Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Developing and Marketing MFT Products and Services
In the OIC Member Countries
78
To better accommodate the needs of Muslim travelers, Japanese local governments and
businesses have worked on developing Muslim-friendly products. Aichi city local government
in central Japan published a Japanese-language Muslim Hospitality Handbook to raise
awareness of Japanese businesses on how to interact with their Muslim clientele. The
handbook contains cartoon illustrations and seeks to explain basic Muslim beliefs, the
common difficulties facing Muslims visiting Japan, and Muslims needs in terms of prayer and
food. 195
Other local governments have tried to encourage local businesses to cater to Muslim traveler
needs by offering these businesses subsidies to help them develop Halal products and obtain
Halal certification.196
In 2015, Tokushima local government in western Japan held meetings on Halal standards for
businesses to encourage them to obtain Halal certification. It has offered subsidies of up to 1
million yen ($8,515) to businesses that are working toward obtaining Halal certification. 197
4. MFT Products and Services
 Muslim-friendly Airports
Japanese airports have made an effort to become Muslim friendly by offering Halal food
outlets in addition to having designated prayer areas for the convenience of Muslim travelers.
Kansai Airport created a prayer room in 2006 and added two more in 2014 in addition to
planning to have 16 of its food outlets go pork and alcohol-free. 198 Narita Airport in Chiba
Prefecture designated private “Prayer Rooms” for Muslims in its first and second terminals.
The “Prayer Rooms” were covered with a carpet and a Qibla direction panel on the ceiling.
Initially, these rooms were called “Silence Rooms” and could be used for prayer in the past
but had no “Prayer Rooms” sign.
Osaka airport food outlets include a noodle shop and another restaurant serving meals
prepared in compliance with Halal guidelines. Haneda Airport in Tokyo also opened a prayer
room in 2014.199
 Muslim-friendly Hotels
A number of Japanese hotels have started catering to Muslim travelers needs especially with
regard to Halal food including the “Ryokans” which are essentially traditional Japanese inns
serving Japanese-style breakfasts and dinners.200 A number of hotels in Tokyo, such as Park
Hyatt and Sakura Hotel, offer Halal food options and remove alcohol from Muslim guest
rooms to accommodate Muslim travelers. Park Hyatt hotel has installed toilets equipped with
a handheld sprayer/shower for Muslim travelers. Sakura Hotel, which also employs Muslim
staff, designates the Qibla direction in the room and also offers prayer mats to guests upon
195 Penn, Michael. "Japan Embraces Muslim Visitors to Bolster Tourism." Al Jazeera English. 17 Dec. 2015. Web. 1 Mar.
2016.
196 Ishida, Michiyo. "Japan's Restaurants Look to Cater to the Halal Food Industry." Channel News Asia. 3 Jan. 2016. Web. 1
Mar. 2016.
197 "Japan Inc. Goes Halal.” Nikkei Asian Review. 16 Jan. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
198 Tang. "How Japan is Courting Muslim Tourists."
199 "Airports in Japan Becoming Muslim Friendly." Muslim Village. 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
200 Takemura, Mariko. "Increasing Muslim Tourists to Japan." Doing Business in the Halal Market. London: Euromonitor
International, 2015. 36-39.