*This list is updated as of June 22nd, 2021, more restaurants can be added as we discover more vegan eats.

Halal foods may have been quite hard to find in Tokyo, but recently as international tourism has spiked for Japan in this past decade (not with COVID of course), many Halal shops are trying to make their name for halal-friendly customers.

You can also take a look at our vegan list for vegan ramen and vegan treats for more options!

Halal Wagyu Yakiniku Panga

This is one of the few halal certified halal yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurants in Tokyo. They offer delicious A-5 wagyu. For cheaper prices you can also order A-4 and A-3 ranked beef as well. They purchase their cows whole and serve the meat from parts that you order from. It’s recommended to make reservations before going.

Location: 3 Chome-27-9 Taito, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0016

Website: http://www.wagyu-panga.jp/index.html

Ise Sueyoshi

Mr. Tanaka, an English speaking halal trained chef owns this high-end kaiseki (seafood) restaurant in Nishi-Azabu. Reservations and requests for halal 10 days before is necessary to book your fine dining at this acclaimed restaurant.

Location: 〒106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City, Nishiazabu, 4 Chome−2−15 水野ビル

Website: http://isesueyoshi.blog.fc2.com/blog-category-8.html

Reservations: https://www.govoyagin.com/ja/activities/japan-tokyo-ise-sueyoshi-muslim-friendly-kaiseki/3649

Naritaya Ramen

This very popular Halal certified ramen restaurant is the go to in Tokyo. Besides their popular maze soba (mixing noodles) they have their original delicious ramens as well. They even offer praying rooms for those wanting to pray before their meal!

Location: 2 Chome-27-13 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032

Website: https://www.facebook.com/NaritayaFellowsM

Honolu Ramen

Halal or not this ramen is loved by all people! A close walk from Ebisu Station, Honolu ramen is a highly rated halal/muslim friendly ramen restaurant in Tokyo. Their chicken based halal ramen is their most popular menu item.

Location: 〒150-0022 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Ebisuminami, 1 Chome−23−1 ＡＢＣ亜米利加橋 1F

Website: http://halalramen-honolu.net/index.html

Tokyo Chinese Muslim

Although it isn’t exactly Japanese food, you could argue that Chuka food (Chinese food) is a part of Japanese food and culture. This is actually one of Tokyo’s more popular and highly rated Muslin friendly Halal certified restaurant.

Location: 〒130-0022 Tokyo, Sumida City, Kotobashi, 2 Chome−18−6 地下一階 第２田中ビル

Website: N/A

Photo Credits:

Panga Wesbite

Favy JP

Tripadvisor

Timeout

Timeout

Spotlight On: Sid

In this episode of Spotlight On we meet Sid, one of the first guides for Tokyo. We have asked Sid some questions about some of his favorite things in Japan.

What's your favorite food and where would you recommend people to get it?

The fruit sandwich from Sembikiya is, one of, if not, the best fruit sandwich in the world. The milky bread, cushioned by their sweet cream and high quality fruits is the best! It’s a bit pricy but definitely worth it. Beware, there can be long lines!

What’s your favorite place to take people to on tours?

By visiting Nihonbashi, I believe you will understand the culture and history of Tokyo/Japan better. It’s a beautiful place that’s filled with hidden gems and historical sights. It amazes me that so many old stores have survived for so long there.

Other fun facts about SId

Languages Sid guides in: English and Japanese

Month and year Sid joined Hello! Tours: August 2018

One thing Sid likes about working with Hello! Japan:

I joined right before COVID-19 started, but the resilience and creativity of our team is what draws me the most. Even with the pandemic we’ve found ways to do what we love.

Something not many people know about Sid:

I love Brazlian Jiu Jitsu. I absolutely hate those injury videos where someone breaks an arm or leg, but I can’t stop practicing BJJ - where many injuries like that happen!

*This list is updated as of June 22nd 2021, more restaurants can be added as we discover more vegan eats. This list is subject to change.

Japanese food might be a bit difficult to find something that’s not non-vegan. With lots of its dishes including non-vegan foods and the vegan culture not being exactly a popular lifestyle in Japan (you could argue it is with Buddhists, but the majority is not), it could be hard to try and find vegan food in Japan. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top-rated vegan eats in Tokyo.

A great vegan source to finding your vegan treats in Japan can be found at Happy Cow.

