Delicious, Muslim-Friendly Donburi in Sapporo Airport

I love Japanese food and it saddens me sometimes how I can't eat many of the delicious food that Japan has to offer. This is why whenever I discover a new muslim-friendly restaurants in Japan, I become very excited!

While waiting for our flight to Tokyo in the New Chitose Airport, we found a muslim-friendly restaurant called Donburi Chaya in the domestic departures terminal. I was elated! Never before have I tried an authentic Donburi in Japan! So, I embarked on a little adventure, trying to find this restaurant with a name that is written in a mix of Hiragana and Kanji letters. At last, with the help of the airport map and my rusty knowledge on Hiragana, we were able to find it!

The restaurant offers a lot of muslim-friendly meals, as most of the dishes in their menu are seafood-based. Having missed breakfast, we were extremely hungry, so we ordered a lot from the menu: salmon sashimi and tamago over rice, scallops, grilled fish and grilled squid. The plates and tablewares for muslim-friendly meals are treated separately from the general ones, they even had halal soy sauce, too! ( I could eat salmon sashimi with shoyu!!)

The salmon and tamago donburi that I ordered was simply delicious. It was served with a generous amount of fresh and thick salmon slices! The scallops donburi ordered by my mom was another crowd pleaer, too. It was sauteed with scallions and each scallop was very tender!

Both the grilled fish and squid came as a set, served with white rice and a bowl of soup. The two dishes are perfect for sharing! I especially liked the grilled squid, as it was cooked in a savoury sauce and topped with bonito flakes. It reminded me a lot of takoyaki, sans the batter!

I hope that there will soon be more restaurants like this around Japan, as I am starting to get bored of having to eat Indian food (don't get me wrong though, I love cheese nan and saag paneer with all my heart!) every time we go to Japan. If you're flying domestic from the New Chitose Airport, drop by Donburi Chaya for their fresh and authentic dishes!

Donburi Chaya
New Chitose Airport
Domestic Terminal Building 3F
http://www.new-chitose-airport.jp/en/spend/shop/s117.html

Halal Ramen in Sapporo

It's that time of the year again, it's time for our annual Japan trip!

This time, I visited Japan in summer. The perfect time to visit Hokkaido and enjoy the beautiful view of blooming lavender. In this post, however, I'll be writing about an exciting part of our journey to Hokkaido: food. Particularly, the halal ramen that we had in Susukino, Sapporo. 

If you're travelling to Sapporo, I highly recommend staying in the city center around the Sapporo station area. The area is near numerous shopping destinations (there is a huge shopping complex nearby, which includes a gigantic Daimaru, Stellar Place, Tokyu Department Store and a Bic Camera). More importantly, the Sapporo station is only two stops away from Susukino, a vibrant area of the city. 

In Susukino, nestled an authentic Japanese ramen restaurant called Ramen Horyu. After discovering the fact that the restaurant was established in 1957, I became even more excited to try their ramen! 

The inside of the shop was pretty small, with a capacity of around 30 people. So, we were lucky that we didn't have to queue outside. Summer evening in Sapporo was still pretty cold!

The restaurant have four selections of ramen that are muslim-friendly, served with two main types of broth: miso-based (not spicy and peppery-bean paste broth (spicy). I highly recommend the Genghis Khan in peppery bean-paste broth, which is a ramen served in spicy borth and generous slices of lamb meat. 

The ramen was servced with mushroom and slices of scallions. It was the perfect meal for a chilly evening! However, the portion of the ramen was a lot, despite us ordering the normal-size portion. Personally, I think that the normal-size portion can definitely be shared by two or three people! 

Ramen Horyu has one or a few more branches across Sapporo. However, the only branch that serves muslim-friendly ramen is this one in Susukino. If you're interested to come and have a taste of this delicious ramen, don't forget to save this address!

Ramen Horyu Souhonten 

Minami 6 jo Nishi 3, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-city, Hokkaido

Halal Yakiniku in Tokyo

During my trip to Japan last December, I stumbled upon a cool Yakiniku place in Yoyogi that had such an authentic Japanese feel to it. The place is called Satsuma Tanden Yoyogi, a Japanese restaurant that serves Halal-ceritified Yakiniku. Of course, the most exciting part of visiting the restaurant is the part where I got to experience the taste of Japanese wagyu while actually being in Japan itself. 

