“WHEN in Rome, do as the Romans do” is a proverb meaning that you should adapt to the customs, traditions and behaviours of the people in the place you are visiting or the situation you are in. It advocates for cultural sensitivity, respect and blending in to avoid conflict.
This was indeed the clear message being conveyed by Threader ridzwannormahazan who advised Muslims travelling to Japan to refrain from performing their prayers in public spaces.
The travel advisory noted that this was not an issue in previous years but has become increasingly hot topic given the influx of foreigners to Japan which makes locals more sensitive to their presence and their practice of Islam.
The poster also observed an increase in the number of videos of locals confronting Muslims worshipping in public spaces as well as canvassing Japanese opinion on the matter.
The pertinent advice for Muslims visiting the Land of the Rising Sun is to plan the itinerary properly and to look for mosques or surau to perform their religious obligations.
🇯🇵 Thousands turned out in Fujisawa to protest plans for the city’s first mosque.
Locals say the building would dwarf a nearby Shinto shrine and change the character of the area.
Concerns about calls to prayer, traffic, and Japan’s cultural identity were front and center.… pic.twitter.com/YKn3Gmbogm
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 17, 2026
He further stressed that he was not looking for a debate on the issue but merely to remind travellers to always be mindful of local traditions so as to avoid conflict. This would eventually allow for a calm visit that is in harmony with the local populace.
The advice was by-and-large well received with quite a few chipping in with advice of their own.
‘Don’t tarnish image of your religion’. That was the view of this commenter who felt that such clash of culture has come under the spotlight recently due to Muslims making demands in Japan.
These demands included halal meals for Muslim pupils in schools, land for burial grounds and the construction of mosques without permits.
This perspective was supported by another Nippon expert who claimed things were different two decades previously. However, due to “problematic foreigners”, there is increasing resentment towards religious practices that were previously alien to Japan.
Nevertheless, there are more places to perform prayers available these days, including at halal eateries.
Highlighting that such practices were unnecessary if a trip is well-planned, a travel agency shared a simple itinerary that include solat at mosques or at the very least the hotel.
Agreeing with the poster, another well-travelled commenter also contended that praying by the roadside was completely unnecessary as there are mosques as well as prayer rooms in Japan.
It was claimed that this happens when “greedy tourists” were overly keen to cover too many destinations leading to poor planning, hence the need to perform solat in public spaces.
A simple piece of advice was for Muslim visitors to perform their prayers when stopping for meals at halal eateries which will almost certainly have designated prayer rooms.
However, one commenter viewed the Nipponese perspective with increasing discomfort as it was claimed that negative feedback advocating violence towards Muslims in Japan was on the increase.
Such reactions were blamed on Japanese ignorance on Muslim culture and lifestyle. Unfortunately, there were Japanese who were influenced by Western rightist propaganda that sought to paint Muslims in a negative light.
The warning was clear – xenophobia or rather, Islamophobia – was on the rise. Hence, don’t aggravate matters by doing things that are alien to Japanese culture and lifestyle.
Whatever one’s views are on diversity, inclusivity and assimilation, the message is quite simple. Muslims travelling abroad should plan accordingly to ensure they are able to perform their religious duties in appropriate spaces. It is just being respectful. – July 10, 2026