Vegan Ramen Uzu

Uzu is located INSIDE teamlab planets making for a unique, immersive experience. Diners can eat vegan ramen while enjoying teamLabs famous digital art. Their vegan ramen dishes include shoyu, matcha, and miso ramen!

T’s Tantan

With multiple chains throughout Tokyo (Tokyo Station for anyone passing through) a highly rated vegan ramen store is taking over. Their tantanmen (sesame noodles) is their most popular dish.

Location: Stores inside of Tokyo Station and Ueno Station

Website: http://ts-restaurant.jp/

Gonpachi

Quentin Tarantino was so inspired by this restaurant’s decor that he based the movie Kill Bills: House of Blue Leaves scene off this restaurant. This place for inspiration is at the Nishi-Azabu store, but they have 6 stores throughout Tokyo. Gonpachi serves traditional Japanese food with a vegan/halal-friendly menu as well.

Location: Stores in Nishi-Azabu, Shibuya, Odaiba, Asakusa, Sakura-Shinmachi and Azamino

Website: https://gonpachi.jp/nishi-azabu/

Saido

One of the most highly rated vegan eats in Tokyo, Saido does not disappoint. It’s a chance to try what signature Japanese dishes taste like but also being vegan - amazing!

Location: Meguro-ku, Jiyūgaoka, 2 Chome−15-10, Tokyo, Japan

Website: https://saido.tokyo/en/

Bon -Taito

Specializing in Fucha cuisine - Bon offers traditional vegetarian cuisines of Zen Buddhist monks in China and Japan. A reservation is absolutely necessary, but their multi-course meals are a vegan Japan-lovers dream come true!

Location: 1-2-11 Ryusen Taito-ku Tokyo 〒110-0012

Website: https://www.fuchabon.co.jp/english/english.html

Sojo-Esperanto Vegan Kafejo

Pronounced Soyo, a small café near Waseda University that focuses on soy and Esperanto foods. Their menu consists of their daily special with brown rice and miso soup, chickpea Japanese curry or a small a la carte.

Location: 111 Wasedatsurumakicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 162-0041

Website: https://sojo.favy.jp/

Olu Olu Café

As much of Hawaiian foods are influenced from Japan, a vegan Hawaiian restaurant in Tokyo is a great find. Ranging from vegan ramen, curry and burgers, you can get a little bit of everything here.

Location: 1-11-1 Ikejiri Setagaya-ku Tokyo

Website: https://aloha-olu-olu-cafe-english.webnode.jp/

Shinbu Sakiya

With vegan/vegetarian and meat options, this traditional styled ramen restaurant is a popular chain in the heart of the touristy Shibuya region. The menu offers a few vegan options such as shio (salt), tomato and soy sauce based ramen.

Location: 2 Chome-10-3 Dogenzaka, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0043

Website: https://samurai-noodle.jp/

Photo Credits:

Vwage Website

Saido Website

Bon Website

Happy Cow

Lacan

Happy Cow

Vegan Uzu

Spotlight On: Keko

In this episode of Spotlight On we meet Keko, one of the longest-standing members of the Hello! Tours Team. We have asked Keko some questions about some of his favorite things in Japan.

What's your favorite food and where would you recommend people to get it?

My favourite food is Tuna Sashimi! The best can be found at any of the stands at the Tsukiji Outer Market. The tuna is super fresh and the atmosphere is great!

What’s your favorite place to take people to on tours?

Harajuku cat cafe. It's the puurrrfect place to stop for a refreshment break in the summer heat and families with kids love it. Also, I have lots of friends at the cat cafe and you will get special treatment from all of the other cats!

Other fun facts about Keko

Languages Keko guides in: Meow meow.

Month and year Keko joined Hello! Tours: Oct 2013

One thing Keko likes about working with Hello! Japan:

I was the first member of the Hello! Tours team (apart from Laura) and I've been able to live in and learn about the culture of three great cities across Asia.

Something not many people know about Keko:

Not many people know that I am the Chief Operations Officer of Hello! Tours. Most people assume I am just some office pet.

Tokyo is home to the most Michelin stars in the world. It’s basically a large stewing pot of some of the most delicious restaurants on the planet. Cheap or expensive, Tokyo has it all. So, I went ahead and tried a 1-starred ramen Michelin restaurant.

On a quiet Monday afternoon, I went to check out Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu in Shinjuku. This is a restaurant that I had been wanting to visit for a long time and I was not disappointed.

