Famous for its energetic streets and rich culture, Osaka is a popular destination for Muslims for its mashup of modern and traditional elements. However, with a jam-packed schedule and countless places to visit and enjoy, finding a place to do our prayers, reconnect with Allah SWT and to fulfill our religious obligations still takes precedence.
Osaka is more than just a popular destination; it is a place where it welcomes, honors, and respects the religious beliefs of all of its guests and residents, including Muslims. With its popularity amongst Muslims traveling to Osaka, mosques and places of worship are also easy to find and exist throughout the city. These places for prayer for Muslims not only serve as a place to simply fulfill daily prayers, but as a melting pot of cultures and a piece of home through their community.
More than just a destination, we’ll explore mosques, prayer places, and Osaka's Muslim community’s kind and gracious welcome to Muslims around the globe.
Osaka is one of Japan's safest cities, with low crime rates and a welcoming atmosphere for all. Muslims visiting or residing in Osaka can feel assured of safety and find a warm embrace from the locals. The city's cosmopolitan nature fosters an environment of inclusivity, making it easy for Muslims to feel at home.
With the increasing number of Muslims, it is only natural for the existing Muslim population to create a closely-knit community, offering familiarity for Muslims through common shared interests and other community events. The creation of this tightly-knit community gave Muslims space to do their activities in a familiar environment.
Osaka's Muslim community is diverse, comprising individuals from various cultural backgrounds and professions. While some are expatriates working in multinational corporations, others are students pursuing higher education or entrepreneurs contributing to the local economy. Despite cultural differences, the community is united by shared values and a sense of solidarity.
Some might not know, but the history of mosques and Islam in Osaka dates back centuries. Fast forward to the present. While the earliest mosques - initiated by the development of the Osaka Ibaraki Mosque, which started small and humble and primarily served immigrants, today Osaka boasts a number of mosques in order to cater to the diverse and growing Muslim population and travelers.
Osaka is home to several mosques, each unique with its own history, facilities, and warm communities. These mosques do not only provide spaces for Muslims to worship but also to hold community gatherings, engage in educational activities, and even find Halal food. With the ever-growing and flourishing Muslim community, these mosques brought a unique blend to the city's cultural richness.
Initiated by the Indonesian Muslims in Osaka with the support of the Indonesian Consulate General, Masjid Istiqlal Osaka was initially built with the intention of fulfilling the needs and growth of Indonesian Muslims. With the huge mass of Indonesian Muslim residents alone in Osaka (with a whopping 2,500+ residents), it makes it hard for the community and consulate to organize Eid prayers, or even simple community events such as iftar. The need for a solemn place to fulfill a Muslim’s spiritual needs while serving as a permanent place to host these Islamic community events is a determining factor of its development. With these needs and the demand for a prayer space within the central location of the city, Masjid Istiqlal Osaka was then built in 2023 to fulfill these demands.
While it was built with the intentions and needs of Indonesian Muslims, the mosque welcomes all Muslims from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Accommodating the five daily prayers, the mosque is open for most of the days and for 24 hours during certain nights of Ramadan for i’tikaf. With a total capacity of 1,500 people, it also hosts various events during Ramadan, including communal iftar, Eid prayers, zakat collections, and taraweeh. It would also hold Islamic sermons and classes to enrich the knowledge of the visitors. A Halal minimart was also established on its ground floor, enabling Muslims to gain access to Halal-certified products that are mainly from Indonesia and Thailand.
As the mosque fully dedicates its services to its Muslim community, it also offers Muslim supporting needs such as Tablighi Akbar (Islamic-based curriculum classes such as Quran and Fiqh), nikkah and walimah, as well as burial services. Just like any other Islamic community, be it residents or travelers, are welcome to use the mosque’s facilities, use its services, or participate in its events.
Situated conveniently close to popular tourist attractions like Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai, the mosque serves as a convenient prayer space for travelers exploring the city center. With the mosque topping off its roof, the nearby Muslim community in the city center has also grown, such as with the development of IndoMamat, an Indonesian Halal restaurant that serves warung-styled dishes.
Masjid Istiqlal Osaka
Address: 1 Chome-2-10 Nakahiraki, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0022, Japan
Operational Hours: Monday to Sunday, 05.00 AM - 11.00 PM
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IndoMamat Restaurant
Address: 1 Chome-10-14 Nagahashi, Nishinari Ward, Osaka 557-0025, Japan
Operational Hours:
Find out the perfect time to visit each mosque and plan your day in Osaka by checking out "Explore the Enchanting Osaka: A Comprehensive 3-Day Itinerary".
Located near Chibune Station, this mosque is home to a close-knit community of Muslims that resides near the city center. Established in the 2000s, Osaka Masjid was built to cater to the numerous Muslim population within the area, where they held gatherings and hosted prayers in the home of a Muslim that resides nearby. With the mosque done, all prayers and related events would later be moved into the mosque.
The mosque is home to various facilities. Visitors are greeted by a separate entry for males and females, with a store selling Halal food items in between. The prayer area is capable of accommodating jamaah for Friday prayers, Taraweeh, and Eid prayers, with a separate women's chamber for privacy. Aside from prayer services, the mosque also provides a multitude of Islamic events, educational opportunities through its madrassa, an Islamic literature-focused library, and other community-focused services.
As the mosque grows in its services, its community also follows. The caring community of the mosque is also opening donations for the development of another mosque, showing the strong bond of the Muslim community in Osaka. Not only that, there is also a Halal minimart in the mosque itself and a Halal restaurant located just across the street—Osaka Halal Restaurant, a Pakistani restaurant serving biryani and curries.
