Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, a historical museum and hotel in Japan, has announced that it will host the Hyakudan Hinamatsuri 2020 doll festival from January 24 to March 15 next year. It will take place at the hotel’s Hyakudan Kaidan, or ‘100 Steps Staircase’―which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty.
Hinamatsuri is an annual festival in Japan celebrated on March 3 every year where ornamental dolls are displayed. Hotel Gajoen Tokyo boasts the biggest Hinamatsuri festival in Tokyo, with over 600,000 visitors having attended across the 10 years it has been held.
A First For The Festival: Photography Permitted
Up to now, photography at the hotel’s Hinamatsuri has been restricted to protect the displays. However, for the first time ever, next year’s event will allow photography in all of the rooms, which will house dolls symbolising each period of Japanese period: Edo, Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and the current Reiwa, not to mention the 500+ zashikibina dolls. There will also be hanging decorations with rabbit designs in the elevator hall created by Nippon Tsurushibina Kyoukai, a non-profit organisation. Also for the first time this year, visitors will be able to dress up in a beautiful uchikake wedding coat and take a photo at the designated photo spot. This is so they can further fill a part of the hina doll world.
Tottori, Shimane & Yamaguchi Get Involved For The First Time
Visitors will be able to enjoy dolls in a variety of ways from different places across Japan, including a giant 2-meter long wall decoration and old hina dolls handed down from families past from the city of Yonago in Tottori, tiny tsuchi dolls from Hokuei in Tottori which can fit in the pal of your hand, renbei dolls, and more. The spectacular collection will have visitors feeling like they are inside a hina doll palace.
The Hina Doll of the Ishitani Residence (Chizu, Tottori)
The town of Chizu is located in the southeast portion of Tottori Prefecture and is surrounded by mountains. It flourished during the Edo period as a post town and place of rest for the Tottori Domain as part of sankin-kōtai, a policy which had feudal lords alternate living for a year in their domain, as it headed towards Edo. The Ishitani Residence, which is built facing the Inaba Kaidō―a type of route built during the Edo period for transportation―has almost 40 rooms and spans 4,000 square meters. It is listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan for its modern Japanese-style architecture. The enormous mansion, which is home to a doma dirt floor supported by great beams as well as a Japanese-style garden which can be seen from all the tatami rooms, is decorated with ancient handed-down hina dolls when early spring settles in. This includes dolls from the Meiji periodo with vibrantly embroidered outfits, gorgeous decorations for the hina doll steps, special hina bowls used when celebrating Hinamatsuri at the Ishitani Residence, and more.
Hyakudan Hinamatsuri Memorial: Display Of Over 500 Zashikibina Hina Dolls (Iizuka, Fukuoka)
Iizuka in Fukuoka formerly thrived for its coal mines and bustled as a business dealing in coal. The Former Den’emon Ito Residence spans 2,300 square meters and speaks volumes of the cultural significance of the city’s ties to coal as it belonged to Den’emon Ito who was known as the “King of Coal Mining.” Every year during the Hinamatsuri season, the Itsuzuka Hina no Matsuri festival is held at the residence where hina dolls from 16 areas throughout the town are displayed. The Former Den’emon Ito Residence is the main venue for Itsuzuka Hina no Matsuri, which sees a huge number of zashikibina hina dolls put out. The Residence has been involved with Hyakudan Hinamatsuri twice in the past, and this time, their overwhelming showcasing of 500+ dolls, which has garnered popularity every time, will be put on as a special display. The display will keep with the festival’s theme of tales of Izumo as well as the myth of the Hare of Inaba.
Hina no Shitsurai: Table Laying
Another special display will also be put on for the festival with the theme “Hina no Shitsurai,” meaning “setting up a hina living space.” There will be gorgeous table laying by Tomiko Ishibashi, who is an interior decorator working internationally, as well as displays of hina decorations in home living rooms and genkan. Select parts of this exhibition will be available to purchase in the museum shop, so people can take away a memory and try setting up their own hina decorations. And for the first time ever, the festival is opening the Hina Cafe for a limited time between January 24 to February 14 where visitors can sip on Japanese tea and eat Japanese snacks. Hina decorations will serve as the theme for the cafe.
