Ninja Yakiniku Asakusa

Restaurant Details

There are a few places in Tokyo that claim to be halal-friendly. Even fewer that are halal-certified.

Ninja Yakiniku Asakusa is both. It’s a restaurant piloted by a local, stalwart team that’s on a mission to make wagyu accessible, inclusive and undeniably delicious for Muslim guests in the city. There's even a prayer room for guests to use.

Many, if not all, of the elements at this halal yakiniku restaurant, will be familiar to meat enthusiasts: Korean appetizers of namul and kimchi, towering meat displays and iron-mesh grills pitted on each table. However, the major calling card lies behind the scenes. The store brings in Iga beef from Mie Prefecture, which the chefs proudly say is “comparable to Matusaka beef.”

The cows are prepared and slaughtered using the dhabihah method, which involves a single swift, deep incision to the animal's throat with a properly cleaned tool. This cut severs the esophagus, jugular veins and windpipe, ensuring that the meat is thoroughly drained of blood in adherence to Islamic law.

The food lineup works brilliantly and segues from spare-no-expense wagyu collection to smaller a la carte items on the menu. Halal horumon, or offals, such as hearts and liver are presented in stunning crockery, marinated with salt, tare or miso. Proteins and offals are served raw, marinated and fresh, so guests can grill them tableside according to their liking.

Seating overlooking the spectacular Tokyo Skytree.