April 07, 2025
Ventinove
Italian wood-fired cuisine in Gunma
Kawaba, home of the Italian restaurant-inn Ventinove, is a village of about 3,000 people in Gunma Prefecture’s Tone district. The small number of residents may evoke the image of a depopulated village in decline, but with its location at the foot of Mount Hotaka, one of Japan’s “100 famous mountains,” Kawaba is actually a vibrant tourist destination.
Ventinove’s chef-owner, Yusuke Takeuchi, was born in Tokyo but lived in Kawaba from the age of 10. “Every summer, my dad takes city kids camping for two weeks in an area deep in the mountains. I went along with the group every year until I was 18. Each day we’d make a wood fire and use it to cook rice and heat bath water,” Takeuchi said
In 2006, while training as a chef, Takeuchi went to Italy, where he spent three years honing his skills. After returning to Japan, he worked for a year in Aomori Prefecture, and in 2011 he opened Trattoria 29 in the Nishiogikubo area of Tokyo. Though the restaurant flourished, an eviction notice from the landlord came in 2019, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Takeuchi returned to his family home to take stock, and it was then that he became aware of the wealth of ingredients produced in Kawaba. He decided to open Ventinove in 2022.
“There are wild mountain vegetables, and also an abundance of mushrooms,” said Takeuchi. “You can even forage for black truffles. I also go along on hunts, and as soon as I return, I butcher the hunted game in the meat-production facility.”
These mountain gifts and all the other ingredients used in the course menu (except seasonings) are sourced in Gunma Prefecture. All the cooking, including the Akagi beef bistecca — is done with wood fire, either on a grill or in an oven. This small restaurant will undoubtedly play a big role as a new destination in Kawaba, a town that has survived and prospered through tourism.
Address
Ventinove
2593-1 Yachi, Kawaba-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture
https://www.29ventinove.com
Ichita Yamamoto
Governor of Gunma
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ventinove on receiving The Japan Times’ Destination Restaurants 2024 award. As the local governor, I am truly delighted by this recognition.
Gunma is blessed with stunning natural beauty, including hot springs, mountains and rivers. At Ventinove, guests can fully enjoy dishes crafted from the diverse and high-quality ingredients from this region.
I sincerely hope that this recognition will encourage many visitors to come and experience all that Gunma has to offer.
Kyotaro Toyama
Mayor of KAWABA
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on Ventinove being selected as a Destination Restaurant 2024.
The village of Kawaba, rich in natural beauty, is developing the community while promoting agriculture and tourism. Yuki Hotaka rice, nurtured by pristine waters from Mount Hotaka, has repeatedly won the Gold Prize in the Rice Taste Evaluation Contest. The roadside station Kawaba Denen Plaza is nationally recognized as a model destination. We invite you to experience Kawaba’s tranquil charm and stunning scenery.
