The biggest concern for Muslim travelers who are planning to come to Japan may be food, because we do not have so much Halal food and choices are quite limited. However, did you know that just carrying your own Halal soy sauce can solve this problem a lot?
Why can Halal soy sauce make journey in Japan much easier? This is because Japan has so many seafood plates which itself is Halal, however, in many restaurants they offer soy sauce that contains alcohol, which makes their plate haram. It means that if you have a Halal soy sauce to substitute the sauce offered in the restaurant, you can at least avoid haram ingredients in your meal!
The label clearly says Alcohol as their ingredients.
Why does soy sauce contain alcohol?
Soy sauce, a black Japanese seasoning made from soybeans and salt, is the most common sauce that we use on daily basis. However, as a Muslim, it has to be reminded that the sauce contains very tiny portion of alcohol to preserve the sauce longer. Although it is not enough amount to make you intoxicated, it would be better to avoid the product if you would like to follow Halal food.
There is also Halal-certified soy sauce, which you can buy online. The demand of Halal soy sauce is not big so that you may not find them in the normal supermarkets.
However, as a tourist, buying big size Halal soy sauce is not ideal because of the price, size, and the headache to arrange shipments while your travel.
Then, what can Muslim travelers do to find Halal soy sauce?
Don’t worry, there is a solution for this problem!
Probably the most famous and sold soy sauce in Japan is KIKKOMAN. It is a name of a brand which was established in 1917, more than 100 years ago. Since then, their soy sauce has been sold very well, and wherever you are in Japan, you may find this product. Japan’s No. 1 soy sauce, in other words, it is No. 1 in the world, so you might have seen this brand in local supermarket in your country, too.
Many KIKKOMAN soy sauces sold in Japan contain Alcohol for preservation purpose, but some of them do not. The Soy sauce is not Halal certified, but as the soy sauce without alcohol is manufactured separately, the risk of contamination is quite low. Since they are available in almost all the supermarkets and convenience stores, it is our recommendation for you to buy and carry. The portion is as tiny as 100ml so it would not trouble you so much.
So, which one is a soy sauce without alcohol?
From KIKKOMAN brand, make sure you choose the best quality soy sauce, which in Japanese is Tokusen Marudaizu Shoyu (特選丸大豆しょうゆ). By checking on the label, there is no alcohol contained, made from only Soybean, Flour and Salt. This soy sauce has a size of 100ml and you can find this small size soy sauce no matter where you are! Price for 100ml is only 157 yen.
Credit: https://www.kikkoman.co.jp/
KIKKOMAN Tokusen Marudaizu Shoyu (キッコーマン特選丸大豆しょうゆ) 100ml 157 yen Expiry date is about a year Avaialable at supermarkets and Convenience stores
Enjoy your gourmet experience more!
There still may be difficulties in finding a Halal food in Japan, but we are sure that just bringing this small portion of soy sauce can help you a lot while your journey in Japan.
Information as of June 2023.
The process of manufacture or ingredients might be changed, which we can never be responsible.
