How Well-Acquainted are Japanese Restaurants to

Muslim Guests?One Case Practiced at Kouda Restaurant ( 甲田 )

Muhammad Reza Zaini

Islamic Dietary Laws v. Japanese Dishes at Restaurants 1

• Islamic dietary laws prohibit the consumption of several foods (such as pork, amphibian and reptiles) and beverages that contain alcohol.

• On the other hand, Japanese government encouraged local restaurant owners to be aware of Muslim dietary laws as a strategy to boost Japan’s image as a tourist-oriented nation and to prepare for large influx of foreign tourist at Tokyo Olympic 2020.

• Despite the encouragement, many Japanese restaurants generally still unfamiliar with the Islamic dietary laws.

• There are some useful phrases for Muslim guests to order at Japanese restaurants:o Watashi wa buta-niku o taberu koto ga dekimasen. (I don’t eat pork).o Sumimasen, [Name of Food] ni wa buta-niku wo tsukawa nai de kudasai. (I want the [Name of

Food] without pork).

• As a hint, foods containing pork have 豚肉 inscription and foods containing alcohol have 酒 inscription on it list of ingredients.

• In this presentation, the writer had managed to explained and created a guideline for Koda (sometimes transliterated as Kouda) Restaurant on how to deal with Muslim costumers.

Islamic Dietary Laws v. Japanese Dishes at Restaurants 2

Special Thanks to 甲田

“The safest way is to provide Muslim guests with vegetables”

Special Thanks to 甲田

Muhammad Reza Zaini (Left) with Mr. Kouda ( 甲田さん )

Special Thanks to 甲田

Received gifts from Kouda ( 甲田 ) for my assistance.