With wait times often topping two hours, and opening hours restricted to Mondays to Fridays I hadn’t managed to find time until….. Covid!

From arriving to getting my food I waited about 40 minutes. There were 7 people in front of me in the queue. 3 outside and 4 inside.

The restaurant seats 10 people. 6 seats at the counter plus two small tables that can accommodate 2 people each.

There was a nice atmosphere with soft jazz music playing. It was very quiet in the restaurant nobody was talking everybody was focused on their food.

I ordered the ‘recommended bowl’ Shio Soba at 950 yen. Bargain for a one Michelin star meal!

Details of the ingredients in the picture.

In addition to the ingredients mentioned I also discovered chopped basil in my dish (the green in the photo) and what I think was sun-dried tomato. Pork sweet and tender. The soup had quite a strong but delicate fishy flavor. I could taste the truffle oil. It was full-flavored but not overpowering.

Overall I would say it was a light dish with an interesting fusion and balance of flavors.

I can definitely understand why it's received so many awards. Compared to other ramen I've eaten this was a very cleverly balanced bowl.

It was a very relaxing experience which is quite often the opposite in Japan. When going out to eat, a lot of restaurants are loud with people shouting “welcome” and “goodbye” or orders being called or customers chatting. This restaurant was practically silent! Just the gentle sound of soft jazz drifting through the aroma.

- Laura, Hello! Tokyo Tours Founder

We can’t wait until Japan reopens again so that we can have delicious bowls of ramen like this. However, we offer pandemic-friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

Matcha flavored sweets have taken over the world. You might have heard of matcha chocolates, matcha lattes or matcha Oreos. Might be a bit unique but not uncommon right? Well, let’s discuss five shocking matcha foods that you can find in Japan. We can’t guarantee you that you’ll find this on your next visit to Japan because lots of these items are seasonal or special items, but we can guarantee that you’ll find it very odd.

Matcha Cup Noodle

We didn’t think this existed either, but if its going to exist, it’s going to be in Japan. Apparently Nissin released a green tea flavored version of it back in 2017. It’s not common to find, and I as a guide in Japan have not found this before.

Photo Cred: Sora News

Matcha Curry

After discovering the noodles, we thought we couldn’t find anything weirder than that. But curry comes next on our list. Itohkyuemon - a green tea shop in Kyoto founded in 1832 unleashed an instant green tea packet. All you need to do is heat up the vacuum sealed packet in hot water for a few minutes and it’s ready to pour over your rice!

Photo Credit: Sora News

Matcha Chuhai

Tea based alcohol isn’t too uncommon in Japan. At an izakaya (Japanese drinking establishments) it’s quite common for people to order oolong-hai, oolong tea mixed with shochu alcohol. So it’s not much of a surprise to find matcha-chuhai, but for anyone outside of Japan this could be quite unique!

Photo Credit: Ruten Japan

Matcha Strawberry Sandwich

A strawberry sandwich might sound a bit unique to start off with, but why not give it a matcha twist? On our Tokyo food tour, we visit a strawberry sandwich stand under Tokyo Station and our guests love it! But we’ve never seen it with a matcha twist before. Lawson came out with a matcha strawberry sandwich where the bread is engrained with matcha to give it the matcha punch to it.

Photo Credit: Timeout

Matcha Potato Chips

The popular snack company Calbee always has interesting flavors coming out, so it’s not a surprise that we have a matcha potato chip! It’s a limited edition only so, unless it makes a comeback, you may be out of luck trying to acquire one in Japan

Photo Credit: Napa Japan

We know we teased you with different Japanese matcha delights to get in Japan and we’re sorry! However, we offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

Cup Noodles have been a cornerstone in Japanese fast food. The ingenious design and convenience, taste and cost make it a favorite amongst people worldwide. On our private Yokohama tour, we visit the Cup Noodle Museum where you can learn about the history of how Cup Noodles were made and even create your own Cup Noodles. But, for now, let’s take a look at five different Cup Noodle flavors that you can find on your next trip to Japan.

Cheese Curry

Contrary to Indian and Thai curry, Japanese curry is sweeter and thicker. It’s often loved by children and is also one of the most popular Japanese foods in Japan. When you add cheese to the mix - it makes for a legendary flavor of Cup Noodles. The thick curry soup compliments the the cheese and noodles for a Cup of Heaven!

