The most authentic Japanese food served in Nago, in Muslim-friendly style.
Kappo Yamabuki is a restaurant located in the city of Nago, Okinawa, a restaurant that offers authentic style Japanese food, which is not very usual in Okinawa.
What makes the restaurant so unique is that the restaurant is located 2 hours away from Naha city, and the food is prepared in a Muslim-friendly style. Yamabuki started to offer their food in a Muslim-friendly style since 2015, and the seats are always fully booked by not only Muslims but also other Asian tourists.
This reputation has even reached the Prime Minister of Malaysia, which resulted him in visiting and enjoying the meal. Ms. Eriko Niizato, a General Manager, has told us her secret.
- QHow did you decide to offer Muslim-friendly meals?
- A
I had a chance to welcome a group of more than 100 foreign tourists to the conference held in Nago, and they have requested us to prepare vegan and Halal meals to let them enjoy the food together. I was then convinced that I need to understand the food diversity, as a professional person to serve customers.
In 2015, when I started serving Muslim-friendly food, it was unfortunate to say that no preparation was made to welcome Muslim customers, although Nago is a city which has an easy access to Churaumi Aquarium and other touristic spots in the northern area. I felt that this is a big concern that not all the tourists have a place where they can eat without being worried.
- QWhat kind of food do you serve?
- A
We serve traditional Japanese food, such as Sashimi, Sushi and Tempura for the Muslim-friendly menu. These are well-known to our foreign tourists and the most popular dishes. The quantity is big enough and there were even some customers who came to our restaurant 3 days in-a-row, which has made us really proud of our quality, too.
We can serve some meals using Halal meat*, too. It is difficult for Muslim travelers to find Halal meat in Japan, so please feel free to consult us.
*2 weeks in advance reservation needed.
- QDid the number of Muslims increase?
- A
Greatly. We are now so happy that the people now recognize us as the No. 1 restaurant where Muslims can eat without any concerns, just like the PM of Malaysia came.
To our surprise, we have quite a big number of foreign tourists who are not actually Muslims. I guess that this is because we offer popular menus among foreign tourists, not only among Japanese customers.
- QWhat was the most difficult thing in preparing Muslim-friendly meals?
- A
Preparing Japanese seasonings was not easy, but once we find suitable one, it is no longer difficult. What is still difficult for us is to come up with the new menu, because the customers with different culture have a different taste or preference.
Looking at the customers, it is very easy to tell if the customers really liked our meal or not. This is where we have to work on every day.
- QWhat is the strength of Kappo Yamabuki?
- A
Taste, warm-hearted and ambiance. Our restaurant was built in a traditional Japanese style to let the customers feel the ambiance. During dinner time, some of the staffs wear Japanese Kimono.
- QWhat is your recommended sightseeing spot in Nago city?
- A
Former Nago castle, which is very famous for being the very first place to bloom cherry blossoms in Japan, it is just so amazing. There is no more castle itself however, the ambiance is still great, and we can enjoy a panoramic view after going up all the stairs.
- QDo you have any message to Muslim customers?
- A
For the foreign tourists who is coming all the way to Japan, to Okinawa, it is absolutely important to have a place where they can eat with a peace of mind. It is unimaginable how much your concern is to wonder if there is anything you can eat, not to mention the language barrier.
It will be my utmost pleasure if our restaurant can be the place where tourists can tell us what they want to eat, without hesitation. Please let us know if there is anything you would like to try or want us to do.
We are waiting for you like your own home.
Menu at Kappo Yamabuki
Details of the Restaurant
Name: Kappo Yamabuki (かっぽう山吹)
Address:19-7-1, Daito, Nago city, Okinawa 905-0016 沖縄県名護市大東1-7-19
Genre:Japanese food
Tel:0980-52-2143
Closed:Sundays
Others:Halal food only during lunch time, Private room available
Halal food only during lunch time, Reservation recommended (Meat could be prepared with 2 weeks reservation in advance)
Information as of December 2022. Kappo Yamabuki is a Muslim-friendly restaurant, not certified as a Halal restaurant, with a small risk of contamination.