Discover the beauty of the Hinamatsuri, a festival unique to Japan, at the 11th Hyakudan Hinamatsuri.
Information
Hyakudan Hinamatsuri 2020
Running: January 24, 2020 – March 15, 2020
Time: 10:00-17:00 (Last Entries 16:30)
*Photography allowed (However please refrain from using tripods and flash and from taking photos for commercial or business purposes. Photography prohibited for select displays.)
*The venue will not use heating in order to protect the displays
Entry Prices
Same-Day: ¥1,600 / Official Online Ticket: ¥1,600 (Special ¥1,100 price available on January 23)
External Ticket Sellers: Adults ¥1,500 / University and High School Students ¥1,000 / Elementary and Junior High Students ¥600
*School ID required. Entry free for preschoolers.
Special Tickets
Pair Ticket (For the first half of the festival period): ¥2,000
Ticket With Postcard (Limited Quantity): Advance ¥1,200 / Same-Day ¥1,500
Ticket With Designated Date and Time, Gallery Talk & Guidebook: ¥1,800
Location: Hotel Gajoen Tokyo
Event Page: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/event/hinamatsuri2019
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Those interested in Japanese art should most definitely visit the hotel and museum Hotel Gajoen Tokyo which is now holding the 5th Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan art exhibition until September 1.
It is taking place at its Hyakudan Kaidan, or '100 Steps Staircase'―which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty. This year's event has been made bigger and better with brand new exhibits. Visitors will ride the exquisitely decorated elevator and first come to an Aomori Nebuta Festival-style float as pictured above with its bright colours and angry gaze. This piece was created specially for the event. It also gives off an original summery smell too. As you follow the path deeper into the exhibition―having first taken off your shoes―you will come a line of cloth crafts. You can switch on the lights inside to light up each piece which radiate the natural colours of the material. There are many cloth work pieces on display to enjoy. This is what it looks like when looking up the 100 Step Staircase from the bottom. You will come to several rooms when ascending the stairs with light displays in them. This is the first room inside which is a display created by bamboo lighting artist NITTAKE from Nichinan, Miyazaki. The bamboo is beautiful on its own but even more so when the lights are turned on in a dark room as the entire room is turned into artwork itself. Continuing on you come to the "Nagasaki Lantern Festival." You can see the lights before you even enter the room and they plunge you into that Japanese festival atmosphere. It's truly spectacular inside. It's different from the previous room which was dark with lights hanging from it. It's even more bright and colourful. It made me want to visit the real Nagasaki Lantern Festival which boasts 1 million visitors every year. This room contains umbrella art using Japanese umbrellas from Yamaga, Kumamoto. The colours of the umbrellas turn the room into something magical. The room has a relaxing, soothing vibe to it that makes you want to gaze in silence. Dangling further up the stairs are wind chimes which continue the summer vibes. There are many unique art pieces too such as these goldfish from Yanai, Yamaguchi. There is artwork from around 40 individuals and groups so there is lots to be discovered. Take your time to admire each and every thing in there. The stairs actually go up to 99. Once you have seen the final exhibition on the top floor it's time to return to the bottom where you take your shoes off. Whether you're interested in art or Japanese culture, this exciting event is one not to be missed this summer. Information
Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan 2019 ~Kokoro no Shikisai~
Location: Hotel Gajoen Tokyo (1-8-1 Shitameguro, Meguro Ward, Tokyo)
Running: July 6, 2019 – September 1, 2019
Opening Hours: [Mon-Thurs] 10:00-17:00 (Last Entries 16:30) / [Fri-Sat & August 11-18] 10:00-20:00 (Last Entries 19:30)
*Photography allowed (Tripods, flash and photography for business purposes forbidden)
Price: Same-Day ¥1,600 / Advanced ¥1,300 (Special Advanced Price of ¥1,100 Until July 5) / University & High School Students ¥1,200 / Elementary & Junior High School Students ¥600
*Student ID required. Preschoolers permitted free entry.
