The Muslim Traveller’s Guide to Japan

The Muslim Traveller’s Guide to Japan. For Muslims visiting Japan, and those interested in culture, art, nature and spirituality, Yasmine Ahmed-Lea provides an alternative guide for TOKYO, KOBE and KYOTO.

As a child, I grew up watching Studio Ghibli and Akira Kurasawa movies and loved manga and anime. My siblings played Japanese games on Japanese games consoles constantly, and I obsessed over those cute Japanese treats in the oriental supermarket. But mostly, I’ve always been drawn to the simplicity of Japanese living, art and culture. Actually visiting Japan, something I had wanted to do since childhood, felt like a distant dream, until a year ago when, on a whim, I finally booked a ticket to Tokyo.

Fortunately for me, I had friends there who spoke the language and could put me up for a few days of my trip, but if you’re thinking of heading to the overwhelming sensory explosion that is Nippon, and don’t know where to begin, here is my go-to guide, featuring Tokyo, Kobe and Kyoto, for the ‘alternative’ traveller, centred around culture, art, nature and spirituality.

P.S. Don’t miss the advice section at the end!

Tokyo

There is SO much to do in Tokyo that you could easily spend your whole trip there alone and not run out of things to see. If I had the time I would have stayed longer, but nevertheless, here are my personal highlights.

Harajuku

Tokyo is split into 23 special districts or wards, each with its own unique flavour or point of interest. The first place I hit was Harajuku, a district in Shibuya. Shibuya is considered the main meet-up square- you’ve probably seen it on TV- a huge crossing full of billboards and lights. I walked down the super busy high street; it was a cool night and there were literally people everywhere. The difference here, however, compared to most other busy cities, was that the people are hyper organised and polite, which meant that no one bumped into me, everyone let me walk past them with ease, and none of the merchants hounded me from their stalls to buy something- in other words, paradise.

Tokyo was starting to look just as I had seen it in the movies. Big flashy signs everywhere, people with green hair and gogo boots; cosplay girls dressed up in every cultural reference you can think of; cool rockabilly guys, the crowd of dancers I saw walking past the park, dancing to street hip-hop- it was all a feast for the senses.

In Harajuku I checked out some of many vintage and thrift stores available in this trendy part of town, and my mind was exploding with the sheer number of dessert and food places there were to choose from. If I could describe Japan in terms of food, it’s an eclectic mix of super traditional mixed with constant new and upcoming flavours. I stopped in a shop that made biscuits and cookies shaped after different animals; the artistry was amazing. There was a queue out the door, though, to be fair, there were queues outside most doors.

Harajuku is definitely a place for young people, and most things here are geared towards them- from arcades to whole cafés dedicated to music and records. I happened to stumble across a really quirky Alice in Wonderland store, which had a tiny door you had to go through to enter. It was a whole store dedicated to everything Alice. Japan seems to be obsessed with this particular literary work, as well as Disney, so if those two things are up your street (as they are mine) I would highly recommend spending a bit of time admiring the sheer dedication they have put into making your fantasy experience completely authentic.

Food: We visited the Sad Cafe which was 80’s themed and super fun. It broadcasted ET whilst playing every Top of the Pops hit you could think of, and was littered with memorabilia- everything from Rocky figurines to Batman bobbleheads. The Japanese do well with their themes.

For dessert, we came across the most amazing crepe stand and ate while jamming to 50’s music. A section of Takeshita Street is actually dedicated to crepes, be sure to check it out!

Recommendation: Definitely check out Chicago Thrift Store in Harajuku where you can shop tax free. I hauled a ton of vintage kimonos from here and some cashmere scarves to take back with me.

I also recommend visiting an abandoned railway that we stumbled across. Its called Maache Ecute and is an intriguing, dimly lit underground passage, full of eclectic cafes, local designers’ boutiques and shops. It gives you a very different flavour of Tokyo. It was a welcomed peaceful stop, away from all the hustle and bustle of the day; a perfect end to the evening.

