Asakusa, with its beautiful streets overflowing with Edo-period charm, also boasts a rich food culture. Along the approach to Senso-ji Temple, you'll find a row of long-established restaurants where you can enjoy uniquely Japanese flavors such as sukiyaki and tempura.

In this town where traditional Japanese cuisine is deeply rooted, a new movement to embrace dietary diversity is spreading. A willingness to accommodate various dietary habits, such as veganism and halal, is gradually beginning to take hold.

Located on Sukeroku Yume Street along the Sumida River, "Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa" is a restaurant that symbolizes a new side of Asakusa. It is a specialty restaurant serving vegan cuisine, with all menu items made from plant-based ingredients. Respecting each individual's religion and lifestyle, it aims to be a place where everyone can enjoy a meal.

A warm and welcoming space where you can relax.

It's just a one-minute walk from the nearest subway station, Asakusa. Its cafe-dining style exterior makes it easy to step inside without feeling intimidated, even for first-time visitors.

The interior is decorated in a natural style, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel like you're visiting a friend's house. On sunny days, plenty of pleasant natural light streams in.

"Some customers sit by the window, enjoying the view or writing in their journals. We're a restaurant, but we want our customers to feel like they're in a cafe and relax here."

This is according to store manager Miho Yoshida, who has been vegan for a year. Owner Konomi Koyama and all the staff are vegan.

Body-friendly dishes made with plant-based ingredients

All menu items, including dishes, drinks, and desserts, are 100% plant-based. We do not use meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, food additives, or gluten.

It does not contain garlic, chives, or other pungent vegetables that are forbidden in certain religions. It can accommodate a wide range of dietary habits, not just veganism.

"Even those with egg or wheat allergies can enjoy our food with peace of mind. We also have parents who come to our restaurant because they want to feed their children safe meals."

Never giving up on "delicious." A commitment to taste.

Ninety percent of the customers are foreigners, and the number of repeat customers is increasing. The reason for its popularity lies in its pursuit of deliciousness and its unique Japanese character.

The most popular item, the "Lunch Plate Set," is a hearty dish featuring curry, fried chicken, tempura, and brown rice all on one plate. It also comes with a salad featuring a variety of fresh, colorful vegetables.

Mr. Koyama's signature curry is made without oil, using only the natural flavors of vegetables. The pleasant acidity of the tomatoes spreads in your mouth, and you can enjoy a richness that you wouldn't expect from a vegan dish.

Tempura made with chickpea flour in the batter is a big hit with foreign tourists interested in Japanese food. Dipping seasonal vegetables and mushrooms in seaweed salt brings out the natural sweetness of the ingredients.

"Since they've come to Japan, I want them to enjoy Japanese food, so I try to create a menu that gives them a taste of Japan as much as possible. They're always delighted to learn that we have tempura that vegans can enjoy."

Enjoying food involves finding creative ways to enjoy it.

When Ms. Yoshida first started working at the restaurant, she wasn't vegan. However, as she spent time with Ms. Koyama and the other staff members, she naturally began to avoid animal products.

"I've come to realize that there's something fundamentally wrong with humans eating animal lives. Since becoming vegan, I feel lighter physically and more at peace."

People around her sometimes wonder, "It must be hard to find ingredients," or "What can you even eat?" Since many seasonings like soy sauce and mirin contain animal products, she says that finding things she can eat inevitably takes time and effort.

"But it's just a matter of being creative. You look for ingredients you can eat to enjoy food, and you get creative with cooking methods to make it delicious. Vegans really enjoy food."

Lin Gi-sin, a staff member from Taiwan, is one of those who enjoys a vegan lifestyle. She smiles and says that searching for edible ingredients in supermarkets is "like a treasure hunt, and it's fun."

It's commonplace to exchange information with colleagues and regular customers about recommended ingredients and cooking methods.

"Just like the salads at the restaurant, dishes that use lots of vegetables are colorful and beautiful. It makes me happy both when I'm cooking them and when I'm eating them."

A city-wide effort to create a future where everyone can enjoy food.

A new initiative has begun in Asakusa: vegan restaurants are joining forces to expand food options throughout the entire town.

One such initiative is the "Asakusa Vegan Map" created by Ms. Koyama. It's a web map that compiles vegan-friendly restaurants in and around Asakusa, and it also helps promote other businesses.

"We share a common desire to establish veganism at its core, so even though we are competitors, we respect each other. We don't want people to give up on food just because they are vegan," says Yoshida.

We've also introduced a "Vegan/Vegetarian Card" that allows customers to indicate their dietary restrictions by circling the ingredients they cannot eat and showing it to a staff member. We give these cards to customers who visit our restaurant to help them choose meals while traveling.

"I hope that in the future, it will become commonplace to be able to choose vegan options when eating out."

Asakusa is a place where many people from all over the world gather and diverse values intersect. That's why there isn't just one way to experience food there.

As places like "Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa," where everyone can enjoy food, take root, Asakusa may evolve into an even more attractive town.

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All-inclusive Vegan Dining Asakusa
Address: 1F Yabuki Building, 1-3-13 Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access: 1-minute walk from Exit 5 of Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line.
HP: https://dining.marugotovegan.com/
SNS: https://www.instagram.com/marugotovegan_dining
reservation: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/marugoto-vegan-asakusa/reserve
*For details regarding business hours and regular closing days, please check the link above.