Restaurant search site for food minorities

Supervisor / Recommender

Takako Doki

General Incorporated Association Japan Halal Business Association Secretariat Public Relations / Director

Click here for introduction

I am currently working as an editor. However, I experienced working as a cook in restrunts, hospitals, and catering industry. Looking back now, I was connected to the Idea of Hala, since then.
At one point, few decades ago, I worked in a cafeteria at an auction site. More than 60% of the visitors to the venue were foreigners, including many Muslims (There were mosque in the venue as well). I remember many people asked me about the food we serve, the types of meat and whether they are Hala qualified.
At a certain time, the cafeteria becomes lively like a festival. Because the Indian restaurant next door to the venue served food for free. Indian dish, such as biryani, curry and sweet drinks were served to the visitors. Over 100 foreigners dressed in red turbans, garabayas and folk costumes gathered in the cafeteria, and everyone had a great time surrounding the same table. Now I learned about Muslim culture, it was a fast-starting Iftar.
Also, I remember that many participants were only eating curry from the Indian restrunt, eventhough there were choices of other food. As I study about Halal, I learned that they did not chose to eat curry, but they did not have a choise. I personally think that they wanted to try some of the Japanese food, if they had a chose. I still regret that moment, when I could not do anything because of the lack of information. “Inconvenience” of food is quite different based on their cultural background, and therefore, I understand now, that it is crucial to create an environment where all people can enjoy delicious meal, regardless of their backgrounds.

In Japan, Halal food is still a minority. Many people from Muslim background visit Japan, but they fell enconvininet about it. Japan Halal Business Association advocates in the halal business: HAVO (Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Allergy).
The idea is to aim to create products and services that many people can eat and use, regardless of their religion and various backgrounds.
Seeking for delicious, safe and secure meal is commonly shared through the nations. The time demand us to find new ways of living that transcend borders and religions. We hope that Halal will help eliminate food inconvenience and contribute to the harmony of the world where you can respect, coexist, and co-prosper with a more liberal idea to eating and enjoying food.

Halal certified restaurant that offers beautiful ramen noodles with chicken broth

Ayam-YA is a restaurant that specializes in ramen noodles with chicken broth originally from Kyoto. Ayam-Ya Tokyo is a franchised restaurant, which relocated to Motoasakusa from Okachimachi station and opened as Shinokachimachi branch in February 2020.

Ayam-ya Shinokachimachi branch

Ayam means “chicken” in Indonesian and Malay languages. As the restaurant name suggests, they are known for the scrumptious noodles with chicken broth packed with flavors and an abundant of collagen.

The must-try dish is “Noko tori soba shio (noodles with extra rich chicken broth flavored with salt).”

Noko tori soba (noodles with extra rich chicken broth)

This is a beautiful dish with silky thin flat noodles in fragrant chicken broth. This broth is made with chicken bones including feet and lots of vegetables, making this broth so fragrant and healing. The broth is rich, yet with the fresh onions giving the right balance to this dish, you can enjoy this dish without feeling it’s too heavy. The slices of chicken on top of the noodles are smooth and delicious!

Chicken broth noodles come with 6 different levels of heat, you will love the spicy noodles if you love spicy food.

Spicy noodles with chicken broth (front)

If you like, or are not sure what to order, the chefs are happy to choose the ramen for you, depending on where you are from, make very spicy noodles for Muslims from South East Asia, and more mild-flavored noodles for Japanese for example. “Ayam-Ya” sounds very exotic that you may think they offer food that you are not familiar with, but they researched and experimented with ramen that Japanese people would accept, and offer a variety of noodles that Japanese people would love, although they also have an unique items such as “Jakarta maze men (soup-less noodles with special sauce and assorted toppings).”

Jakarta maze men (Jakarta mixed noodles)

Some side menu including deep-fried dumplings, spring rolls, and samusas (deep-fried food with chicken) are only available at Shinokachimachi branch.

Side menu

Samusa

Juicy deep-friend chicken is twice as big as ordinary ones, and you can order extra large ramen free of charge. You will feel their hospitality which creates the comfortable atmosphere.

Omori ramen (large size) and deep-fried chicken

Ramen restaurant with a praying area for Muslims

The owner Mr. Saifullah is a Muslim from Sri Lanka.

Restautrant owner Mr. Saifullah

He used to be a teacher and he started thinking that he would want to live in Japan when he came here to study. He values halal practice for Muslims, so he wanted to be faithful to the Muslim philosophy at work, he agreed to get certification for Halal. Although lots of other restaurants have been giving up to update the halal certification under the situation of Covid-19, he wants to ensure constantly that Ayam-YA respects halal practice and welcome tourists again. Halal certification for the restaurant is categorized into different levels with stars by a group called Japan Halal Foundation.

Halal certificate

Ayam-Ya with 3 stars, is recognized with the highest level of certification “all halal”, that means all the menus are halal and there is no alcohol provided. Currently in 2021, there has been no tourists and Muslim customers due to Covid-19, but he says “I am so grateful that we now have lots of Japanese customers enjoying our dishes who live and work in this area.”

Mr. Saifullah has been living in Japan for 7 years and speaks fluent Japanese. He also can speak his mother tongue of Sri Lankan, Tamil, English and also Arabic as Muslims learn Arabic from early age to be able to read Koran.
He is a devoted Muslim and created space for praying at the restaurant. There was a mosque in front of the previous restaurant, so there was no space for praying inside the restaurant, but after relocating to the current restaurant he decided to make space as being a little far from mosque now.

Prayer Room

There is a faucet attached at a lower position which is easily accessible for the cleaning ritual before praying. Mr. Saifullah says ‘I want to create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for Muslims in this neighborhood, please feel free to drop in even just for praying.” This hospitality makes Ayam-YA very special.

Mr. Saifullah is open-minded and very friendly and speaks fluent Japanese. You can ask him questions such as Muslim and halal over this beautiful dishes. He will be happy to chat!

「 Ayam-Ya halal ramen, ShinOkachimachi branch」Basic information

Store name	Ayam-Ya halal ramen, ShinOkachimachi branch
Tel	03-4360-3672
Address	Shato Motoasakusa, 3-10-3, Motoasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Business hours	11:30〜15:00 LO14:30 17:00〜22:00 LO21:30
Holiday	Around New years（12/31-1/2）
Budget	～1,500 yen
Payment method
Parking Lot	N/A
Language	Japanese, English, Tamil, Sinhala
Advance reservation
Cooking description	Specializes in ramen noodles with chicken broth
Note	35 seats
Store HP