“Is travel in Japan easy as a Muslim? Yes, it’s easy!”
Written by Rahmania Radjadi
Who doesn’t want to travel to Japan? Everybody does, right? Exploring unique cultures, meet friendly Japanese people, tasting their amazing culinary, see the Mt. Fuji, and tons of other great things to experience in Japan. It’s easy for non-Muslim people who travel to Japan and explore right away as soon as they arrived and walk their first steps in Japan. How about Muslim, is it easy to traveling to Japan as a Muslim? Yes, it’s easy!
Now, you are a Muslim and has the plan to travel to Japan in a couple months or couple weeks or even better in couple days. I have some great tips that are great for you to travel to Japan as a Muslim.
#1 Install an App for Smartphone That Could Help You Know the Prayer Times and Direction Toward Kaba
I know you are traveling but there is no excuse to left your prayer, right? Except if you are a Muslima and you are at “the time” of the month. Maybe for you, it’s a cheesy tips but trust me, many people forgot this little tips that is so important.
Why installing the app is important?
First, maybe you are in a way different timezone during your visit to Japan. Second, It’s always good to have something that remains you the Prayer times, even if it just a Smartphone app.
#2 Know the Food That You Want to Eat is Allowed to Consume based on Islamic Law
We know that Muslim is a minority in Japan. It has an only small percentage of Muslim citizen, so halal food is not much or not that easy to found which you have to come to certain places to get the halal food. So, it is important for you as a Muslim to know if the food you want is permissible to eat.
Remember that the food you want to try is not contained any ingredients that are not permissible by the Islamic Law. Not only pork related products but also food that contained drink or vinegar that is not allowed by Islamic Law.
It’s proven from the Prophet Muhammad (Peace of Allah be upon him)that is forbidden to turn khamr or any drink that could cause intoxication into vinegar. As narrated by Muslim (1983) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about wine that is made into vinegar. He said: “No.”
It is important to ask the seller of the food first about the food, based on my own experiences since I living in Japan, most of the people I ask in restaurants are very helpful and happily answered my question about the ingredients.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Halal Media Japan.
