You'd be crazy to start looking for hotels only after arriving in Japan.

Agoda and Toyoko Inn are your friends, learn to use them.

But JP is seafood heaven, mau kari lagi kah?

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Halal food on verge of boom with rise in Muslim visitors
KYODO
JUN 21, 2013

NAGOYA – Halal food, the only type Muslims are permitted to eat under Islamic law, is in hot demand, say managers at Halal Deli, which delivers boxed lunches to devout Muslims in Tokyo.

“Halal foods are currently delivered only within the 23 wards of Tokyo, but we want to expand the delivery area,” a member of the deli’s staff said.

The shop, based in Koto Ward, opened to meet growing demand for halal food from tourists from Indonesia and other Islamic countries.

A group of about 30 education officials from Indonesia in Japan to visit schools were licking their lips during a recent lunch break as they tried some curry from Halal Deli in a room at the nearby National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

“It’s delicious,” one said.

“I want some more,” said another.

Halal Deli signed contracts with three restaurants in April to supply Malaysian, Indonesian and Turkish food. They also decided to expand by launching phone and Internet-based delivery services.

Their most frequent customers are companies that have Muslim employees and visitors, and tourists.

On the menu you can find about a dozen “bento” (boxed lunches) containing chicken, rice and Japanese foods.

The concept of halal does not only prohibit pork and alcohol as most people think. It can also ban consumption of beef, lamb or chicken if the meats are not processed according to Islamic custom.

When this happens, they become “haram” or forbidden — the opposite of halal.

Some seasonings or condiments, like “mirin,” a sweet cooking sake used in Japan, can also be designated haram.

“I didn’t have to worry if what I was eating was allowed or not,” said Fauziah Fauzan, 42, another of the visiting Indonesian officials.

“It would be great if halal foods were available in other areas.”

After visiting Osaka and Nagoya, Tokyo was the first place they found restaurants or dining services that offered halal food, said Fauziah, who by then was resorting to fish or strictly vegetarian meals.

The leader of the team, Mina Hattori, an associate professor at the School of Education and Human Development of Nagoya University, said the last time they had a group of visitors from Indonesia, she had to prepare about 50 halal lunches with only the help of Indonesian students at the university.

“There are many Muslims who would like to visit Japan, but the concern about the food is the main reason why they have second thoughts,” said Hattori, who has conducted research on Islamic education. “I think that if halal became more available, the number of Muslims visiting Japan would increase.”

The Japanese government recently made tourism from Southeast Asia a priority and is preparing to relax visa requirements to lure more people from the region.

“In our primary plan, we estimated about 200 orders monthly, but now we receive over 500 per month,” says the staff member at Halal Deli. “We plan to get more contracts and we hope the service will eventually be expanded to other cities.”

Translated by The Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/2...s/#.UcO-FjvrySo

Ini Semua Tipu punya. Those say how good how good all been pay .

Ini semua market gimmick to attractive more people come spend in Japan only

This post has been edited by RegentCid: Jun 21 2013, 02:48 PM

My last trip there, I did the opposite of what you both suggest.

Change hotel every 1-2 nights. Boy, did we have an adventure of a lifetime. Carrying 30kg from hotel to hotel was ridiculous.

It worked out okay but it was due to luck. Plan your travels well ahead!

hi guys, goin japan too dis november for the 1st time, any recommendations hotel around akihabara?

Do your own homework first

Night time 830 onwards a lot shops closing d, u sure wanna stay there?
How many of you going?

4 person, any recommend hotels, most hotels seen in all looks quite ok

and yea, i am doin my homework, just getting some advice of what to avoid there

thx in advance

Remember, pretty cold after dark (5pm), sometimes snow.

Hi guys,

I'll be in Japan (Kyoto) for 8 weeks (9th July - 14th Sept) to attend an intensive Japanese language course. This will be my first time going to Japan, so I was wondering whether anyone has any advice for someone like me, as in what to expect, what to bring (what to pack, how much to pack), tips and tricks to save money and what not, etc..

Any advice would be helpful

Thanks!

This post has been edited by HyeoshinX: Jun 24 2013, 01:34 AM

guys, i gt 2 option as below pls advice which is cheaper, as many said kyoto rooms r more expensive and harder to find than osaka during peak season.

1. evening from odawara to kyoto, stay at kyoto. 1 day kyoto trip next day then head to osaka.
or
2. from odawara straight to osaka, arrange kyoto 1 day trip later.

Chances snowing in middle of Tokyo city are less than 20%

Drink more water and wear as less as possible. that will be the hottest season in Japan. Bring more money because the electrical bill in summer is most expensive unless u not using air conditioning.

If peak season......you might need consider Kobe

i might be travel to japan 23/11-14/12.

any suggestion places to visit if i bring my 2 kids below 2 years old?

is there any backpackers there?

really want to go to japan one day =)

Not advise to go Japan at that period if you plan to bring 2 small kid due to cold weather. Your kid might not stand it and fall into sick. Medical bill in Japan are cost of boom.

Seriously your kid are too young to go north atmosphere country.

infants and backpacker hostels?!?!?!

im flying my *** out from kl to haneda tokyo next year on 26/2/14 until 2/3/14..i heard the weather will be below 10 degrees.. and no snow in tokyo area..what is operation hour for shops (foods, electronic, shopping mall, disneyland, disneysea etc) during that time..

and if occur snow, where is the nearest place to play ski in tokyo district..tq in advance

cheapskate maaa..

travelling to Japan around late august, do we still need visa?

Japan 95% shop closed at 10pm 5% are pub closed at 2am.

Tokyo area will never get snow....no ski activities at Kanto Region. Want ski have to go Gunma Prefecture (nearest to Tokyo) or Yamagata Prefecture (best ski activities you can found at Honshu) Or Hokkaido


NOt sure wait until finaly annocument

This post has been edited by RegentCid: Jun 25 2013, 04:45 PM