Muslims living in Japan observe spirit of Ramadan at Tokyo Mosque

By Ahmet Furkan Mercan

TOKYO (AA) – The Japanese people on Tuesday enjoyed the spirit of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as they participated in a fast-breaking, or iftar, event held at the Tokyo Mosque.

Muslims living in the capital Tokyo as well as non-Muslim Japanese gathered at the mosque which is affiliated with Türkiye's directorate of religious affairs, the Diyanet.

Speaking about the activities they carried out during Ramadan in the mosque, Tokyo Mosque Imam Muhammet Rifat Cinar told Anadolu that the iftars, which are considered the symbol of the mosque, are held in the hall of the Diyanet Turkish Cultural Center located on the campus of the mosque.

Iftar is the evening meal that Muslims end their daily fast with at sunset during Ramadan.

They bring together Muslims of all nationalities, colors, and cultures with the spirit of Ramadan, Cinar said, adding the number of participants increased further compared to last year after the Japanese government eased COVID-19 mask requirements.

About the activities ahead of iftar, or fast-breaking dinner, the imam said the meaning of fasting was explained to the Japanese participants. The busiest days are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, he added.

“We hosted approximately 15-16,000 guests, of whom 5-6,000 were Japanese, during our iftars at the Tokyo Mosque,” he said.

They also collected aid for the people affected by two earthquakes that struck Türkiye in early February, Cinar said.

The mosque is seen as a central point in the collection of aid, he said, adding the Japanese community generously contributed to the relief aid during Ramadan.

Noting that different segments of society visited the mosque and made donations, Cinar said tourists visiting Tokyo from different countries also donated for earthquake victims.

- Interfaith activities

The Imam said representatives of different faiths such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Shintoism also visited the mosque and provided help to the earthquake victims in Türkiye.

Also, the Japanese architect, who converted to Islam this year at the Tokyo Mosque and took the name Islam, shared his feelings and experiences on his first-ever fasting and the month of Ramadan.

“I got used to fasting gradually, although I could not succeed in the first week,” Islam said.

Islam, who also works part-time at the mosque campus, said the Japanese visiting the mosque meet both Islamic and Turkish cultures.

Additionally, Ramadan was also observed at the Tsushima Hagia Sophia Mosque, which was built in the city of Nagoya, 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Tokyo, with the support of the organization of the Islamic Community of Mili Gorus (IGMG) in Germany.

The Tsushima Hagia Sophia Mosque Imam Sedat Sener said at least 100 people are hosted every day for iftar at the mosque campus, which is affiliated with Turkiye's directorate of religious affairs.

Even non-Muslims, including our Japanese neighbors, came to the mosque, he said, adding: “We had a fruitful Ramadan.”

Sener said: “We were seeing this atmosphere in mosques in Europe, and it makes us happy that it has become even more evident during Ramadan.”