Akihabara

To honour my brother’s life-long obsession with arcades and video games, we decided to head to Akihabara, an area known for otaku culture and a shopping district for video games, anime and manga. Here we visited the Taito HEY Arcade Station. Though I wasn’t initially all that excited by the thought of going to an arcade, I ended up loving the experience. Arcades in Japan are actually really popular and a lot of people still come to play. Considering all the game technology available now in the comfort of our own homes, this surprised me a little. And it wasn’t just hyperactive teenagers killing time after school; the majority of players were suited and booted businessmen winding down after a long day at the office- replete with cigarettes and drinks (fear not for those who don’t like smoke- the places are so well ventilated that you don’t even notice).

We visited a few other arcades too, such as Club Sega, and Super Potato. I would recommend a visit to these purely for the fun of it, and to absorb this aspect of Japanese culture; everyone from the very young to the old visits these arcades. Grab a few arcade coins and play away, you’ll walk away happier!

Food: We ate at a place called Shinjuku Ramen, a halal, authentic ramen place- and just what I needed.

Meiji shrine

So Tokyo is great for all the jazzy super mega techno stuff we know and love it for, but it was also, surprisingly for me, a very serene and calm place to be. I headed to one of Tokyo’s largest spiritual centres, called the Meiji shrine. You can get a metro nearby and walk the rest of the way through the very beautiful Yoyogi park.

Luckily we visited during the harvest festival, so we were able to see families dressed in traditional kimonos while making offerings in the temple. It was beautiful and picturesque.

Before I entered the temple we had to do a ritual wash; a Japanese lady who noticed me in a headscarf explained that the washing was very much the same concept as wudu, the ritual wash that Muslims perform before praying. She explained that they use a wooden spoon to wash their face, arms and hands.

The shrine itself is dedicated the spirits of the Emperor Meiji and sits inside the middle of a forest. I think that’s one of the things that I loved about Japan, the fact that you can walk off a busy high street and get lost in a forest.

Much of Japan follows a traditional religion called Shinto-ism, although locals told me they dislike calling it a religion. It focuses on the worship of spirits, not just of ancestors, but of nature too. A lot of the focus is then on purification, which I found to be quite typical of Japanese culture. Visiting the temple, there is definitely a sense of peace and respect for human life, and also for the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Although I didn’t take part in the rituals offered at the temple (I was asked, and politely declined), it was beautiful to witness so many families coming together. Afterwards we walked over to the prayer boards, and each of us wrote down a prayer on these special wooden boards called Emas.

Tokyo Camii

As a Muslim traveller, it’s natural for me to try and find a mosque in whatever country I visit. Tokyo Camii is the biggest one in the city, located in the Shibuya district, and as its name suggests, is quite obviously built in Ottoman style. Interestingly it was built in 1938 by Tatar immigrants from Russia, and then renovated again for completion in 2000. It is a beautiful building. The Japanese Muslim community is a very small one, and is neither loud nor obvious in its presence; you could be standing right next to a fellow Muslim and not even know it. The mosque was fairly empty when we prayed there, though they do have a café and hold special events  for the public quite regularly. A poster to learn Arabic calligraphy particularly caught my eye.

UENO Park

On a day when things weren’t exactly going to plan, due to a terrifying series of tremors we experienced from an earthquake (terrifying for us, the Japanese guests in our whole hotel continued to happily eat breakfast, sitting calmly through the whole shake up), we decided to visit Ueno Park which also has a zoo and museum. Our original plan had been to visit Nagano, but we were forced to cancel due to the earthquake.

Ueno is in the district of Teito, and is home to absolutely beautiful cherry blossom trees that Japan is known for. We were visiting during autumn, so all of the leaves had turned into fiery reds, copper golds and sunburnt yellows- it was quite a sight to behold. The park is also home to some fantastic museums and galleries, and a zoo. I’m not usually a fan of zoos, but this was a conservation zoo that works to protect endangered species. Since our plans to see snow monkeys further out in Nagano had been cancelled, I was pleased to see them in action here instead. The zoo is huge and there is so much to see. I have never seen animals so ostensibly happy and free- they are clearly well looked after.

We spent most of our time in the park. I can’t stress how much the natural beauty of Japan overwhelmed me; the sense of serenity I felt in the park, even in and amongst so many other people, was something I had never experienced before.

Studio Ghibli Museum

If you are anything like me, you will always associate Studio Ghibli with Japanese art and culture. Studio Ghibli is an animation studio owned by filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. The films provide stunning animations crossed with story lines of environmental issues, feminism as well as tales of magic and mystery, but in a more profound way than Disney, for example. The films have recently taken off in the west, but I grew up on classics such as My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service, so visiting the Studio Ghibli Museum was a must for me.

