Food Rules and Rituals - Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2023 - Mark McWilliams
Negotiating the Availability and Consumption of Halal Food in Tokyo
Food Rules and Rituals - Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2023 - Mark McWilliams
Kirsty Bouwers [+]
Kirsty Bouwers is currently pursuing an MA in the Anthropology of Food with a focus on
shojin ryori (Buddhist cuisine). She also holds an MA in Religion in Global Politics from SOAS, University of London.
Description
The limited availability of halal food in Japan has been described by several scholars as an issue, yet how Muslim residents themselves manage this has been less studied. With Japan’s Muslim population steadily rising, this feels like an oversight. This paper examines how Muslims in Tokyo negotiate the availability of halal food in their daily lives. Based on as an analysis of 20 interviews with Muslims resident in Tokyo, it shows how they are in constant conversation with what is halal, both adhering to and challenging traditional notions of it through their food choices.