The local mosque is central to the lives of Muslims living in Japan
Posted by Matt Dioguardi on May 31st, 2007
2007/05/04 The local mosque is central to the lives of Muslims living in Japan, Yasunori Kawakami, The Asahi Shimbun.
The Yokohama Mosque in Yokohama’s Tsuzuki Ward echoes with the sound of Friday prayers chanted in Arabic. Worshippers in the 200-square-meter mosque number about 70–Muslims from Asia, Africa and elsewhere. The premises were purchased last summer and then renovated, opening for services at the end of last year. … The price: 100 million yen. The contract called for a 10 million yen down payment in March, with the remaining 90 million yen to be paid within four months. An appeal went out for contributions from foreign Muslims all over the country–in Osaka, Nagoya, Toyama, Niigata and Hokkaido. … A mosque is more than a place of worship. It occupies a central role in Islamic life. Adults not only pray there but also attend sermons as well, given by religious teachers. Children study the Koran there. The mosque collects charity and assists the poor. It forms the core of the Islamic community.
There are currently between 30 and 40 single-story mosques in Japan, plus another 100 or more apartment rooms set aside, in the absence of more suitable facilities, for prayers. Many Muslim communities have plans to build mosques in the near future.
The above is only a small selection. The article is well worth reading. It’s always nice to hear about increasing diversity in Japan. Especially when in a case like this it seems entirely positive.