Travelers Want To Know—Where Can You Find Halal Food In Osaka Japan?

［Contents］

• In Search of Halal Japanese Food, I Arrived at Matsuri!
• What’s on the Menu?
• Lunch & An Unforgettable Experience
• Customer Service and Muslim-Friendly Dining

In Search of Halal Japanese Food, I Arrived at Matsuri!

Before the pandemic, when I used to dine out a lot, I wanted to explore some of Osaka’s Halal dining options. So I headed over to Noda Station for lunch at one of the city’s most reputable muslim-friendly restaurants, Matsuri. It was a quick 5-minute walk from the station and easy to find since it’s located on a major road, Hokko-dori.

What’s on the Menu?

Unsurprisingly, it was hard to choose from the extensive lunch menu. They serve everything from sashimi to okonomiyaki. And since this is Osaka, I did want to try one of the local specialties, so I settled on a large dish of kushikatsu (fried skewers). You could also order these as an appetizer for other dishes like the curry, yakiniku (grilled beef), or ramen.

The menu was easy to read, with English explanations and a separate menu for vegans and vegetarians. They offer vegetable substitutes and alternatives so all customers can enjoy real Japanese foods that meet their dietary needs.

After looking through the Halal menu, I noticed you can order Kobe beef that is actually Halal. I’m not sure how many restaurants serve Halal Kobe beef, but it’s definitely not something you see every day. And in case you’d like to see the slaughter certificate, to make sure, the staff are happy to show you that their beef is certified by the Islamic Center of Japan.

Lunch & An Unforgettable Experience

While I was dining, another table of customers ordered the takoyaki, and they were kind enough to let me take pictures of the process. First, the staff brings over a tray  of ingredients and explains how to pour the batter and fillings onto the grill. Then comes the fun part! You get to twirl your own takoyaki on a specialized plate at your table. It looks really fun! Now I know what to order next time!

Customer Service and Muslim-Friendly Dining

After my meal, I explored the restaurant a little more. There is a back room with tatami floors and low tables. This would be a great room to have a small party or reserve if you have small children in your group. There were colorful lanterns, fans, and festival clothing decorating the walls, making the room feel more festive. After all, the name of the restaurant, Matsuri, means “festival” in Japanese.

There was also a prayer room, with robes that can be borrowed. It’s so nice to see this restaurant making the extra effort to help people feel more comfortable during their trip to Japan.

The other nice thing about this restaurant was the small section of prepared foods and snacks available for sale. I think they understand how hard it is to find Halal food in Japan. What a great service for travelers!

Before I left, I took a minute to look through the comments from other travelers. The restaurant has a whole pile of notebooks full of hand-drawn pictures and notes that customers have left. You can really tell that the owners have put in a lot of time and effort to make muslims, vegetarians, and vegans feel welcome in Japan. And the colorful illustrations and shared memories recorded in these notebooks show how much Matsuri’s customers love this restaurant.