The Page of Pleasant Surprises
An owl cafe, Dotonbori yakitori, West African home cooking, a hotel lounge — the Others page is where restaurants that fit no standard label gather. If you are after an experience beyond the guidebook staples, this may be the most fun page to browse.
Halal Gourmet Japan's Others page features one-of-a-kind listings, including places registered as certified halal, spots with prayer spaces and Muslim-owned establishments.
In Tokyo, a Muslim-owned cafe three minutes' walk from Ueno Station lets you meet owls over a drink and is registered with a prayer space. A West African restaurant simmers the dishes of Mali, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire with ingredients imported directly from the region and is registered as offering halal meat, and there is also a restaurant serving authentic Persian cuisine.
In Osaka, a Dotonbori shop grills gizzard yakitori from a recipe passed down for 80 years and is registered with halal meat and a prayer space, while a hotel lounge registered as certified halal serves French-based courses and afternoon tea under soft light from shoji-motif windows. Chiba has a food court styled like an Asian street of stalls, registered as certified halal with a prayer space; Kyoto, a caterer that describes serving vegetarian and Muslim guests at conferences and events; and Mie's Iga, a restaurant of more than a century that describes using dedicated cookware and tableware for its halal dishes.
Some of the best finds are the ones you were not searching for — give the Others page a scroll before you set your route.
Content reviewed: August 20, 2026
