Former anchorwoman Christel Takigawa referenced the country's spirit of selfless hospitality in her presentation to the International Olympic Committee in 2013, a speech that helped persuade the IOC to give Japan the rights to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This hospitality, or omotenashi, is expected to go a long way toward welcoming visitors for the world's foremost sports competition in a little more than five years time. These visitors are expected to come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and a growing number of venues are placing themselves in the marketplace to accommodate their needs.
Sekai Cafe (World Cafe), which opened in November last year, is located in Tokyo's Asakusa district, a popular tourism destination. It specializes in serving halal-certified cuisine to accommodate Muslim customers, and all meat, seasonings and cleaning products meet the requisite criteria. The kitchen can also adjust its menus to accommodate vegetarians, vegans and individuals with allergies. Naturally, it doesn't serve pork.
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