Hoshinoya Tokyo, a traditional ryokan in Otemachi, has announced the New Year’s Kabuki Plan, a two-day, one-night stay from January 5 until January 7, 2023. During the Edo Period, citizens enjoyed watching Kabuki plays during the New Year’s holidays, often sipping tea at connected teahouses. This event will invite visitors to experience what this was like, complete with traditional food and decorations.

Watching Kabuki was a chic way for those in Edo to ring in the new year. Theater teahouses were also a popular gathering place–along with arranging tickets, the teahouses offered plot notes, tea, sweets, boxed lunches, snacks, and other drinks.*

*Hiroshi Fujita, Yoshihide Tomizawa (2012) / The Updated Kabuki Dictionary, Kashiwa Shobo

Relax Before Enjoying Tea and a Play

Guests are invited to relax in the Ochanoma (Living Room) Lounge, decorated to look like a traditional teahouse with fans, ukiyo-e prints, and formal curtains. Hanabiramochi, or rice cakes with flower petals, will be served with green tea. These rice cakes are said to date back to the New Year’s tradition of eating hard foods like daikon and rice cakes in the hopes of prolonging one’s life. Characterized by its curious burdock root aroma, the cakes are sweetened with white miso bean paste. 

Enjoy a Post-Viewing Mont Blanc Shaped like Soba with Sweet Dessert Wine

At theater teahouses in the Edo period, sake, snacks, and desserts were served one after another. During this special event, a menu inspired by this practice and prepared by Hoshinoya Tokyo Executive Chef Noriyuki Hamada will be served! Soba noodles were often served after a play in the past. Inspired by this tradition, Mont Blanc made with chestnut paste and sponge cake will be served up to look like this popular dish. Paired with a dessert wine aged in oak barrels, the sweet will be served in a traditional lacquerware basket. In addition, the dish will be paired with Wasabi Pralines, Shichimi Meringue, and Ginger Pate de Fruits. 

Take a Rickshaw to the Kabuki-za Theater

Guests will be taken on an Edo-style tour on their way to the Kabuki-za Theater. Passing through the Nihonbashi area, the first stop will be the Fukutoku Shrine. It’s said that Hidetada Tokugawa paid a visit to and praised the shrine on New Year’s Day in 1614. The next shrine on the docket, Hodo Inari Jinja, was enshrined in Edo Castle during the Edo period to protect the heir to the Tokugawa family. It’s said that the shrine provides blessings for child rearing, matchmaking, and business prosperity. 

This tour will provide a more elegant way to explore Tokyo as guests enjoy exposition from their chauffeur. To make the rickshaw ride even more enjoyable, guests can rent kimonos for an extra charge.

Would you like to take a step back in time this New Year?

The Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo is celebrating Rilakkuma’s birthday in the sweetest way! The Strawberry Collection with Rilakkuma sweets buffet will be available from January 7 until March 31, 2023 at All-Day Dining Jurin on the hotel’s second floor. 

The most popular strawberry buffet will be back and better than ever in 2023. Sweets featuring Rilakkuma and his friends will be on full display, including strawberry tarts, tiramisu, and other strawberry-filled sweets. The lazy bear’s favorite pudding and pancakes will also be available along with soothing hot tea for the cold winter months. This will mark the first time that Rilakkuma’s sweets buffet will appear at a hotel.

Small tartlets featuring Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori will be too cute to eat, and Chairoikoguma will appear on cookie sandwiches.

The dessert plate will include gorgeous fondant chocolate with images of Rilakkuma and each of his friends to set the mood for the opening of the event.

The location itself will also be decked out in sweet decorations, with guests being welcomed at the door. Taking pictures is encouraged, so make a reservation today if you’re looking to impress on Instagram!

 ©2022 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.　

Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo will hold a special Christmas-themed Sylvanian Families buffet starting November 1, 2022. This is the second Sylvanian Families event following the previous Halloween-themed buffet, which became extremely popular. Some guests even bring their own Sylvanian Families dolls!

Starting in November, visitors can enjoy a full lineup of 20 scrumptious dishes inspired by the cake shop found in Sylvania Village. Some sweets are also inspired by the many beloved characters found in the series, and anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit won’t want to miss this exclusive event. For those without a sweet tooth, some light lunches will also be available.

The restaurant will also erect a decorative display of Sylvanian Families enjoying a Christmas party and a sweet diorama made exclusively of desserts by the pasty chef. Guests can enjoy tea time while getting lost in this magical world, so get excited about the Christmas season!

1. Sweets Inspired by the World of Sylvanian Families

2. Become Enthralled by a Wonderful Winter World of Sweets

3. Exclusive! Sweets Diorama and Sylvanian Families Photo Spot

4. Light Meals Perfect for Winter and Burgers Featuring Original Illustrations

5. A Special Plan to Enjoy the Buffet with Sylvanian Families Babies

From October 21 until November 30, 2022, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will hold the Touken Ranbu ONLINE Special Buffet ~Black & White~ event! This second collaboration with the popular series will be held Grillogy Bar and Grill on the second floor.