The restaurant exterior and interior looked so amazing to me because it gave off the vibe of traditional Japanese restaurants, which made tourists like me feel like I was being adventurous (it is hard for moslems to be adventurous when traveling abroad because a lot of the 'authentic' food places or restaurants are not halal-certified!). I was really glad to see the restaurant's confidence in placing the halal sign right at the entrance. In the sign, it was also mentioned that it is Tokyo's first halal Yakiniku restaurant. 

From a wide range of cut choices, we settled for wagyu steak, which was greatly marbled and tender. What made the dining experience even more amazing was the savory sesame soy sauce that we used as the Yakiniku dip. The sauce was so good that we ended up buying two bottles of it to consume at home. We were so happy to find the soy sauce to be halal-certified as well because Japanese seasoning, especially sauces, are usually made with hints of alcohol or mirin (some sort of Japanese sweet cooking wine). 

The prices of the food can be a little expensive, but it all depends on the kind of cuts that you choose. The wagyu steak price could go up to about 2000 yen per serving! I would recommend getting the lunch/dinner set, as it comes with a choice of drinks, rice, soup and salad. However, I would also highly suggest you to splurge in the restaurant because it's seriously that good and we don't get to experience halal yet authentic Japanese Yakiniku everyday, do we?

Nara and Kyoto Snapshots

On our way of Kyoto, we stopped by a temple and a shrine with wonderful structures. It was then that I learned the difference between a temple and a shrine, in which the former is affiliated to Buddhism while the latter is Shinto, as explained by our tour guide.

The first stop was Todaiji temple. There was a Sakura tree outside of the temple, that was my first close-up view of the unique flower. 

The temple is an antique wooden structure that houses a giant Buddha statue inside. The effort put into the preservation of the site was truly amazing.

There were also many deers roaming outside of the temple as well. Although they were super cute, to be honest, they freaked me out.

The shrine that we visited next was called the Kasuga-Taisha shrine. The mostly red-coloured shrine had a completely different vibe than the temple that we went to.

Temple or shrine hopping in Japan can truly be a unique experience. They are just simply beautiful!

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

(Still about Japan)

I was so desperate to get into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWOHP) the last time I went to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) since I had not been able to get during the previous times that I went there. As I forgot to ask my agent to purchase the Express Pass that contained a pass to enter the WWOHP, I was so anxious that I would not be able to get a timed entry coupon that would allow me to enter the WWOHP section of the theme park. 

The moment we arrived in USJ, I rushed to the entrance gate and made my way to get my share of the timed entry tickets in the park. I studied the map of the park so many times beforehand so that I wouldn't get lost! (yes, I was that desperate!)

After the embarrassing run that I made to the ticketing booth, I finally managed to get hold of of a timed entry ticket. Even then, I had to wait for 4-5 long hours before I could enter the WWOHP.

I was so happy the moment that I got inside. The sight of the Hogwarts Express welcoming all of the WWOHP newcomers was just so exciting! Everything just seemed so dreamy. 

Of course the first thing that I did was to treat myself a serving of Butterbeer, a spicy and non-alcoholic Harry Potter-style drink that came in both cold and warm versions. Due to the chilly weather, I opted for the warm Butterbeer, served in a cute little cup that I took home as a souvenir (had to pay for it of course). 

What I did next was pretty much just wandering through the alleyways and peeking into the windows of Ollivander's and other cute souvenir shops, marvelling at the realistic view of the site itself. Too bad that the queues for the rides were sooooo long. 

A little tip from me is to plan your trip from a couple of months before and get the Express Pass that covers WWOHP entrance and rides to avoid the disappointment from not being able to enter the magical site. Make sure to get the Express Pass a few weeks or even a month before especially during peak seasons ( I went in Spring so it was really crowded!) 

I really can't wait for my next visit to WWOHP!

Japan (Again!)

My friends and those who know me would know how much I love Japan.

I know that this post is way overdue, but just like how I like to say it, it's better late than never!

