Trattoria La Luce: Kawaguchiko Town (Vegan)

Staff Journal

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La Luce is an Italian restaurant located in Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi that has some delicious vegan options.

A 7-minute walk from Kawaguchiko Station will take you to a luxurious Italian restaurant where you can enjoy delicious dishes that use local ingredients, including Koshu beef and Shingen chicken. Additionally, this is also a restaurant where vegan, vegetarian, and Muslim guests can dine with an eased mind.

Restaurant owner Mr. Teruaki Watanabe grew up with relatives living abroad, giving him the opportunity to interact with many people outside of Japan from a young age. He himself makes frequent trips abroad, especially to Australia.

He found his passion for cooking when staying in Australia, he was able to eat the cooking of many people who came from different backgrounds. Thanks to these experiences, he came to the realization that, even if you cannot communicate well with words, you can still bring people joy through the art of cooking. Deeply moved by this, he decided to peruse the path of a culinary chef. He started his Italian restaurant in his hometown, Kawaguchiko, and wanted to make sure he could accommodate those with dietary restrictions so they could be able to eat without worry.

Mr. Watanabe told us a story about a foreign traveler with two large suitcases who came to his restaurant one day. When asked about contents of his suitcases, he revealed that they were filled with food. Unable to find a restaurant in Japan where he could enjoy food that accommodated his dietary restrictions, he was left with no other choice but to carry around his own food. After hearing this, Mr. Watanabe was left in complete shock.

La Luce’s motto is, “making people feel happy through food.” They consider it their duty to listen to the needs of customers with dietary restrictions and provide them with what they need.

Pizza and pasta options can also be prepared to be vegan/vegetarian.

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▲Mt. Fuji lava stone-roasted pizza (veggie pizza)

La Luce is very creative with their dishes, this can be seen in their veggie pizza that uses vegan cheese and their porcini pasta made from mushrooms, kombu, and truffle oil which makes it smell delicious.

For Muslim guests, rest assured that they will accommodate you if you ask to have your meal made without alcohol.

Their pizza is baked in a Mt. Fuji lava rock stove, abundant with minerals making for a fluffy and full finish.

La Luce uses organic vegetables sourced locally as much as possible, and depending on the season, they also use fresh home-grown vegetables as well.

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▲Irodori vegetable salad (with organic vegetables)　

A great seafood option is their “watari crab tomato simmered pasta.” This dish is something Mr. Watanabe came up with while studying under an Italian chef in Tokyo. Simmering a watari crab, shell and all, in oil allows the fragrance of the oil to really seep in. This dish is paired with a special and rather luxurious sauce that takes 48 hours to prepare.

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▲Watari crab tomato simmered pasta