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Written by: Meidiana Khadijah Maramis
A Place to Learn Islam and Get in Touch With Muslims in Japan
Tokyo Jamii (東京ジャーミイ) or also known as Tokyo Camii, is a mosque with an adjacent Turkish cultural center located at Yoyogi Uehara in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is the largest mosque in Japan which was a Tokyo Islamic School established in 1938.
It was once demolished in 1986 due to the deterioration of the building and then reconstructed as Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center in 2000. The mosque has been a cornerstone for Muslims in Japan.
The mosque has similar architecture to the famous Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) in Istanbul, Turkey. Its traditional building created in the Ottoman style uniquely shines the background of the modern Shinjuku skyscrapers.
The beautiful design of the building and mosque makes people, including the Japanese and not limited to Muslims, come to visit and get themselves immersed in the beauty of the mosque.
Access
5 min walk from Yoyogi Uehara station on Chiyoda Line or Odakyu Line.
See Also
3 Muslim-Friendly Mobile Apps You Can Use When Traveling in Japan
Three Episodes of The Real Japanese Muslim Lifestyle
What To See
First Floor
Visitors will be welcomed by the eye-catching yet beautifully designed doors! It features geometrical designs with Arabic words.
Near the entrance, there are pamphlets visitors can take for free (there are also pamphlets about Tokyo Camii where visitors have to put 200 yen into a box nearby), with information about the mosque and more.
The first floor is the Cultural Center, with a comfortable Turkish-designed resting area with drinking water for free and a multipurpose hall that is used for holding events such as bazaar, wedding party, and iftar during Ramadan.
There is a library in the multipurpose hall. Visitors can read books from the library anywhere in the Tokyo Camii building area. However, visitors cannot rent books or take books out of the building. You can also see a large size of Al-Qur’an given by the President of Turkey, Recep Erdogan, to the Tokyo Camii.
Tokyo Jamii regularly updates about upcoming events and more on their Facebook and Instagram.
Next is the halal mart, which sells a wide variety of halal products from various countries, such as halal meat, snacks, cakes, instant noodles, drinks, and more.
In addition to food and beverage products, halal mart also sells headscarves, prayer needs, perfumes, beauty products, Turkish decorations and displays, and also typical souvenirs of Tokyo Camii.
The products are also available for delivery by order from their online shop. Updated items can be checked on the shop’s Facebook or Instagram.
The halal mart closes for approximately 15 minutes every prayer time.
Visitors can also take ablution in the toilets located on the 1st floor. Women’s and men’s toilets are separated.
Second and Third Floor
The second and third floors are the prayer area.
The prayer area has an amazing Turkish interior with Arabic calligraphy that admire visitors. Each calligraphy writing throughout the Tokyo Camii building has its own meaning related to Islam and the Qur’an.
To enter the holy hall, all female visitors are asked to wear head coverings, such as scarves and other long clothes, and men are to wear long pants. If the female visitors do not bring such, they can borrow scarves provided by Tokyo Camii.
For prayer activities, men pray on the second floor and women on the third floor.
See Also
Kobe Mosque, The Oldest Mosque in Japan
YUKI WORK, Muslimah Friendly Salon in Yoyogi Uehara
About Tokyo Camii and Turkish Cultural Center
- Address
- 1-19, Oyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0065
- TEl
- 03-5790-0760
- Opening Hours
- 10:00~18:00
- Website
- http://tokyocamii.org
- info@ tokyocamii.org