I'm currently studying for THE LAST FINAL EXAM OF MY DEGREE LIFE! The fact that it's the last exam somehow leaves me with a bittersweet and mixed feeling, procrastination on one hand (because the finish line is so near yet so far) and excitement on the other (imagine not having to cram all night long before a test ever again!). 

While I was scrolling back through my iPhone's photo gallery in desperation because I couldn't seem to memorise some Islamic Finance terms, I stumbled upon the snapshots of the good time that I had in Japan earlier this year. We finally visited Japan in its early springtime and managed to catch a sight of its iconic Sakura flowers. Although they were not in full bloom yet, the flowers were already so gorgeous!

My family and I also visited Kyoto, where I dressed up in a kimono, learned Japanese tea ceremony and had one of the best Matcha ice cream that I've ever had in my life.

Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo was the route that my family and I took during our visit to Japan. For my next visit (Insyallah), I would really like to go once again to Kyoto because we didn't really get to explore the city that much last time. Summertime in Hokkaido would be an amazing idea, too!

A Day In Redang

I have never been too fond of South East Asia's scorching hot sun. However, this time I made an exception and went all out, basking under the gigantic and luminously glowing helium-filled balloon during my stay in Redang Island, off the coast of Kuala Terengganu.

I have to say that the beach view didn't disappoint me at all! The color of the sea was a beautiful gradation of blue, the sky was clear and the sand was a dazzling white! I couldn't help myself from taking way too many pictures of the beach

I went on a snorkelling adventure for the very first time as well! Initially, the thought of plunging into the open sea wearing only a life vest and a snorkel gear seemed really scary. I couldn't help but to think that a shark might just come any second to devour every snorkelers out there! Thankfully it didn't happen hahaha

Instantly, I fell in love with the pretty view underneath the water, where anemones and clams nestled on the gorgeous coral reefs.  And guess what? I FOUND NEMO! XD

Despite the salty seawater that irritated my nose and throat every now and then and how my eyes looked droopy and sad with the snorkelling goggles, snorkelling was so much fun! 

And please do excuse my lame pose in the otherwise awesome underwater photograph of mine, the lifeguard/photographer had to push my body so hard so that they would manage to take a quick shot of me underwater with the life vest on. I'm not much of a poser myself so this was the only pose I could think of at that moment hahaha

We also released newly hatched sea turtles into the sea. The activity cost us RM20 for each sea turtle and the fund will be channeled into the turtle conservation program! The baby turtles were soooo cute! It was so amazing to see them crawling instinctively into the sea and got drawn in by the sea waves into the ocean, where they truly belong!

I really did enjoy my trip to Redang and I can't wait to go on another trip to the beach and hopefully next time, I will get to learn how to dive so that I'll be able to see more beautiful views in the deep azure. 

Japan Snapshots

My family and I have always enjoyed our getaway to the Land of the Rising Sun. Something about the country just deeply intrigues me! During my last semester break, my family and I went to Japan for ten days and we enjoyed it very much. We're not a big fan of tours/travels where we have to wake up at 8am in the morning during our so-called holiday, hop in and hop off the bus just to take pictures at the renowned tourist locations. We'd arrange and book our transport online by ourselves and decide whatever we want to do, without anyone forcing us to go from one temple to another.

The first until the third day of our stay were spent in Osaka. We had a stroll down the famous Shinsaibashi shopping lane, the next day we spent our day in the gigantic Daimaru Umeda, where we went to the Pokemon Center and bought ourselves extremely cute Pokemon merchandises. The highlight of our stay in Osaka would have been our visit to Universal Studios. Unfortunately, it was so packed and I didn't win the ticket lottery to go into the Harry Potter section of the theme park. I was so sad! Nonetheless, I got to eat churros and cinnamon roll as well as had a wonderful stroll around the theme park.

After Osaka, we headed to Hokkaido and it was our first time there. Hokkaido was filled with bountiful of pure white snow that formed little mountains by the side of the street. I was deeply mesmerized since it was my first time seeing so much snow! We stayed in Toya for the first day in Hokkaido prefecture, the place was stunning with a beautiful lakeside view.