A word of warning: tickets to the museum are very limited and not available to buy on the day. They need to be booked online at least a month in advance so you can get the day you want. The visit takes the best part of a morning or afternoon, but not the whole day. 

The museum is a magical multi-coloured house, with several floors detailing the artistic journey and stories behind the films and their characters. You are treated to a special screening of an animation that is not shown outside the museum walls, and there is a very cute café based on one of the animations where you can get pancakes and freshly brewed coffee (warning, the queues for these are huge, expect to be waiting over an hour for a table).

Afterwards, on your journey back to the bus you can walk through a beautiful forest, at the end of which is a tiny French bakery and café (you can eat here and avoid the long queues of the café inside the museum building). It’s definitely an experience for Ghibli fans, but even if you are not necessarily a fan, it is nice to visit to understand the depth of art and culture in Japan and how it has reached audiences across the globe. You’re not supposed to take photos inside, but I took some sneaky ones out of the sheer joy of being there!

Tokyo Tips

• Tokyo is huge; there are so many districts that it’s impossible to do it all. However the metro is your friend and provides easy access to all the major sites. Walking around is a good way to spot things you would normally miss.

• Be sure to visit the Robot Restaurant and Suzu Café for cool latte art and amazing desserts.

• Staying in Tokyo is quite expensive; I opted for this lovely little eco hotel which was a decent price in a business area; they have a traditional Japanese onsen (spa) and also do a great breakfast.

Kobe

Though Kobe isn’t on many people’s must-see lists, I decided to visit on a day trip because as a Muslim traveller, I was keen to see the first mosque built in Japan. When we reached the city it was quite late in the day, which was nice. Everyone was at work and the streets were quiet. It was nice to walk around a non-touristy, residential place and see the everyday happenings of the city and its residents. I watched as some people cycled to the grocery store, returning with baskets of cabbage and noodles. Small children on their way back to school after a lunch break, walked along, giggling and laughing- waving hello as they saw us walking up the street to the mosque.

Kobe mosque definitely stands out amongst the architecture that surrounds it. Built in 1935, It has a distinctly Indian style- think Taj Mahal mixed with Turkish influences. It was said to be a place of refuge for people during the second world, and is believed to be the first official mosque in Japan. Inside it is small but beautiful, with glitzy chandeliers hanging down, and a very well kept, clean space, complete with a library.

We joined a congregation for prayer and I noticed the diversity of the devotees; as expected, there were members of a variety of immigrant communities, including Middle Eastern and African, but also three elderly Japanese businessman in suits, and another similarly attired younger Japanese man. I saw two Japanese women enter wearing niqab just as I had finished my prayer. I wanted to speak to them, and ask them about Islam in Japan, but they were too shy to talk to a stranger. We exchanged salaams and I left to go across the road for some Indian food which I had been craving. I found myself in a restaurant where a Pakistani family was so happy to see another of their kind, that they fed me copious amounts of masala tea and naan- which felt strange after all the sushi, ramen and fish we had been consuming, but also satisfying. After this brief pit stop in Kobe, we made our way onwards to Kyoto.

Kyoto

I booked a JR Rail Pass (go-to the general advice section at the bottom for more info) to go to Kyoto, as it’s the cheapest option. You still have to book onto a train when you get to the station using your pass, but this is relatively straight forward. The Shinkansen, or bullet train is an experience in itself. It travels at super high speeds, and if, like me, you don’t have the time to visit Mount Fuji, this is a great way to see it passing through. A kind Japanese lady woke up my niece (who had fallen asleep) on the train to point out Mount Fuji to her so she didn’t miss it- I don’t think that would happen in any other part of the world!

Kyoto is a dreamy place. We stayed in a traditional Japanese ‘ryukin‘ or inn. Kyoto now has English speaking taxi drivers who are well marked out once you exit the station. It couldn’t be easier to jump into one of these cabs and go to your destination, getting a mini tour on the way. Driving along in the taxi, I saw the beautiful and glamorous high street of Kyoto and got the sense that this was a wealthy place. I wasn’t too interested in doing any more shopping, so was glad to find our inn was located in a more traditional part of the town.