Dessert Menu

Drink Menu

Drink Order Bonus: Original Coaster (8 varieties)

At the buffet, guests can enjoy luxurious dishes inspired by characters from the sword-centered game and anime series. The desserts blend Japanese and Western cuisine, and special cocktails will be available during the first phase, each coming with a special coaster as a bonus! In addition, original goods will be on sale at the venue, so don’t miss it!

Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel will be offering a special room and collaboration menu inspired by the popular anime series The Vampire Dies in No Time from September 22 until November 30, 2022. Reservations will open on the hotel’s official website starting September 12 at 1:00 PM. 

The Vampire Dies in No Time follows the hilarious adventures of the vampire Draluc and the vampire hunter Ronaldo. Set in the city of Shin-Yokohama, it makes sense that this collaboration would be taking place!

Original Goods

Collaboration Menu

Guests and fans of the series will be able to enjoy a fully-decorated room and collaboration menu inspired by characters from the popular anime series.

The concept room, located on an upper floor overlooking the Shin-Yokohama cityscape, is decorated with illustrations of Draluc, Ronaldo, and other characters. The guest-only goods feature newly-drawn illustrations. 

Sweets plates and drinks will be served at the restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. Guests can enjoy desserts shaped like Ronaldo’s red hat and Draluc’s ashes, so don’t miss it!

©盆ノ木至（秋田書店）／製作委員会すぐ死ぬ

Art subscription service Casie is collaborating with HOTEL SHE, KYOTO! A special art exhibition titled GALLERY HOTEL SHE, will be held from September 17 until October 16, inviting guests to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of staying in a gallery overnight!

During the event period, guests of HOTEL SHE, KYOTO will be able to select their favorite piece of artwork from an on-site gallery. The piece will then be hung in their guestroom, and visitors can spend the night appreciating it at their own pace. This is a great way to learn more about art appreciation, and guests can enjoy discussing the art world with their friends and family. 

“Although we may view art in museums and other venues, it is rare to have the opportunity to select and display a work of art of our own choice,” the project description reads. “Through this unique experience, we aim to provide guests the chance to actively engage with art and inspire them to make art a part of their daily life going forward.”

The Strings Omotesando will hold the Violet Masquerade sweets buffet at GRAMERCY HOUSE, a banquet venue on the second floor, on select dates from September 7 until October 27, 2022.

Guests can enjoy a selection of desserts featuring chestnuts, grapes, and other autumn treats in calming violet space. Why not come enjoy the feel of a masquerade while eating your fill of sugary delights?

The event will feature jewel-like tarts lavishly decorated with figs and grapes, strawberry cheesecake inspired by a courtly flower garden, and lemon mousse shaped like a fanciful headdress. The buffet itself will be decorated with masks and glittering ornaments.

The buffet will also include lunch with a lineup of savory dishes such as spiced grilled chicken, black curry made with charcoal, and purple sweet potato potage.

Visitors showing up to the buffet wearing violet will receive an original purple mocktail called Fancy Violet. Why not come for a girls’ night out or a family dinner this Halloween season?

Starting September 3, Keio Plaza Hotel Tama will offer a special dinner and dessert buffet inspired by the Sanrio characters Hello Kitty and Wish Me Mell. The adorable event will take place at the Jurin restaurant on the 4th floor, and guests will be able to enjoy some cute dishes and desserts inspired by the character’s gratitude. The event will run until October 30 and will only be held on weekends and holidays. 

The restaurant’s patissier has designed a collection of sweet dishes based on the two characters, from strawberry shortcakes inspired by Wish Me Mell’s outfit to pastel-colored cakes and rainbow jello. Cream-filled fruit sandwiches cut to look like Hello Kitty’s face are sure to offer guests the perfect photo op! For those wanting something savory, over 15 dishes will be available, including roast beef, pasta and cheese, curry, and more.

Special seats including large stuffed animal versions of Hello Kitty and Wish Me Mell will be available, limited to two tables per day.

Come enjoy a relaxing meal with these two adorable characters!

From August 18 until November 3, visitors to the Hilton in Nagoya will be able to enjoy a special autumn buffet featuring the popular Sanrio characters Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and Hello Kitty. 

These three characters are some of Sanrio’s most loved. Kuromi is the self-proclaimed rival of My Melody, while the fluffy Cinnamoroll won first place in this year’s Sanrio Character Awards. Hello Kitty has been beloved by audiences worldwide for decades, and her iconic ribbon really shines in this buffet collaboration. Themed around an autumn harvest festival in a dark forest, the event includes 27 varieties of sweets and seven savory items. From sweet potatoes and pumpkins to chestnuts and apples, guests will be able to taste the fall season!

