Is Tokyo Banana Halal? Everything you need to know about the famous Tokyo snack |

There’s no doubt that SNACKS makes one of the best souvenirs and easiest to get for your family and friends when you are travelling. From local sweet chocolates to savoury crackers and all kinds of food!

With its cute banana shape and deliciousness, stealing the hearts of locals and international tourists— TOKYO BANANA has been a popular souvenir choice from Tokyo to this day. You may have seen Muslim tourists buying it, while many Muslims also often ask: Is it halal? Which ones are Muslim-friendly?

To answer your question, here’s a Muslim-friendly guide on its available product lineups.

Table of Contents

Can You Eat TOKYO BANANA?
Products with Unidentified Source
Which Products are Muslim-friendly?
Is the 100% plant-based product still available?
Where to buy TOKYO BANANA?
Tips: How to Know its Muslim-friendly?

Can You Eat TOKYO BANANA?

TOKYO BANANA (東京ばな奈) is a type of banana-shaped sponge cake under the TOKYO BANANA WORLD brand, created by Grapestone Co., Ltd. Since its launched in 1991, it has been a must-buy snack from Tokyo.

Besides its hottest Tokyo Banana Original Flavour, the brand also has other varieties in its lineup under 5 different series.

Tokyo Banana Series
Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by TOKYO BANANA
POKEMON Tokyo Banana
DORAEMON Tokyo Banana
Tokyo Banana MINION

As some of the products has ingredients like liquor (洋酒) and gelatine (ゼラチン; a doubtful ingredient), I checked the ingredients on both of Tokyo Banana’s official Japanese/English websites and multiple online sources. For the unverified ingredients, I contacted the manufacturer to verify the sources.

Products with Liquor (洋酒)

Tokyo Banana Original Flavour

Tokyo Banana Raisin Sandwich Cookies

Products with Gelatine (ゼラチン)

As confirmed by contacting the manufacturer, the source of gelatine contained in these products are animal-based, made of bovine (cow) source.

TOKYO BANANA Honey Flavour (Exclusive product to Haneda Airport)

[Seasonal Limited Edition] TOKYO BANANA Chocolate Banana Flavour

TOKYO BANANA RACCO Coffee Milk Flavour

Doraemon TOKYO BANANA (original flavour)

TOKYO BANANA Minion (Exclusive product to Kansai Region)

Banana-shaped Pikachu TOKYO BANANA

Winnie the Pooh Ginza Honey Cake (Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana)

Products with Processed Oil (加工油脂)

As confirmed by the manufacturer, the processed oil in this product contains some animal-based ingredient.

TOKYO BANANA Brulee

Products with Unidentified Source

TOKYO BANANA Komerice (Banana Custard Flavour)

This product contain gelatine (ゼラチン) and processed oil product (油脂加工品). I didn’t have the chance to confirm the sources, so you may want to check directly with the manufacturer before buying it.

TOKYO BANANA x KITKAT Banana Flavour

This product contains emulsifier (乳化剤), which I did contact the manufacturer about the source. However, they didn’t disclose whether the source is plant-based or animal-based.

Which Products are Muslim-friendly?

The following products have no liquor and gelatine. I’ve checked to the best of my ability that they don’t contain any animal derivatives, including the unverified ingredients, such as refined processed oil.
Since these products are not halal-certified, I highly advise you to buy them at your own discretion!

Products with Plant-based Refined Processed Oil

As confirmed by the manufacturer, the refined processed oil (精製加工油脂) is made of plant-based source.

TOKYO BANANA PIE

This puff pastry cookie serves you a crispy, flaky and simply delicious pie, with its multi-layered butter pie overlapping with banana cookies.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana, Almond}

TOKYO BANANA Cookie Sandwich Milky Banana Chocolate

A cookie sandwich with ‘super’ milky banana chocolate sandwiched in between thin-baked cat tongue biscuits. Both the rich chocolate and the crispy cookie are a perfect match, giving you double delight at the same time.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana}

TOKYO BANANA Banana Cheese Cake

A moist and milky delicious double-layer cheesecake with a fruity banana confiture inside. Baked in two layers, it gives a plain cheese flavour on top and a subtle banana milk flavour below.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana, Apple}

TOKYO BANANA Butter Madeleine (Exclusive product to Tokyo Station)

Madeleines with the fragrant smell of butter, baked with some banana confiture! It is only available at JR Tokyo Station.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana, Apple}