Osaka Masjid and Halal Store
Address: 4 Chome-12-16 Owada, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka, 555-0032, Japan
Osaka Halal Restaurant
Address: 4 Chome−13−2 Owada, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka, 555-0032, Japan
Operational Hours: Monday - Sunday, 11.00 AM - 03.00 PM and 05.00 - 10.00 PM
Check out our article on "Authentic Osaka: A Culinary Tour of Halal Food in Osaka, Japan" for more restaurants with Halal food in Osaka!
Muslims seeking a community and a place to pray are welcome to join the Osaka Islamic Center. Located near Chibune Station, this mosque offers Muslims a peaceful place to fulfill their religious obligations and reestablish their connection with Allah. Just like the previous mosques, the Osaka Islamic Center also hosts community events and gatherings, Islamic activities during Ramadan, and Eid prayers. With its close proximity to public transport, Muslims who are traveling are able to visit the mosque to do their prayers, and are also welcome to join in the events that they are hosting.
The establishment of the mosque was actually more than just for hosting prayers, it aimed to also give the Muslim community a place to learn more about Islam and their religious obligations. These learning opportunities are offered through lectures, seminars, and forums.
Address: 1 Chome-10-28 Nakajima, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka 555-0041, Japan
Operational Hours: Monday to Sunday, 04.00 AM - 11.00 PM
Founded in 2006, Osaka Ibaraki Mosque’s history dates back to the early 1990’s where Muslims in Osaka formed the Islamic Culture Foundation Osaka (ICFO) in order to build the area’s first mosque due to Muslim’s spiritual needs. Its location in Ibaraki city, sets a strong foundation for its community, as it is located near a university and for Muslims of diverse ethnicities that reside and work in the area.
The mosque itself, with its long-standing experience, has been a center for religious activities for Muslims, as a congregational prayer space and a place to learn and get close to its religion. The mosque, on top of hosting daily, Friday, and Eid prayers, is known for its interesting educational activities, such as Quran classes, Arabic language classes, Islamic teachings for kids, and Saturday programs.
The mosque’s services also extend to qiyam, iftar gatherings, weddings, and shahada in order to cater to the community’s needs. Self-service Halal corner is also available on its first level to ease Muslims seeking for Halal food and ingredients. All of these services are open to local or international visitors, may it be Muslims or non-Muslims. The mosque is also regularly open for membership, which provides updated information for their events. You can also contribute through the membership and donate to their upcoming mosque expansion.
With its long-standing history, Osaka Ibaraki Mosque is well worth visiting, especially for those who seek more than a prayer space. With its doors being open to all kinds of people, may it be Muslims or non-Muslims, Osaka Ibaraki Mosque is an encouraging and welcoming community to the people around it.
Address: 4 Chome-6-13 Toyokawa, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0057, Japan
Operational Hours: Monday to Sunday, 05.00 AM - 10.00 PM
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Osaka offers a range of facilities catering to these needs, including prayer rooms in shopping malls, airports, and even public attractions. Especially for Muslim visitors who are traveling on a tight schedule, accessibility to spaces that could cater to their spiritual practice is crucial. With the city's efficient public transportation system and a considerable number of prayer rooms and mosques, Muslims can try to plan their itinerary accordingly while having some ease of mind regarding their spiritual needs.
Do remember to bring your own prayer mats and garments upon visiting the prayer rooms, as while some of the prayer places we visited do provide them, it is still best to be safe in case you need to pray in places outside of our list.
Visitors of the restaurant are able to use a prayer room that is available in the restaurant. Offering a private space to do their daily prayers after enjoying a bowl of ramen.
Address: 2 Chome-7-22 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0086, Japan
As these restaurants usually take their time to enjoy their meals with their sizzling yakiniku and hotpot, customers dining at Halal Yakiniku Zerohachi and Asia Spice Diner 585 have access to a prayer room that is conveniently located next to both establishments. This ensures that their patrons always have a dedicated space and are able to complete their obligations, particularly during the limited time window. Access is given by asking the staff.
Address: Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) 5F, 1 Chome-2-10 Nakahiraki, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0022, Japan
The Tempozan Harbor Village caters to the needs of Muslim guests which offers a peaceful place to pray. Complete with ablution facilities, the prayer room can be found on the upper floor of the Tempozan Marketplace, which is next to the Istanbul Table Halal Restaurant Tempozan. Directions and access to this area are available from the information center located next to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan ticket office.
Address: 1 Chome-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato Ward, Osaka, 552-0022, Japan
To fulfill their daily prayers, guests at LaLaport EXPOCITY have access to a spacious prayer room that is conveniently located on the second floor on the ORANGE side, it is conveniently located next to the lift lobby between TSUTAYA BOOK STORE AND C smart. With separate prayer and ablution areas for each male and female. Information on how to use the prayer area may be found at the main information desk located on the mall's ground floor.
Address: 2-1 Senribanpakukoen, Suita, Osaka 565-0826, Japan
During a visit to the Umeda Sky Building, Muslims can request a prayer room on the observation floor by contacting the staff members who are on duty.
Address: 1 Chome-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita Ward, Osaka, 531-6023, Japan
Find out important tips on how to plan your Muslim-friendly trip to Osaka by checking out our blog, "Essential Tips for a Halal Trip to Osaka".
Osaka's growing Muslim population and visitors, combined with the city's charms and friendly locals, highlight how cultural diversity can bring forth a welcoming community with open hands. In addition to serving as places for prayer, Osaka's mosques also serve as important communal hubs and educational institutions, meeting the needs of both locals and visitors. The provision of prayer rooms at many places across Osaka guarantees accessibility for Muslim guests. Osaka is not just a great tourist destination, but also a city where religious beliefs are appreciated and revered because of its friendly attitude towards Muslims.
This article is brought to you by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
