Is There Halal Katsu in Japan? Where to Eat Gyukatsu (2026)
Quick Answer: Yes, but you have to know where to go. Tonkatsu, the most common katsu in Japan, is a pork cutlet, and ordinary gyukatsu (beef cutlet) shops such as Gyukatsu Motomura make no halal claim. In October 2026 we found six places that serve gyukatsu and state they are halal: five Gyumon branches (Asakusa Kaminarimon, Ginza, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka Shinsekai) and Shunpudou in Asakusa. None of them names a certifying body for these branches, so confirm when you arrive.
Checked October 2026 against each restaurant's official website.
What katsu means in Japan
Katsu is a cutlet: meat coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Three versions matter for a Muslim traveller.
- Tonkatsu (とんかつ) is pork. It is the default katsu in Japan, and it is also what goes into most katsudon (a cutlet simmered with egg on rice) and katsu sandwiches.
- Gyukatsu (牛かつ) is beef, usually fried briefly so the inside stays rare.
- Chicken katsu (チキンカツ) is chicken. It is easy to make at home, and we have a recipe for halal chicken katsu, but we did not find a restaurant in Japan that serves it and states it is halal.
Frying fat is the second issue. The Japanese encyclopedia entry for lard (ラード, pork fat) lists it as a commercial frying fat for doughnuts, fried foods, tonkatsu and croquettes (Kotobank). At a shop that fries pork, ask whether the same oil is used for everything.
Is Gyukatsu Motomura halal?
No halal claim is made. Gyukatsu Motomura is a gyukatsu chain, and its official menu is built around beef katsu. The menu also notes that beef tallow (牛脂) is added to the beef for flavour, and the site says nothing about halal beef or Muslim customers (official menu, checked October 2026). Beef that is not halal-slaughtered is not halal, so treat Motomura and other ordinary gyukatsu shops as not halal.
Where to eat gyukatsu that is stated to be halal
Gyumon (Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka)
Gyumon opened as a wagyu yakiniku restaurant in Shibuya in 2007 and has since opened ramen, gyukatsu, sukiyaki and burger branches across Japan. The branches below carry "Gyukatsu" in their official names. Gyumon states that it serves "dishes that adhere to Islamic dietary laws, using only the finest A5-grade Halal Wagyu beef" (gyumon-group.com). No certifying body is named for these branches, so confirm when you arrive. Our guide to the Gyumon group explains which part of the business holds a certificate.
| Branch | Address | Access | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halal Wagyu Ramen & Gyukatsu GYUMON Tokyo Asakusa Kaminarimon | 3F Grand Gate Asakusa, 1-18-11 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo | Asakusa Station, 2 min walk | 12:00 to 22:00 |
| Halal Wagyu Vegan Ramen & Gyukatsu GYUMON Tokyo Ginza | B1F 2nd Kotobuki Bldg., 6-12-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo | Ginza Station, 5 min walk | 12:00 to 22:00 |
| Halal Wagyu Ramen & Gyukatsu GYUMON Kyoto | 746-1 Tatsumicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto | Kyoto Station, 8 min walk | 12:00 to 22:00 |
| Halal Wagyu Ramen & Gyukatsu GYUMON Nara | B1F Morita Bldg., 48 Takamacho, Nara | Kintetsu Nara Station, 1 min walk | 12:00 to 22:00 |
| Halal Wagyu Vegan Ramen & Gyukatsu & Burger GYUMON Osaka Tsutenkaku Shinsekai | 1F ShaMaison Haleglass, 1-19-16 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka | In Shinsekai, near Tsutenkaku Tower | 12:00 to 22:00 |
Addresses, access and hours are from each branch page on gyumon-group.com, checked October 2026. Gyumon lists more branches on its shop page.
Shunpudou (Asakusa, Tokyo)
HALAL WAGYU RAMEN & BEEF CUTLET SHUNPUDOU is a ramen and beef cutlet restaurant on the third floor of the Asakusa Heiwa Building (2-6-11 Asakusa, Taito-ku). Its official menu lists three katsu set meals: the Shunpudou A5 black wagyu beef cutlet set, the black wagyu beef cutlet set meal and the black wagyu beef cutlet sirloin set meal. The restaurant says it opened so that "Muslims can enjoy Japanese ramen culture with peace of mind", and states: "We only use Halal-certified ingredients, and do not use any inappropriate animal-derived ingredients or alcohol" (shunpudou.com). No certifying body is named, so confirm when you arrive. Open 11:00 to 22:00 with no closing day, according to the official site.
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Katsu sauce and katsu curry
Tonkatsu sauce. Bull-Dog's tonkatsu sauce lists vegetables and fruit, brewed vinegar, sugars, salt, starch, yeast extract and spices, with soy and apple as allergens (Bull-Dog product page, ingredient data as of August 2026). No meat, gelatin or alcohol appears in the list. The source of the brewed vinegar is not stated.
Katsu curry. The curry is a separate question from the cutlet. House Vermont Curry (medium hot, 230 g) lists a blend of beef tallow and lard, and pork extract (House Foods). S&B Golden Curry (medium hot, 198 g) uses palm and rapeseed oil but lists gelatin, without saying which animal it comes from (S&B Foods). See our guides to Vermont Curry and Golden Curry for the full ingredient lists.
What to ask before you order
At any katsu restaurant, these three questions cover the main risks. Our Muslim dietary card has more phrases in Japanese.
- Is the beef (or chicken) halal? (このお肉はハラルですか？)
- Is the same oil used to fry pork? (豚肉と同じ油で揚げていますか？)
- Does the sauce or curry contain pork, gelatin or alcohol? (ソースやカレーに豚肉、ゼラチン、お酒は入っていますか？)
FAQ
Is tonkatsu halal? No. Tonkatsu is a pork cutlet.
Is gyukatsu halal? Only when the beef is halal and nothing in the kitchen breaks that. Ordinary gyukatsu shops in Japan, including Gyukatsu Motomura, make no halal claim. Gyumon's gyukatsu branches and Shunpudou in Asakusa state that they are halal.
Where can I eat halal gyukatsu in Tokyo? Gyumon Asakusa Kaminarimon (2 minutes from Asakusa Station), Gyumon Ginza (5 minutes from Ginza Station) and Shunpudou in Asakusa all serve gyukatsu and state they are halal. No certifying body is named, so confirm when you arrive.
Is katsudon halal in Japan? Katsudon is normally made with a pork cutlet. We did not find a restaurant in Japan serving katsudon that states it is halal (October 2026).
Is katsu curry halal? Not by default. Besides the cutlet, Japanese curry roux can contain lard, pork extract or gelatin. Check both the meat and the curry.
For more places to eat, see our area guides for Asakusa and Ueno, Ginza and Roppongi, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka.
About this article
Written and halal-verified by Zeshan Hayat, CMO & Head Halal Auditor, Halal Navi.
Update policy: If you spot outdated information, we will review and correct it within 7 days.
Disclosure: Halal Navi receives no payment from any restaurant or hotel in exchange for inclusion, and all recommendations reflect independent editorial judgment based on Muslim-friendly criteria. Some articles contain affiliate booking links (e.g. Trip.com); if you book through one, Halal Navi may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Last verified: 2026-10-07
