Tokyo is the center of Japan, and Ginza is the most luxurious area within Tokyo. There are more people who is over 30s than young people, but that is the reason why there are so many shops whose ambiance is tranquil and elegant.
There are not only shops but also great cafes where you can relax in a busy travel schedule. HIGASHIYA is a cafe restaurant, as well as a souvenir shop. We are sure that you can experience a polished, traditional but modern Japanese Tea salon here, while looking for a fancy Halal Japanese souvenirs.
Credit: https://www.higashiya.com/
Tell us about HIGASHIYA. Is the menu Halal?
HIGASHIYA has three shops; Ginza, Marunouchi and Minami Aoyama. The ones in Ginza and Marunouchi have a cafe restaurant where you can enjoy the highest quality of Japanese teas and traditional sweets, while the one in Minami Aoyama is handling only souvenirs. If you are looking for souvenirs, you can go to whichever the most convenient one.
HIGASHIYA GINZA Souvenir area
Credit: https://www.higashiya.com
It is true that there are some people who think Japanese sweet and tea is a culture among old people and looks outdated. To the contrary to this view, HIGASHIYA has been very successful in offering an opportunity to enjoy the greatest Japanese teas with more than 20 seasonal flavors.
A staff will help you to choose the best tea that meets your mood. The tea leave can make up to three cups, however, each time hot water is poured you can see the changes in their taste.
Left above Inari Sushi contains Mirin alcoholic seasoning.Main dish can be fish, but this is not alcohol-free.
Credit: https://www.higashiya.com
HIGASHIYA GINZA and Marunouchi offer meals and Japanese afternoon tea, however, looking at the menu they contain some alcoholic seasonings. Although they do not handle pork or you can choose fish instead of meat, please be reminded that the meals are not Halal in HIGASHIYA.
Instead, you can enjoy their traditional Japanese sweets or just a cup of Japanese green tea if you want to minimize the risk.
So, what are the Halal souvenirs at HIGASHIYA?
Please understand, that HIGASHIYA is not Halal certified or declared as Muslim-friendly, so that there are some items which has restricted ingredients. Still, there are so many souvenirs that can be Muslim-friendly.
Hitokuchi Kashi (ひと口菓子)
There are two types of sweets for Hitokuchi Kashi, which literally means one bite snack.
The first one is a sweet of nuts and dried fruits, coated with sweet bean paste. There are 8 flavors, and each one has a name of color in old Japanese. Moegi (萌葱) and Rokocha (路考茶) obviously contain alcohol, so do not choose these two flavors.
Another Hitokuchi Kashi is a date with butter! This is the most popular sweet at HIGASHIYA and should be a very familiar sweet for Muslims. It has a roasted walnut and fermented butter inside, which gives a crispy but rich flavor to the date. It is worth trying a Japanese style date.
*Only for Moegi and Rokocha. However, make sure to buy only normal edition, not limited edition, as they may include some liquors.
Price
3,564 yen
Expiry date
4 days
Mamegashi (豆菓子)
This is a snack with peanuts, coated with Japanese traditional flavors. Although some of them contain emulsifier whose source is not clarified, Umeboshi flavor (梅干豆) do not contain any restricted ingredients! It is nicely packed and lasts for 120 days after production date, which is the reason why this is perfect as a souvenir.
Yokan is a Japanese jelly, which uses agar instead of gelatin. Thanks to this, most of Yokan in Japan can be Halal, and so it is the one at HIGASHIYA GINZA.
Our recommendation is Koicha (濃茶), strong green tea flavor. Yokan is made less sweet, so that the flavor of their special green tea can be more enjoyed. It is recommended to be chilled before eating.
Credit: https://online.ogata.com/
Ingredients
Sugar, white bean, reduced sugar syrup, Matcha green tea, agar, trehalose, chlorella
Price
1,620 yen for small size
Expiry date
240 days
Details of the shop
Ginza
Name: HIGASHIYA GINZA Address: 2nd Flr., Pola Ginza Bldg., 7-7-1 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo 東京都中央区銀座1-7-7ポーラ銀座ビル 2階 Tel: 03-3538-3230 Opening hours: 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Last order should be taken by 6:00 p.m. for Cafe
Marunouchi
Name: HIGASHIYA man marunouchi Address: 1st Flr., Mitsubishi UFJ Shintaku Bank Bldg., 5-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo 東京都千代田区丸の内 1-4-5三菱UFJ 信託銀行本店ビル 1階 Tel: 03-6259-1148 Opening hours: 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., until 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Holidays. Last order should be taken by 6:00 p.m. for Cafe Closed on: Sundays, except for the first Sunday of every month.
Minami Aoyama
Name: HIGASHIYA man Address: 14-17-3 Minami Aoyama, Minato Ward, Tokyo 東京都港区南青山 3-17-14 Tel: 03-5414-3881 Opening hours: 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., open 365 days.
Information as of April 2023. Please understand that the souvenir are not made as Halal or Muslim-friendly, so there might be a small risk of contamination, which we cannot be responsible of. We are not judging if the item is Halal or not, please consume at your own discretion.