Kuromi’s Dark Forest Cake

Autumn Cinnamoroll Cake

Hello Kitty’s Ribbon Cake

Crazy Mushrooms / Praline and Gianduja Truffles / Tonka Bean & Chocolate Caneles

Kuromi’s Dark Forest Cake is a traditional German black forest cake featuring decorations inspired by the character’s black hood and a pink skull. The Autumn Cinnamoroll Cake is made with rice flour and is inspired by the adorable puppy’s fluffy appearance. Hello Kitty’s Ribbon Cake is topped with apple compote simmered with strawberries and red wine. 

At the popular Live Station, guests can also enjoy an artistic performance by the chef himself. Visitors can also find and harvest their own Crazy Mushrooms and Truffles. 

Kuromi’s Autumn Soup

Pumpkin Mont Blanc

Hello Kitty’s Apple

Pastry Chef Mamoru Watanabe’s specialty autumn sweets and Sanrio Characters-inspired goodies will invite you into a cute and dark forest world. Kuromi’s Autumn Soup is made with Japanese chestnuts and chicken consomme poured over panna cotta made with purple sweet potatoes. The Pumpkin Mont Blanc includes four layers of milk chocolate cream, chocolate crumble, pistachio cream, and pumpkin Mont Blanc cream.

Praline Paris-Brest

Hojicha Basque Cheesecake

Green Tea Tiramisu

Come enjoy the taste of autumn with your favorite Sanrio characters!

© ’22 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPR. NO. L632215

The Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo will offer a special suite inspired by the upcoming Toshio Suzuki Studio Ghibli Exhibition from July 1 until August 31, 2022. This will include tickets to the exhibition, which will take place at Warehouse Terrada in Shinagawa from July 1 until September 7. 

Toshio Suzuki, a producer at Studio Ghibli, has worked with both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata on a number of beloved masterpieces. The exhibition will feature a large bookshelf housing 8,800 of Suzuki’s publications and favorite tomes. Many of these were published before Suzuki joined Studio Ghibli, and guests are invited to see how the producer was inspired to join the legendary studio after working as an editor at a manga magazine. To commemorate the exhibition’s opening, this special suite is filled with books written by Suzuki along with other books that visitors may enjoy during their relaxing stay. 

In the suite, guests will find a list of 106 books that influenced Suzuki the most. This list will be available to take home. Visitors will also find reproductions of Suzuki’s calligraphy. 

©TS ©Studio Ghibli

Banyan Tree Group, one of the world’s leading independent hospitality groups, held the grand opening of Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto, on Friday, June 17, 2022. This is the first of the group’s hotels to open in Japan.

Hotel Exterior

Located south of Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site, and named after the beautiful winter flower, Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto is a small, modern, and minimalist luxury hotel that offers simple guests a chance to recharge themselves.

Wellbeing Room

For the grand opening, a new Wellbeing Room has been opened where visitors can experience quiet meditation.

Visitors can stroll through nearby gardens, temples, and shrines, take a tour of Kyoto’s many historical sites, or spend time in the Wellbeing Room meditating or practicing yoga to recharge their batteries away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The French Restaurant Singular will also offer up healthy and tasty meals with a focus on local ingredients and producers.

Enjoy a visit to Kyoto in this peaceful space perfect for resting both body and soul.

From June 1 until August 31, Keio Plaza Hotel Hachioji is inviting guests to travel to the adorable world of Moomin by partaking in two tasty buffet events at the Le Clair Restaurant on the second floor. In Moomin’s home country of Finland, people start enjoying the summer following the solstice in June. The theme of this project is ‘Moominvalley Turns Jungle,’ inspiring the hotel’s chefs to create a spectacular original menu. A tasty lunch buffet will be held Tuesday through Friday during the event period, while a sweets buffet will take place on weekends and holidays. The restaurant’s interior will be decorated with artwork from Tove Jansson’s 1956 comic Moominville Turns Jungle.

The Moomin Lunch Buffet is titled ‘Jungle Party in Moominville,’ and will depict a fun summer lunch get-together in the titular character’s home village. The lineup of foods includes smoked salmon canapes, marinated herring, and sardine sandwiches, all typical of Scandinavian cuisine. Plenty of spiced dishes and veggies will be available, the latter looking like they came from Moominmamma’s garden. August 9 is Moomin Day, and the chefs will be preparing some extra goodies for each guest on that day only.

The Moomin Sweets Buffet will feature adorable desserts created by expert pâtissiers and will be inspired by Moomin and his friends enjoying the summer. From red velvet cake made to look like Little My’s dress to chocolate mousse in the style of Moominpappa’s Silk Hat, fans of the series will want to snap plenty of pictures before they dig in! Tons of sweets will include popular Scandinavian ingredients like red currants, raspberries, and blueberries. The welcome plate, limited to one per person, will change monthly, with a Tropical Parfait coming in July and an Edible Jungle coming in August. Light meals will also be available to compliment the sweets.

The Sweets Buffet will also include a special table plan limited to three per day, using plates and mugs included in the Moomin by Arabia 2022 Summer collection. Guests participating in this plan can order a special non-alcoholic cocktail created by the restaurant’s bartender and made with rose-colored ice inspired by Moominmamma’s love for flowers.