DORAEMON TOKYO BANANA Hangetsu

This is the second treat under the Tokyo Banana Doraemon series to mark Tokyo Banana’s 30th anniversary and Doraemon’s 50th anniversary. With a winking Doraemon on both sides of the flaky pastry, try biting into this cute half-moon (hangetsu) treat for that moist, smooth chocolate-banana cream in the middle.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana}

MICKEY & FRIENDS CHRISTMAS Chocolat Sand (2022 Edition)

A part of its Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana.
This cat tongue cookies has a banana milkshake-flavoured chocolate sticking out in the middle, with 3 cute designs of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Pluto in their Christmas hats. As soon as you bite into one, your mouth will be filled with a milky sensation!
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana}

FROZEN Snow Chocolat Sand

This is a part of its Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana. With fluffy melted white snow chocolate sandwiched between a nutty chocolate cookie, enjoy a rich cocoa taste and milk-scented chocolate that just melts in your mouth.
^{*Allergens: wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, soybean, almonds}

MICKEY & FRIENDS Chocolat Sand

This is a part of its Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana. This cat tongue cookies feature Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse with happy expressions. As there are 3 different designs, it’s a treat to see which one you will get. And the packaging is full of that retro vibe– so adorable!
In the middle, you will get a banana milkshake-flavoured chocolate that gives out the best milky texture, created by Tokyo Banana.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana}

Kamakura Hangetsu

Photo source: Tokyo Banana Official English Website

Crispy wafers with a nice cream-filling in the middle, giving off a subtle sweetness! Enjoy two different flavours: sweet adzuki bean and matcha green tea.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean}
^{*This product is processed in a facility that also processes peanuts}

Sugar Butter Sand Tree

Special cereal pastry that you can taste all the wholegrain, rye, wheat and grain goodness. It is baked with a unique blend of butter that gives a rich fermented butter taste, together with sugar.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Milk, Soybean}

Products with Plant-based Refined Processed Oil, Cream

As confirmed by the manufacturer, the refined processed oil (精製加工油脂) is made of plant-based source, and the cream (クリーム) is derived from milk.

TOKYO BANANA Chocolate Sand (Banana Yoghurt & Caramel Macchiato Flavours)

©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.

This is a new treat came out this October from the Pokémon Tokyo Banana series, which has been popular on social media as being “too cute”! The banana yoghurt flavour has a Pikachu design, while the caramel macchiato flavour has an Eevee design.
Each of the crumbly, airy, baked cat tongue cookies has six different Pikachu and Eevee designs. Just open them to see what design you get!
^{*Allergens (Banana Yoghurt Flavour): Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean, Banana
*Allergens (Caramel Macchiato Flavour): Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean}

NO Liquor & NO Gelatine Products

These are products with no liquor, gelatine or any unidentified ingredients.

TOKYO BANANA CASTELLA CAKE Maple Flavour

A sponge cake that perfectly combines banana and maple syrup in a golden ratio that brings out the best aroma of banana and maple syrup.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Banana}
^{*This product is manufactured in a facility that also processes dairy}

THE STRAWBERRY CAKE from GINZA

This fluffy sponge cake has a rich strawberry jam combined with milk cream, giving you that fruity strawberry milk flavour.
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soybean}

MINNIE MOUSE Corn (Strawberry Milk Flavour)

This is a part of its Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana. A happy corn cereal: the 3D Minnie icon is wrapped in red strawberry powder that gives out a sweet-sour aroma. The aroma of the cereal and the strawberry milk flavour are a perfect match like Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse!
^{*Allergens: Wheat, Milk, Soybean}
^{*manufactured in a facility that also processes eggs and peanuts}

Is the 100% plant-based product still available?

In 2020, TOKYO BANANA series did released its first 100% plant-based product ‘Almond Caramel Sand’, which was suitable for vegans, Muslims and people with egg and dairy allergies. But unfortunately, the company has stopped producing and selling this product. (confirmed with Tokyo Banana manufacturer on 22 Nov. 2022)

Where to buy TOKYO BANANA?

You can buy them from souvenir shops in major stations and airports around Tokyo and other cities. Aside from those, here are some of its official souvenir shops you can visit.
^{Please not that some of the products may not be available or change when you visit the shop.}

TOKYO BANANA TREE

Opened on 25 Nov. 2022 in a convenient spot at JR Tokyo Station, this Tokyo Banana souvenir shop is easily recognisable by its large tree-designed pillar. Apart from buying Tokyo Banana snacks, you can even use it as a meet-up point or a photo spot.
The wall mural has hidden messages (e.g. the year of Tokyo Banana’s birth), so be sure to look out for them.

