Profile

Minokamo, a city in Gifu Prefecture, has one of the highest proportions of foreign residents in Japan. Over the past several decades, the city has become home to thousands of migrant workers and their families, particularly from Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other Muslim-majority countries.

As the Muslim population continues to grow, Minokamo still lacks a permanent mosque that can adequately serve the community’s religious, educational, and social needs. At present, Friday prayers, Quran classes, Ramadan activities, and Eid celebrations are held in small rented spaces or private homes. These temporary arrangements are often limited in capacity, difficult to sustain, and restrict the community’s ability to practice and celebrate their faith in a comfortable, safe, and appropriate environment.

A permanent Islamic center is therefore not simply an aspiration—it is a direct response to an urgent and growing community need.

The proposed Minokamo Islamic Center (MIC) will serve as:

• A place of worship with sufficient capacity for daily prayers, Friday prayers, Ramadan activities, and Eid celebrations.
• An educational hub for Quran studies, Islamic education, youth programs, and community learning.
• A social support center providing guidance, assistance, and a welcoming space for migrant families.
• A bridge for cultural understanding, fostering positive interaction, mutual respect, and stronger relationships between the Muslim community and wider Japanese society.

What makes this project particularly meaningful is the plan to repurpose an unused pachinko building into an Islamic center. Rather than constructing an entirely new facility, the project seeks to make use of an existing structure that already offers ample space, a strong foundation, good ventilation, and convenient access within the city.

Transforming an unused building into a mosque and community center represents more than an efficient use of existing resources. It embodies sustainability, resourcefulness, and hope—turning an underutilized space into a place of worship, learning, support, and community connection.

The Minokamo Islamic Center is envisioned not only as a mosque, but as a welcoming community hub where Muslims can practice their faith, families can find support, young people can learn and grow, and meaningful connections can be built with the wider community in Japan.