Asakusa, you will be in for a treat as they offer several Halal Japanese dishes. While 99% of them are Japanese, you will surely be in for a shock as they also serve Naritaka Hainanese Chicken Rice, which is Halal.

But seriously… Hainanese Chicken Rice? Sometimes Malaysians or Singaporeans miss home food when they travel, so you can still indulge in this. I was expecting a Nasi Lemak dish, but Chicken Rice wasn’t.

Reality Check

I will be straightforward and honest here. Please take your time and order everything on the menu. The portions are very decent, as the Halal food comes in small, medium and large sizes.

I say this because of the prices. As a Malaysian, you should know that 1000 Yen is now RM33.00, and when you overdo your order, your bill can easily reach hundreds of Ringgit. So, if you are on a budget, please choose wisely, and if you are out to splurge, then enjoy yourself.

Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant Address
Address: Japan, 〒111-0032 Tokyo, Taito, Asakusa, 2 Chome -2-7-1 3
Hours: 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM
Phone: +81 3 4285 9806

Update: This Halal Japanese Restaurant has closed permanently since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The famous Asakusa Senso-Ji Temple is the nearest landmark, just a minute’s walk from the West Gate. Another landmark is the Hanayoshiki Theme Park, Japan’s oldest theme park.

The restaurant is also the second last stall heading towards the temple. Opposite, there is a well-known ice cream and dessert corner shop. So all you need to do is look out for the small sign and the A-board outside.

For your added information, Japan Airlines offers Halal-certified in-flight meals, and you can request them on your trip to Japan. I found this out as my meal was a Halal in-flight meal en route to Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur.

Update: This Halal Japanese Restaurant has closed permanently since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

For Muslim travellers heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend using the Tokyo Metro day pass as it is much cheaper than buying individual subway tickets for each stop. You can buy them from the Tourist Counter of Tokyo Metro at selected stations.

Most sightseeing involves moving from area to area, and using the Tokyo Metro is the best way. To visit Naritaya Halal Ramen Restaurant in Tokyo, you must take the Asakusa Line, a ten-minute easy walk from the station.