Miso

I’m sure a lot of have heard of miso soup before. If you thicken up the soup a little and some noodles in it, you get a delicious Miso Cup Noodles! This delicate tasting Cup of Noodle is perfect for you miso lovers.

Protein Cup Noodles

We know that Cup Noodles might not be the healthiest thing in the world. But, the Nissin team has tried taking a “healthier” approach to it by making their “PRO” Cup Noodle series that’s packed with protein! Each Cup of Noodle has 15 grams of protein for those that want a little more out of the noodles.

TONKOTSU (PORK)

Tonkotsu literally means pork bone. The tonkotsu ramen is a very common and popular broth due to it’s rich and refreshing taste. Now that it’s put into a Cup Noodle? Who wouldn’t like it?! It’s definitely worth trying for it’s delicious tasting broth.

HOKKAIDO MILK SEAFOOD

When it comes to food in Hokkaido (The northern most part of Japan) many Japanese people might think of two things - milk and seafood. Combine these two into a Cup Noodle and you get this unique, creamy seafood noodle! It’s oddly satisfying and is a bit similar to having a carbonara but in a Cup Noodle.

We know we teased you with different Cup Noodles to get in Japan and we’re sorry! However, we offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

HELLO! TOKYO TOURS GUIDE TO MOTHERS DAY

With mothers day coming up soon, why not plan a mothers day gift with a Japanese twist to it? You can purchase lots of Japanese things at places like Daiso (online or in-store) or Sugoi Mart (online). Or you can even check out our Holiday by Post Program for unique, specialized gifts from Japan! (more details below). With our list below, you can combine and mix them up for an ultimate mothers day gift! This will be the perfect replacement for not being able to come on a Tokyo tours this year!

Origami

If your mom is the art and crafts type of person - maybe making origami together is the perfect mothers day activity! You can order origami from places such as amazon or buy them at Daiso. There are hundreds of YouTube videos to help you make origami - you can even go for the classic Japanese crane together.

Create a Japanese meal

Make your moms day special with a home cooked Japanese meal. Most Japanese ingredients can be found at regular supermarkets or Asian super markets. You can check out our Food Guide’s recipe page for some easy delicious Japanese food!

Bonsai trees

Mother’s Day flowers are nice, but how about a bonsai tree? If your mom is into taking care of plants and gardening, its the perfect gift! Many plant shops will offer bonsai trees, all you’ll need is a simple bonsai kit (which you can typically find online somewhere) to “craft” the bonsai and you’re good to go!

Subscribe to Holiday by Post

Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. Covid-19 has destroyed our livelihoods. Your monthly membership fee will provide our team with some much needed income. In return we will select meaningful souvenirs, write a heartfelt message and offer you discounts on future tours, when we can all travel freely again. Check it out here

Watch a Japanese movie/show

This activity is probably better if you pair one or two of the ones mentioned above. Most streaming services will have a good selection of Japanese movies. You can always check out YouTube and Amazon to rent the movies as well! For a good list of Japanese movies check out our film guide for more information.

Ready for a movie night? To help your next trip to Japan, why not fuel your knowledge of the country by watching some movies? You can take an extensive look at our Film Guide - but we’ll list some of our favourite ones here. In no particular order here are 5 must-watch movies!

Spirited Away

This film is by far one of the most popular and famous films from Japan. While Spirited Away is one of the dozens of Ghibli Studios masterpieces, we went with this fantasy. Be careful, watching this might lead you down an endless rabbit hole of Ghibli Studio films. The story follows a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro who stumbles into a world of kami (deities). She soon finds herself unable to escape after her parents are turned into pigs by the ruling witch named Yubaba. With the help of Haku - a mysterious young boy - she embarks on a journey to save her parents and escape this world.

Lost in Translation

Okay, while this film is not necessarily from Japan, it’s definitely a film worth mentioning. The film was shot in Tokyo with famous backdrops such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. It will definitely make your next trip to Japan quite interesting! This comedic-drama presents a story of love and friendship between two strangers - a middle aged actor named Bill Harris and a neglected college grad named Charlotte. They both share a few common bonds: a dissatisfying love life and a culture shock in Tokyo. Follow them around as they go explore themselves and Tokyo - it’s almost as if you explore with them.