There were only futons to sleep on in our accommodation, which took some getting used to, but otherwise it was perfect. Like Tokyo, there is so much to do in Kyoto that I ended up spending 4 days here. It is full of temples, shrines, and probably some of the best nature sites I have ever seen. If you have a love for tradition and want to learn more about Shintoism, take a visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, which sits at the base of a mountain, where you can see its spectacular torii gate- used to mark the entrance of a sacred space.

We also visited the Tofukuji temple, where I fell in love with the autumn trees, and felt like I was in a painting. The current building is more than 600 years old and the complex includes 24 sub-temples.

I loved sipping green tea in tiny cafes with locals who were smoking away and chatting, not bothered that we were there. I remember being too tired to walk near the Fushimi Inari Shrine, and stopping in the smallest café where I was treated to the last of the owners thick slice of toast, dripping with Japanese honey and a strong brew of coffee. It was the best thing I had tasted in a long time.

In Kyoto, I made an effort to talk to locals, who seemed as though they were in less of a hurry than in Tokyo. I spoke to them about their working culture and how they work insane hours- a post-war habit from surviving the traumatic effects of the atomic bomb. One lady I met in the inn said that her husband still goes to work even though he’s retired, as it gives him a sense of purpose; I began to notice a marked difference between our two cultures.

The Philosopher’s Walk

My favourite part of Kyoto was definitely the Philosopher’s Walk. The walk is lined with cherry blossoms trees, is about 2km long, and named as such because Nishida Kitaro, the famed philosopher, is said to have used this walking route to help him think, or philosophise. Apart from the cherry blossoms you can see along the way, the route is also dotted with cafes, an art gallery, and a little farm shop where I bought some homemade guava jam. At the end of the walk we ended up at Kyoto university. I would advise taking a picnic along as it’s hard to find Halal places or vegetarian places in the woods.

Kyoto is idyllic, with everything in pristine condition. It is a place where you can relax, take elegant moonlit walks down streets with traditional inns, and have breakfast in one of the many French or American inspired cafes. We had blueberry pancakes at a place that was obsessed with Hawaii! That’s the thing about Japan, what you dream of probably exists there in some whimsical way, shape or form.

I noticed that locals generally went about their day as though we were not there, which I imagine is because it’s such a hot tourist spot. However, if you want to get away from the crowds, you can visit Nara, home to deer who roam around freely (and eat all of your food), about an hour from the city centre.

You can also visit the stunning Bamboo Forest located in Arashiyama, a district of Kyoto, and close to the Tenryū-ji Temple. The forest consists of pathways that visitors can walk along.

Food: Kyoto has quite a few halal ramen and beef wagyu places. It is best to check them out at off-peak times because they are tiny and get busy very quickly. Otherwise, there are quite a lot of vegan and vegetarian places, just be sure to ask if any broth contains pork, because they don’t normally mention it!

On our last night in Kyoto we met a Japanese Muslim man who came over to speak to us in a small café we visited, which was basically just someone’s house converted into a quaint seating space. He said salaams, and from his Libertines t-shirt and big hipster sunglasses, I would never have guessed he was Muslim. It really opened my eyes to the introvertedness and simply ‘just being’ of Japanese culture. He explained to me that he didn’t need to be ‘obviously’ Muslim in Japan to practice. He had studied Islam at Kyoto university and had a Shaykh in Turkey who he visited last year. We conversed in broken English and some Turkish, and then he lit up a cigarette, bid us farewell, and left. It was a surreal encounter.

Kyoto Tips

• Kyoto is a lot more chilled than Tokyo; it is more leisurely and allows for time to unwind and immerse yourself in nature. Definitely try and do the whole trail from the Inari shrine, it’s worth the views from the top. It’s also worth cycling around to get to places more easily.

• The ryukinn I stayed in Kyoto had an English speaking owner who was amazing and super helpful; however this inn gets booked up super fast. If you can’t imagine the idea of sleeping on a futon, you can ask for a mattress, and also if you are sharing a room you can ask for a separator so you have a bit more privacy.

• There are many temples in Kyoto- you will forget how many you’ve visited. Pick a few that really pique your interest, and plan your day around them- you do not need to see them all.

• Take time to chat to locals; some may come across as shy at first but they really do appreciate the chit chat.

 

If you end up visiting Japan, or have any tips to add, let us know in the comments below!