Japan Islamic TRUST Otsuka Masjid ~ Regardless of nationality, we are one big family. Helping each other is very natural. ~

Otsuka Station is located on both the JR Yamanote Line and the Toden Arakawa Line. Japan Islamic TRUST(JIT) Masjid Otsuka is located about a 5-minute walk from the station, through the square. A "masjid" is a place of worship for Muslims in Arabic. And, in English, it is called a "mosque". The building is a slim, four-story structure with a green dome.

Masjid Otsuka was Established in 1999

The first mosque in Japan was Kobe Muslim Mosque, built in 1935. Tokyo Camii was built in Tokyo, in 1938. As the Islamic community developed in Japan, the need for mosques increased, and they have been constructed actively.
Masjid Otsuka, operated by the Japan Islamic TRUST(JIT), was founded in 1999. Until then, there was a place of worship in a room of a building in Ikebukuro, and it was called "Ikebukuro Mosque". JIT was unable to renew the lease on the room, so they purchased a building - which is now in Otsuka - with the help of donations from their followers. Mr. Haroon Qureshi, Secretary General, showed us around inside the Masjid Otsuka.
"The 1st floor is for women's worship, the 2nd floor is for men's, and the 3rd floor is used on an as-needed basis. Some people are moving to the neighborhood to live near here. Otsuka is an area where rent is expensive, so it is not an easy place for anyone to move into." Because of the accessibility of the mosque, many people come to the Friday prayers.

Your 5-times-daily prayers can be done anywhere.

"According to the Waseda University survey, there are approximately 230,000 Muslims in Japan. I think the number would be greater if we include the children. About 70,000 of this nation's Muslims are Japanese who converted to Islam."
On the day of our visit, several Japanese women were studying the Quran (in Arabic), the holy book of Islam, in the women's prayer room.
Muslims pray five times a day. The times of the prayers are; before sunrise, early afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset, and early in the night. During our visit, at the time of the early afternoon prayer, Muslims who worked in the neighborhood gathered. "If I am near the mosque, I come here to pray, but we can pray anywhere. Wherever you are, prayers should be said facing the direction of Mecca (Qibla). The times of worship vary according to the season and our location. Islam, unlike Buddhism, does not have a follower system. People go to mosques near their work or their homes or mosques where they can speak the language," said Mr. Qureshi. Masjid Otsuka is visited by a variety of Muslims across nationalities and races, including students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia.

The Great East Japan Earthquake was the trigger for connecting with the local community.

We asked Mr. Qureshi, who casually greeted his neighbors even during our interview, about Masjid Otsuka's connection to the community. "There are events in Otsuka such as the ‘Awa Dancing Festival' and the ‘Cherry Blossom festival'. We had been participating in the festivals ever since Masjid Otsuka was established; setting up curry stalls - and other stalls - and participating in the neighborhood association's cleanup efforts. However, once each event was over, that was it. We became close to our neighbors because of the Great East Japan Earthquake."
Masjid Otsuka went to Sendai the day after the earthquake and started volunteer activities. They made onigiri (rice balls) and curry to take with them, but the amount they could make was very limited. And, when they asked children in the affected areas what they wanted to eat, they were told, "We want to eat hamburgers."
"So, we asked people from the shopping street and the neighborhood association in our community, Minami-Otsuka, and we all made hamburgers together and carried them together using my car. That's when the distance between us and our neighbors decreased dramatically. I later found out that some people were afraid to walk past the Masjid Otsuka. They were concerned about how many weapons we had hidden. Through this volunteering, our neighbors finally understood who we are."
Mr. Qureshi and his team visited the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake over 100 times and continued their support.

Kindergarten and elementary school for Muslims. And, in April, a middle school will be launched.

Masjid Otsuka also operates educational facilities for the next generation of Muslims living in Japan. "Japanese education is great. However, some things are lacking in the schools in the big cities. For instance, moral education. When our children reached the age of rebellion, we were very worried about what would happen to their relationships with parents, and teachers. And, we didn't like that our children didn't greet our neighbors. To pass on the teachings of Islam to the younger generation, we established the International Islamia School Otsuka (IISO) Kindergarten in 2004, followed by the opening of an elementary school in 2017. The subjects taught are the same as in Japanese schools," said Mr. Qureshi. Currently, there are about 20 children in kindergarten and about 80 students in elementary school. They come from far away places, such as Ishioka in Ibaraki Prefecture, and Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture. A school bus is also available from Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture. There are two Islamic elementary schools so far; one in Otsuka and one in Yoyogi Uehara. And, in April of 2022, a middle school will open.

Various Support Activities Beyond Countries and Religions

Masjid Otsuka's support activities are not limited to the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. We provide support for refugees around the world and areas affected by disasters; both in Japan and overseas. We also engage in a variety of other relief activities. "In 2000, when Afghanistan experienced a drought, I flew to the area and did some research. Then, we decided to send used clothes. Thanks to the support from all of you, we received used clothes from all over Japan and were able to send over a hundred 40-foot shipping containers. For each box of used clothes, we collected 500 yen as a donation and sent it to the site as a shipping cost. Thanks to all the people who supported us." That activity has continued to this day. With the remaining donations, they were able to build 25 schools for Afghan refugees.
Masjid Otsuka is also actively involved in support activities in their local community. They conduct a "food drive" to deliver surplus food from people's homes to "Kodomo-Shokudo (children's cafeteria)" as well as a monthly soup kitchen for those in need. "We prepare 400 to 500 meals each time. Before COVID-19, about 150 people were showing up, so there was enough food. But, now almost 400 people are lining up. We are now aware that the number of people in need is increasing." Masjid Otsuka goes to the park every other day to deliver food to the needy people there.
Masjid Otsuka also tries to support people who have no connection to, or association with, them. Mutual aid is being provided beyond national and religious boundaries. "Helping those in need is what Islam teaches. We're all one big family. If a family member is in trouble, it is natural to help them out," said Mr. Qureshi with a smile.

*This article is based on information available at the time of the interview. For the latest information, please contact the organization directly.