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Travelling as a Muslim in a non-Muslim country often means learning how to compromise; from skipping meals when halal options are unavailable, to using Google Translate just to ask if a snack is safe to eat.
But for 24-year-old Muhammad Mukmin Muhammad Faris, it wasn’t just the food that bothered him.
It was the absence of something deeper, the inability to bring home a piece of Japan that could reflect both culture and faith.
“My family came to visit me in Japan. We looked everywhere for a halal souvenir, something local, something they could proudly take home. But there was nothing.”
That moment sparked more than frustration. It sparked a purpose as well.
Today, Mukmin is the founder and CEO of Halalu Foods, a Kyoto-based halal brand crafting what could become Japan’s first halal-certified souvenir food line.
His journey isn’t just about business. It’s about belonging, bridging cultures, and proving that faith and modern entrepreneurship can exist hand in hand.
A moment that changed everything
Mukmin’s story began, quite simply, with curiosity and a locker at Universal Studios Singapore.
Right after SPM, he noticed two Japanese girls struggling with their locker. He wanted to help, but couldn’t speak the language, and neither could the staff. At that moment, it became a turning point.
“I thought if I really want to help people, I need to understand them, starting with the language.”
That desire led him to pursue his tertiary education in Japan, where he enrolled himself at Utsunomiya University and studied biology. But as time went on, it became clear that his real passion wasn’t science, it was food, culture, and the intersection between the two.
From biology graduate to Halal food entrepreneur
While in Japan, Mukmin met a Japanese businessman who was captivated by his language fluency and cultural awareness. What started as a casual conversation became the foundation for something much bigger.
“He told me, ‘You’d be perfect to help connect Japan with other countries.’ I wasn’t sure what he meant at first until I told him about the halal gap in Japan.”
“That’s when everything clicked. With Muslim tourism on the rise, the lack of halal-certified, authentic Japanese souvenirs felt like a missed opportunity. And more than that, it felt personal,” he recounted
“This wasn’t just about Malaysia. It was about Islam. About creating space for Muslims to feel seen in a country they admire.”
And with that, Halalu Foods was born, with Mukmin’s first product being a halal Japanese biscuit made with local ingredients and Japanese craftsmanship, but fully certified for Muslim consumers.
It may sound small to most people, but to him, it’s the beginning of something bigger, a bridge between two vastly different cultures.
“Muslims deserve to experience Japanese culture and not just avoid it. Halalu Foods is about giving people something they can take home with pride,” he explained.
But launching a business in Japan, especially as a young foreigner, came with its own set of hurdles.
Juggling two lives in a country that’s not home
To keep Halalu Foods afloat, Mukmin works a full-time 9-to-5 job. His days start early with Fajr prayers, train rides with books, a full workday followed by nights dedicated to content creation, business planning, and meetings.
“It’s exhausting. But I knew if I wanted to do this right, I’d need structure and a proper company.”
“Staying consistent, especially while navigating two demanding roles, remains my biggest challenge. But every small win, every message of encouragement, keeps me going.”
Behind the clean branding and cheerful updates, there lies also a high level of risk and mounting debt.
“I’ve spent close to RM100,000 on Halalu Foods. Thankfully, I had investors who believed in me but I still have to repay that. It’s a huge responsibility.”
When he asked one investor why they backed someone so young, the answer floored him.
“He said, ‘That’s exactly why, because we don’t know where you’re going, but we believe in you.’ That moment broke me. In a good way,” he recalled.
Learning how to be Muslim, Malaysian, and business-minded in Japan
Mukmin’s story isn’t just about entrepreneurship, it’s also about identity.
Japan is a country built on etiquette, structure, and unspoken rules. For a young Muslim man from Malaysia, learning how to navigate that culture without losing himself was a journey in itself.
“Here, every small thing matters, how you bow, how you exchange name cards. And there’s a culture of drinking with clients that I don’t take part in. But when I explain why, they respect that especially if you speak their language and understand their values.”
Being a practicing Muslim in Japan isn’t always easy, but it’s never something he compromises on.
“I pray five times a day, I fast during Ramadan. I use apps like Tokyo Muslim Guide, and I follow halal food influencers.”
“Still, the options are limited. Most halal eateries in Japan focus on wagyu or ramen which aren’t exactly the variety you’d hope for.
This is exactly what Halalu Foods hopes to change.
“When you come to Japan, you want to experience Japanese food, and not just Indian or Pakistani dishes. That’s what Halalu Foods is trying to fix,” he said.
Support from unexpected places
One of the hardest pills Mukmin said he had to swallow was realising that not everyone back home believed in his dream.
“I reached out to some people back home. The response was usually, ‘Sure, email me,’ but I rarely heard back. Meanwhile, Japanese people, many who aren’t even Muslim would say, ‘Let’s meet next week.’”
“It hurt me very deeply when I thought about it. Why are strangers more willing to support me than my own people? While I cried over it. I also used it as a form of motivation,” he reminisced.
With most of his friends having returned to Malaysia, Mukmin could have easily followed them and landed a high-paying job thanks to his fluency in Japanese. Even his mother thought the same, where she gently encouraged him to come back.
“She said, ‘Gaji pun okay kat Malaysia. (The salary isn’t too bad in Malaysia)’ But I told her I’ve found something here that I really want to do.
“While homesickness hits the hardest during moments like Raya, I know this journey is way bigger than myself as I feel I have a duty to fulfil. If I walk away now, I’m not just giving up on myself; I’m letting down an entire community.”
If Mukmin could turn back the clock and speak to the boy who boarded that fateful flight after SPM, he knows exactly what he’d say.
“You’re going to help people. You’ll meet amazing people. You’re going to create something that matters. And one day, it’s all going to make sense.”
What’s next for Halalu Foods?
Currently, the first product is already in the works, which is a halal Japanese biscuit made to be gifted, shared, and brought home with love. Whilst a humble beginning, it’s one filled with purpose.
“I want Halalu Foods to be remembered as the best halal souvenir brand in Japan. Not the biggest. Not the trendiest. Just the most meaningful.
“And from the way things are going, it’s not a matter of if, but when,” he expressed confidently.
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