Performing Salah during a Spontaneous Trip in Japan

Are you one of those travelers who loves to wander spontaneously?.

Flee to a random downtown, get lost in an old-village neighborhood, take a local train/bus and purposely stop in a
completely unplanned destination... How would you picture those exciting adventure as your next trip? Dare to put
Japan as your spontaneous trip bucked-lists destination??

credit: nippon.com

So you are a seeker of that heart-pounding-excitement triggered by an unexpected journey. Then you can be
certainly related to that doubtful moment before going on a spontaneous trip as a Moslem. Will I be able to perform
Salah properly? Where will I get water to purify? How if I don't find any praying room nearby? Are people not gonna
staring at me if I do salah in the public space?? ARGGHHH ヽ ( ꒪д꒪ )ﾉ

credit: longfordpc.com

Stay calm people, relax... Worries no more to experience an unplanned adventure in Japan, cause we have
gathered a bundle of recommended places in Japan that you can creatively transform to a praying room.
Wherever, Whenever!
1. Fitting Room
Fitting room is a hidden gem for Moslem Traveler. People who have traveled to non-Moslem countries
have mostly been familiar with this trick. It is clean, private, and has a proper size to perform normal salah.
Some are too small that we can only do salah while sitting, but it still is proper to pray. All we have to do
is just bring some clothes from display to the fitting room, and pretend to try on clothes while we actually
pray.

Reccomended Fitting Room!

Fitting Room is attached to the clothing store which can be found everywhere in Japan. When the praying
time is due, go to any store and do a quick search of their fitting room. Check whether the size is
compatible and the room is clean enough to perform salah (but we talk about Japan, so let say its 99,99%
cleaned-guarantee^^)

Fitting room in Japan has various size depends on its store. The most recommended store to perform
salah is GU and Uniqlo. Despite the spare space of its fitting room, GU and Uniqlo are widely spread in
Japan, so it's like we are having Musholla everywhere in the city center ^O^

Spacious Space in Uniqlo Fitting Room

credit: welcomeobjects.com

Fitting Room in GU
credit: www.suppose.jp
 Some tips to perform salah in a fitting room:
- Wudhu: you can do the ablution in the toilet/washing room available on the shopping places. Still,
some concerns have to be considered.

• You basically can do wudhu normally in the washbasin, including washing feet (note that you
have to wipe the wet area from the splash of ablution water!). But it also depends on your
situation. If you are not alone in the washing room, we suggest you wet your hand and wash the
feet rather than lift your feet on the washbasin. The keyline is to be respectful of others. You don't
want people to feel uncomfortable with your random gymnastic movement in the washroom, don't
you? ¯\_(⊙︿⊙)_/¯

credit: dailymail.co.uk

• If you are the one who feels not okay with opening your footwear, you can just swab your wet
hand over socks. Note that there some conditions applied to make it permissible, check on
related references here:

https://islamqa.info/en/categories/selected/29/answers/9640/conditions-of-wiping-over-socks

• If you hesitate on the socks matter, you better wash your feet on the toilet seat. You can simply
put your feet on the shut toilet seat and pour it with a jug of water (don't forget to clean the wet
area surround the toilet seat). Or you can also hold your feet on air above the opened toilet
seat so the poured water can run directly through the toilet.

- Qibla: Use your phone to detect the qibla

2. Train
Train has been regarded as one of the most common transportation to travel in Japan. It goes to almost
every area, and the Japan government has maintained it so well for the sake of passengers’ convenience.
Take advantage of that, and you will have a proper praying space at its best. You can perform salah while
sitting on the train seat. The seats arranged in rows of 2 or 3 is the best type of seat to perform salah, as
it will give you a private area to pray. It goes much better for the seat next to the window, so you won't
cover another passenger from/to the aisle when you do salah.
Recommended type of train!
 It is definitely recommended for Shinkansen/high-speed train such as NOZOMI, MIZUHO, and
HAYABUZA as it basically arranged with rows of 2+3 seating. But don’t worry, local trains in Japan such
as rapid and special rapid train also has seats arranged in rows of 2+2 mostly in Kansai Area.

Ordinary Class seats in Shinkansen JR Rapid Train from Nara to Osaka

credit: seat61.com credit: i2.wp.com

Unfortunately, these tips might not be practical for those who travel in Tokyo Area, as the seat adjustment
on Tokyo’s local train is dominated with the cushion-type seating arrangement. You can still perform salah
on this seat, but you have to be prepared with people’s glance (￣▽￣)ノ

Tokyo Local Train

credit: colourbox.com

Some tips to perform salah in a local train:

- Wudhu: we can do the ablution in the toilet/washing room on the station. Tips on doing the ablution
in the toilet in shopping places also apply in the toilet station. Please be attentive on Wudhu’ details,
cause when the ablution is not valid then your salah also not be valid ლ(｡-﹏-｡ ლ)

- Qibla: you can be flexible with the direction of your seat. Check on related references here:
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/333/praying-in-a-moving-vehicle

And how if you are far from a shopping district or station? Where to pray? How to accomplish Wudhu? Check our
advanced list of recommended places in Japan that you can creatively transform to a praying room on post
Performing Salah during a Spontaneous Trip! #Part2