about
Dear customers,
It was in Summer 2012, I got a phone call from the architect to see the ancient farmer's house he’d found, and immediately fell in love with the almost-one-hundred-year-old house ambiance.
I thought to myself, we can really do something, express something here.
We would attempt to define a new type of Awaji-island's cuisine through the local produce. And that’s how we began, with a very strict rule to only use the ingredients from our island, and with the twenty-four micro seasons of the Japanese lunar calendar called Nijuushisekki.
We offer a different course in each of Nijuushi(twenty-four) sekkii, using each of the different seasonal ingredient. Please feel this island, eat this island.
We have thought what it means to be a chef in Awaji island.
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LA CASA VECCHIA
KAMAGUCHI, AWAJI ISLAND | CIRCULAR GASTRONOMY & THE 24 MICRO-SEASONS
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1. Vision Statement
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"Beyond farm-to-table: A living, self-sustaining ecosystem where nothing is wasted."
Nestled in Kamaguchi, Awaji Island, La Casa Vecchia is an artisanal micro-restaurant
driven by absolute circularity. Led by Chef Koki Yonemura and his wife, we bridge
Japanese wisdom with Italian craftsmanship—producing custom-vinified natural wines,
artisanal cheeses, stone-milled pasta, and house-cured prosciutto in harmony with
the island's 24 micro-seasons.
2. Year-Round Closed-Loop Craft & Regenerative Agriculture
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◆ Wheat Bran ("Fusuma") & Soil Microbial Enrichment
Spent wheat bran from stone-milling is returned directly to our farm fields,
nourishing indigenous soil microbes for future harvests and serving as a
lacto-fermentation bed ("Fusuma-zuke").
◆ Vineyard Custom Vinification & Biochar Soil Neutralization
Estate grapes are crafted into natural wines via custom vinification. Pruned
grapewood fuels smoking for meat dishes, and residual biochar is returned to
farm fields to naturally balance soil pH.
◆ Grape Pomace Natural Sourdough & Native Fermentation
By-products from wine pressing (grape pomace) yield native wild yeasts, which
are cultivated year-round. Using these native yeast starters, we bake our daily
artisanal sourdough bread with 100% home-grown, pesticide-free, stone-milled
wheat from our Kamaguchi fields.
◆ In-House Prosciutto, Charcuterie & Artisanal Cheeses
We perform slow, traditional curing for in-house Prosciutto, Pancetta, and Bacon
using ethically sourced local meat. Local raw milk is transformed in-house into
fresh, natural cheeses.
3. The 24 Micro-Seasons Calendar
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SPRING (立春, 雨水, 啓蟄, 春分, 清明, 穀雨 | Feb - Apr)
• Focus: Spanish mackerel, Red sea bream, spring onions, wild herbs.
• Farm & Craft: Vineyard maintenance, soil aeration, bud thinning.
SUMMER (立夏, 小満, 芒種, 夏至, 小暑, 大暑 | May - Jul)
• Focus: Sea bass, Pike conger, Cutlassfish, heirloom vegetables.
• Farm & Craft: Vine shoot tipping, wheat harvest & stone-milling.
AUTUMN (立秋, 処暑, 白露, 秋分, 寒露, 霜降 | Aug - Oct)
• Focus: Octopus, Chub mackerel, heirloom root crops, autumn harvest.
• Farm & Craft: Grape harvest, selection, custom vinification.
WINTER (立冬, 小雪, 大雪, 冬至, 小寒, 大寒 | Nov - Jan)
• Focus: Olive flounder, Cuttlefish, winter brassicas, citrus.
• Farm & Craft: Curing Prosciutto, winter pruning, biochar return.
4. Local Cultural Heritage: Reimagining Awaji's "Chobo-jiru" Culture
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At La Casa Vecchia, circular gastronomy goes hand-in-hand with preserving Awaji
Island's rich cultural heritage. We revive ancient recipes and island customs
through modern culinary techniques.
◆ The Heritage of "Chobo-jiru" & Sasage Bean Miso
Historically, "Chobo-jiru" is a nourishing Awaji folk soup made with cowpea
beans (Sasage) and taro stems (Zuiki), prepared by mothers to celebrate childbirth.
Honouring this spirit of care, we ferment in-house miso using farm-grown Sasage beans.
◆ Gastronomic Pairing & Meat Accompaniments
This heritage Sasage miso is served alongside pickled taro stems (Zuiki) and
wheat bran pickles ("Fusuma-zuke"), providing a gentle acidity and rich umami that
elevate our main meat dishes and in-house cured meats.
◆ Dedicated Local Awaji Ceramic Artistry
All courses are presented on bespoke tableware hand-crafted exclusively by local
Awaji ceramic artisans, connecting the island's tactile soil directly to the dining table.
5. The Fully Integrated Kamaguchi Ecosystem
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STAGE 1: THE LAND, VINEYARD & SEA
• Primary Sourcing: Home-grown wheat, single-estate grapes, organic crops,
and local fresh seafood.
STAGE 2: INTEGRATED CRAFT & REGENERATIVE CYCLES
• Wheat & Soil: Stone-milled wheat yields spent bran ("Fusuma") to enrich soil
microbes and lacto-pickle beds.
• Vineyard & Wine: Estate grapes undergo custom vinification. Pruned grapewood
fuels smoking; biochar balances soil pH.
• Craft & Artisanal Processing: In-house cheeses, slow-cured Prosciutto,
heritage Sasage miso, and Awaji artisan ceramics.
STAGE 3: THE DINING EXPERIENCE
• 24 Micro-Season Tasting Menu served in Kamaguchi, Awaji Island.
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6. Fast Facts & Essential Information
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Location:
| Kamaguchi, Awaji City, Hyogo, Japan (60 mins from Kobe / 90 mins from KIX Airport)
Cuisine Type:
| Micro-Seasonal Circular Italian & Zero-Waste Fermentation
Key Highlights:
| Single-estate natural wine (Custom vinification), In-house Prosciutto,
| Grapewood smoke & biochar cycle, Spent bran soil enrichment,
| Inspired by Chobo-jiru, Awaji ceramics
Service & Language:
| Intimate dining room (Reservation required) / English service available
Press Contact:
| lacasavecchiawaji@gmail.com
Official Instagram:
| @lacasavecchia (https://www.instagram.com/lacasavecchia/)