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Halal Gourmet Japan Just Got a Major Makeover—Halal Dining and Shopping in Japan Easier Than Ever!
If you’re a Muslim traveler in Japan or living here long-term, you’ve probably wished—more than once—for a quick way to check whether a product at the convenience store is halal or not.
Well… that wish just came true!
Halal Gourmet Japan, the leading halal restaurant search app, just relaunched with a major update—and the biggest highlight? A brand new barcode scanning feature to help you check food products in real-time.
The app has been a go-to tool for Muslim travelers from more than 140 countries visiting Japan, and now it’s more useful than ever.
Supporting Your Muslim-Friendly Lifestyle—Not Just Dining Out
Halal Gourmet Japan still helps you discover over 775 Muslim-friendly and halal restaurants, with plans to surpass 1,000 listings by the end of this year. The app helps you navigating halal eateries within Japan based on your location, convenient!
But now, it also supports your everyday halal choices—from konbini snacks to groceries—making it one of the most practical tools for Muslims in Japan.
The app is developed by Moving Squad in partnership with Food Diversity Inc., a powerful collaboration driving halal innovation in Japan.
A Long-Awaited Camera Feature for Everyday Life
Sure, finding halal restaurants is easier in major cities—but what about snacks, drinks, or instant meals at the local konbini?
This new feature—called “Halal Lens”—is a game-changer.
How to Use the Halal Lens Camera Feature
It’s super easy:
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Open the Halal Gourmet Japan app (make sure it’s updated!).
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Tap “Halal Lens” on the bottom of the screen.
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Tap the “Open Camera” button to scan the product’s barcode.
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The app will display a judgment based on registered product data.
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If the product isn’t registered, tap “Next” and scan the ingredient list (原材料) instead.
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The app will assess the ingredients and give you a reference judgment.
Note: Always check how the judgment is made so you don’t misinterpret it. It’s meant to support informed decisions—not replace certification.
This gives you peace of mind while shopping, especially when you’re unsure about Japanese labels.
A product judged “OK”
A product judged “Gray＂
Understanding the Halal Judgment: OK, Gray, or NG?
When you use the Halal Lens feature on the Halal Gourmet Japan app, the app gives each scanned product a judgment based on its ingredients. Here’s what those judgments mean:
・OK: The product does not contain any known haram ingredients and is considered safe for Muslim consumers.
・NG (Not Good): The product contains one or more clearly haram ingredients, such as pork or alcohol.
・Gray: The product contains ingredients of uncertain origin, and it’s up to the user to decide based on their own preference or level of caution.
Let’s take emulsifiers as an example.
Emulsifiers can come from plant or animal sources, but the labeling isn’t always clear. In Japan, if an emulsifier contains a potential allergen like soy, it may be written in different ways:
・“Emulsifier (soy-based)” → easy to understand.
・Or more vaguely: “Emulsifier, xxx, xxx (some contain soy)” → which makes it harder to tell which ingredient the soy refers to.
Since many emulsifiers today are plant-based, they may be fine—but if it’s unclear, the app will label it as Gray to avoid giving misleading certainty. It’s a safety buffer that lets you make an informed choice with peace of mind.
Tips: Always double-check the ingredient list yourself, especially for “Gray” results. The app is a helpful guide—not a final fatwa.
Are You A Halal-Business Owner?
If you run a halal or Muslim-friendly eatery and want to welcome more Muslim guests, you can easily get your restaurant listed via the Halal Gourmet Japan’s registration page.
With their growing user base and international reach, you’ll be discovered by more travelers before they even land in Japan!
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