Shop name	Tokyo Banana Tree
In Japanese	東京ばな奈の木
Opening hours	6:30am – 9:30pm *may change following Tokyo Station facilities
Location	Inside the Yaesu Central Gate of JR Tokyo Station

HANAGATAYA Tokyo South Store Pokémon Tokyo Banana Tokyo Station

©2020 Pokémon. ©1995-2020 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.

This is a permanent shop where you can get a Pokémon Tokyo Banana anytime, which opened on 10 Dec. 2020 at HANAGATAYA Tokyo South Passage inside JR Tokyo Station.

Shop name	HANAGATAYA Tokyo South Store Pokémon Tokyo Banana Tokyo Station
In Japanese	HANAGATAYA東京南店　ポケモン東京ばな奈トウキョウステーション
Opening hours	7:00am – 9:00pm *may vary by season
Location	1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100-0005 In front of the Shinkansen South Gate, 1F JR Tokyo Station, In the regular train line ticket gates.

Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by TOKYO BANANA JR Tokyo Station Store

This snack store is located inside the ticket gates area at JR Tokyo Station. It sells all kinds of Tokyo Banana snacks under the Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by TOKYO BANANA series. You can also find limited edition set that includes the snack and Disney-themed merchandises (e.g. spoons, plates, etc.).
Disney Sweets Collection by Tokyo Banana products change their packaging regularly, so be sure to check its official website (Japanese only) for latest updates.

Shop name	Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by TOKYO BANANA JR Tokyo Station Store
In Japanese	Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by 東京ばな奈　JR東京駅店
Opening hours	7:00am–9:00pm **may change following Tokyo Station facilities
Location	1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100-0005 1F, JR Tokyo Station, inside the ticket gates of the regular train lines (in front of the Shinkansen south transfer entrance)

HANAGATAYA Tokyo Central Doraemon Tokyo Banana Tokyo Station

©Fujiko-Pro,Shogakukan,TV-Asahi,Shin-ei,and ADK

Doraemon Tokyo Banana series also has its own souvenir kiosk located inside JR Tokyo Station, where you can get the product in this lineup anytime.

Shop name	HANAGATAYA Tokyo Central Doraemon Tokyo Banana Tokyo Station
In Japanese	HANAGATAYA東京中央　ドラえもん東京ばな奈トウキョウステーション
Opening hours	6:30am – 9:30pm *may vary by season
Location	1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100-0005 Under the Central Passage of the Tokaido Line

Tokyo Banana S

This is the largest flagship store in Tokyo Banana’s history that opened on 8 Dec. 2022, where you can find a variety of collaborative products, products only available her, pre-launch new products and more. It will also include new SDG’s products for the future.
You can easily visit here as it is located inside First Avenue Tokyo Station, directly connected to the Yaesu Exit of JR Tokyo Station.

Shop name	Tokyo Banana S
In Japanese	東京ばな奈s (read: Tokyo Bananas)
Opening hours	9:00am-9:00pm *may change following Tokyo Station facilities
Location	1F, First Avenue Tokyo Station (right after exiting the Yaesu Underground Central Exit ticket gate of JR Tokyo Station)
Website	https://www.tokyobanana.jp/special/bananas.html

Tips: How to Know its Muslim-friendly?

You can find out from checking the ingredients, which you can search on Tokyo Banana official website or by reading the ingredient label on the packaging. But the website does not include all of its products, so you may see other products when you visit the souvenir shops.

All the labels are in Japanese. You can use google translate’s camera function to translate the Japanese labels. You can also refer to my ‘How to Read Japanese Ingredient’ guide by downloading it from my blog below.

How to ask the shop staff?
・Does this product has liquor?
Read: Kono shoohin wa ‘arukooru’ ga haitteimasu ka?
Japanese: この商品は「アルコール」が入っていますか？

You can replace the word ‘arukooru’ (liquor/alcohol) with other doubtful ingredients, such as Gelatine (zerachin; ゼラチン) or Animal-based ingredients (doobutsu yurai no genryoo; 動物由来の原料).

Have fun shopping for souvenirs in Japan. And hopefully this guide could help you navigate your way to find Muslim-friendly products around Japan.
What kind of products would you like to know more? Tell us in the ‘Leave A Reply’ section below.

・Tokyo Banana HP
https://www.tokyobanana.jp/

・To See & Download Complete Ingredient Guide for Muslims
How to find halal food & items by ingredients in Japan

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