The next day, we stopped by Otaru before heading to Sapporo. On our way, we stumbled upon a little Japanese restaurant where they served really good seafood. We helped ourselves to devour generous servings of simple and freshly grilled fish, scallops and prawns. They were the absolute treat for such a freezing-cold day!

Tokyo was our last destination and surely it was indeed my favorite part of all. We went to the outskirts of Tokyo to see the top of Mount Fuji from Owakudani. One of the best things to do in this place was to actually savour the delicious Hokkaido soft-serve ice cream in the cold winter day. I had their bamboo charcoal ice cream that left me with black teeth and smeared lips! And of course, I just had to take a picture with Mount Fuji!

After visiting Mount Fuji, we made our way to Gotemba outlets; a paradise on earth for shopaholics like me! There were so many renowned outlets that sold their goods for such a ridiculously cheaper price!

We also visited Ginza the next day and I remember that it was on a Sunday so one of the main road in Ginza was closed for the car-free day. The wide road was filled with busy pedestrians instead! Being in Ginza, of course I had to stop by the BaoBao by Issey Miyake counter that I looked up in Google a few days before because I just had to grab a bag for myself hahaha (It's cheaper as compared to the one in Malaysia!) The good thing for a foreign traveller is that you would get to obtain a refund on their tax on the spot, you just have to show them your passport!

Mother also bought one of my biggest cravings when it comes to Japanese delicacies; Ichigo or the Japanese strawberries! They're super sweet and huge in size and of course, they cost you 200,000 rupiah per packet. The price truly did speak for the quality. Trust me though, it was so worth it!

Our last days in Tokyo were spent in Hilton Tokyo Bay Resort, one of the hotels that were just a bus ride away from Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. I might be nineteen years old in age but seriously, who doesn't love Disneyland?

It was not my first Disneyland experience, of course. However, it was my first time going to Disneyland at night. The castle view, as you can see, was stunning! Sofia was ecstatic about her first visit to the happiest place on earth. Despite the freezing winter night, we saw the beautiful Disney parade, had fun and went back there the next day because Sofia just couldn't get enough of it!

I went on a solitary visit to Disney Sea the next day too. This is the infamous Tower of Terror that me and my cousins went to around seven years ago. Time has surely passed by like a breeze. However, whoever it was that got us in this ride, really did commit a serious sin for putting kids under the age of twelve on such a scary ride hahaha.

This was the seaside view from my hotel room during a sunset. 

Ah, how I'd love to live by the sea!

My trip to Japan was really fun and I just can't wait to go back. 

Next time (inshaallah!), I'd love to go in Spring and see the blooming cherry blossom. Another place that I have to visit if I have the chance to visit Japan again is Kyoto. I heard that they offer kimono rentals service where you can dress up like a Geisha and with full Geisha-style make-up, too!

 I WANT TO GO NOW!

Ancient Japan

I went to Japan earlier this year. It's been two months and I have missed the synchronized environment that reflects a fusion of both modern and ancient time. The contrast between the two is just beautifully laid out in the Japanese surrounding.

I visited a small town in the Shikoku island called Kochi and had my very first Onsen experience there. It's a peaceful place with a rich natural surrounding and down to earth people whose faith in the Shinto religion is still deep-rooted.

They believed that God is summoned when you ring the bell by swinging the long rope at the temple

We also went to Kochi castle and climbed up its steep stairs, as for me, I literally crawled my way up to the summit. The view of the mountains and buildings that are mostly white was spectacular!

Disney On Ice!

Two weeks ago I went to Singapore to watch the Disney On Ice tour. I wasn't surprised when I saw most of the audience were children dressed up in their favorite princess costumes. Surely they made me wanna shrink back into an 8 year-old kid. The child in me was really much intrigued, I could tell that I was behaving eleven years younger that night, I bought a box of popcorn with a fifteen bucks price tag just to get the Minnie crown that came with it. Thankfully, I didn't go extreme and bought a Tinkerbell wand or prince Phillip's sword.

The performance that night was fantastic. I was literally enchanted and captivated. How I missed my childhood! Much to my dismay, I failed to take good pictures on that night as I didn't have my camera with me so I just had to use my iPhone camera that doesn't work well under dark and poor lighting. Sigh.