SHOPLIFTERS

This Japanese drama became a critically acclaimed film thanks to it’s superb directing, writing and acting. The story follows a non-biological family that shoplifts to cope with their poverty. After a routine shoplift, Osamu - “the father” - and the son come across a little girl who’s been abandoned and take her in. As the film progresses, this “happy family” soon reveal their dark secrets.

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

This documentary centers around Jiro Ono, an 85 year old sushi master who owns a 10 seated, sushi only, 3 starred Michelin restaurant in a Tokyo subway station. His restaurant only takes reservations - which must be reserved months in advanced - and costs a minimum of 30,000 Yen (about 300 dollars). Learn and discover the secrets of Jiro who maintains such a high quality level of sushi over the years.

*In 2019, Jiro’s restaurant was removed from the Michelin guide, not because of a decline in quality but because of its poor access to the general public. It’s notorious difficulty for a regular person to get a reservation has increased as head of states and celebrities demands have risen.

SEVEN SAMURAI

For anyone who likes classics, Seven Samurai - or any of Director Kurosawa’s films are a must watch. Kurosawa is considered one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. Seven Samurai made a huge cultural impact in the world as it inspired a Western remake called Magnificent Seven and even inspired Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. The film is set during 1586, when war ravaged Japan. A village of farmers hire a team of seven ronin - or masterless samurai to defend their village from bandits who raid their farm to steal their crops. This film is known to have started the innovative idea of assembling a team for a heroic mission.

We hope this recommendation of movies can help you get a taste of Japan while travel is currently restricted. We also offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

London and Los Angeles have the record with the most successful Olympic bids in Olympic history - this is if Los Angeles successfully hosts the 2028 Olympics. London has hosted the Olympics in 1908, 1948 and 2012 and would have hosted it 4 times if it did in 1944, but was cancelled due to World War II. Los Angeles in 1932, 1984 and hopefully 2028 - but with events like COVID, we never know what can happen! 

Tokyo could’ve been right up there with London and Los Angeles, but it seems like Tokyo has a curse on the Olympics. Tokyo won the Olympic bid in 1936 to host the 1940 Olympics. To be fair the only other competitor was Helsinki, Finland which was destroyed in 1939 due to aerial bombardments. But, the 1940 Olympics were cancelled because of the outbreak of World War II. But we now know that Tokyo Olympics weren’t cancelled just once, but now twice - well technically postponed. 

Fast forward to post World War II. Japan laid in ruins and was on the path to recovery. They were not invited to participate in the 1948 London Olympics - but let us be honest, Japan needed to rebuild. Japan re-joined the Olympic fold in 1952 for the Helsinki Olympics and in the same year, it announced to join the bid to host the 1960 Olympics. Along with Tokyo, 6 other cities joined the bid: Rome, Lausanne, Detroit, Budapest, Brussels and Mexico City. Tokyo only gathered 4 votes and ended up finishing in the last place for the bid, with the winner going to Rome. In 1955, when IOC president Mr Brundage visited Japan for an inspection, he expressed that Tokyo had a small chance to be selected for the next games but, should re-enter the bid for the 1964 Olympics. 

Using Mr Brundage’s encouraging words, Tokyo entered the bid once again and was selected to host the 1964 Olympics. It became the first Asian country to host the Olympics, but it also gave the war-torn nation a goal and new focus to rebuilding their country. 

Tokyo in 1945 after American air raids

Photo Credits: Japan Times

Tokyo in 1964, less than 20 years after the war.

Photo Credit: Stir World

Tokyo didn’t enter another bid until 2009 when it re-entered to host the 2016 Olympics. Although it’s worthy to mention that Osaka entered the bid to host the 2008 Olympics, but was knocked out in the first round. Obviously, the 2016 bid failed, but Tokyo re-entered the bid for the next Olympics in 2020 and won with an overwhelming fashion over Istanbul with a 60-36 vote in the final round. Well, we know what happens in 2020, but to save us some grief let’s hope the 2021 Olympics will be carried out SAFELY.

While international travel for tourists to Japan will unlikely resume during the Olympics or immediately after, we at Hello! Tokyo Tours really miss you all and hope to see you guys soon once COVID-19 is over. Once you can travel safely, join us on our tours where you can see and learn about how Tokyo developed over time from a war-torn country to a 2-time Olympic host city! As for now, we offer pandemic-friendly activities such as our Holiday by Post Program which will not only give you gifts/postcards from Japan but a discount on your next tour in Tokyo! Sign up here!

Photo Credit: Olympics