TEL: 03-5434-3140
Online Tickets: https://www.e-tix.jp/100event/#akari
Official Website: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/100event/wanoakari2019
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Japanese museum and hotel Hotel Gajoen Tokyo is currently offering its new "Yukata Plan" until September 30. The plan includes a yukata service, lunch or dinner, and a chance to witness the Hyakudan Kaidan, or '100 Step Staircase,' which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty. The plan lets guests wear a beautiful and colourful yukata allows them to get a feel for the Japanese spirit. After enjoying a special food course specially prepared by the hotel's chef, you will head on over to observe the Hyakudan Kaidan, something offered in the hotel's popular summer plan. Yukata are available for men, women and children, making it perfect for groups, couples and families. What's more is that you can take home the yukata, obi sash and geta shoes you choose.
Once you chance into your yukata you can stroll to some of Meguro's famous spots such as Meguro River as well as Ryūsenji temple and Ōtori-jinja Shrine, both of which are just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Enjoy a real Japanese time this summer at Hotel Gajoen Tokyo. Information
Yukata Plan
Prices
Lunch: Adults ¥13,500 / Children ¥10,000
Dinner: Adults ¥16,000 / Children ¥10,000 (Each price includes price for 1 person, tax and service charge)
*Those who order the dinner plan will receive an original Gajoen senko hanabi firework
Hotel Gajoen Tokyo: http://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/
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Hotel Gajoen Tokyo is both a museum and a hotel which celebrated its 90th anniversary in December 2018. The establishment is set to hold its 5th Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan art exhibition at its Hyakudan Kaidan, or '100 Steps Staircase'―which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty. The event will run from July 6 to September 1 and will feature all-new exhibits from 40 independent artists and groups from around Japan: from Aomori in the north to Kagoshima in the south.
Bamboo Artwork by NIITAKE
Participating in the exhibition for the first time is bamboo artist NIITAKE from Nichinan, Miyazaki. His pieces will include entrancing room installations as well as a colourful collaboration with the Nagasaki Lantern Festival which enjoys an incredible one million visitors.emullenuett: The Sand Art Duo
emullenuet are an up-and-coming duo who create artwork out of sand. The two of them have created some pieces just for this exhibition such as Japanese ranma transoms.Edo Furin Wind Chimes
This dramatic exhibit will include lacquer work, glass work, metal carving and more by Tokyo Teshigoto―a group backed by the city of Tokyo which is a collaboration between contemporary designers and traditional Edo techniques which aims to pass down theses kills to the next generation. Summertime furin which chimes will also line the showcase with their delicate designs and sounds. Other contemporary artists will also display their work with Japanese-style paper, allowing for visitors to see cultural assets established during the early Showa period.Aomori Nebuta
This year's exhibition will also see the return of some legends who have enjoyed popularity at previous runs of the event. As you descend the huge mother-of-pearl raden elevator you will be welcomed by an overwhelming assortment of standout pieces.Ishimaki Kokeshi
Other popular names include Tadaharu Kawamura, a sculptor who works with natural materials such as leaves, shells and Japanese lantern cherries, and Takatoshi Hayashi who is known for their kokeshi dolls.Information
Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan 2019 ~Kokoro no Shikisai~
Location: Hotel Gajoen Tokyo (1-8-1 Shitameguro, Meguro Ward, Tokyo)
Running: July 6, 2019 – September 1, 2019
Opening Hours: [Sun-Thurs] 10:00-17:00 (Last Entries 16:30) / [Fri-Sat & August 11-18] 10:00-20:00 (Last Entries 19:30)
*Photography allowed (Tripods, flash and photography for business purposes forbidden)
Price: Same-Day ¥1,600 / Advanced ¥1,300 (Special Advanced Price of ¥1,100 Until July 5) / University & High School Students ¥1,200 / Elementary & Junior High School Students ¥600
*Student ID required. Preschoolers permitted free entry.
TEL: 03-5434-3140
Online Tickets: https://www.e-tix.jp/100event/#akari
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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?Information
New Year’s Kabuki Plan
Running: January 5 – January 7, 2023
Capacity: 1 couple per day (1-2 people)
Price: ¥110,000 per person, ¥180,000 for 2 people (Including Tax & Service charge, excluding accommodation charge)
Reserve/Details – Official Site: https://hoshinoya.com/tokyo
*Reservation required at least 14 days in advance
**Exclusive experience for Hoshinoya Tokyo guests
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Beloved Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama’s Works on Display at Islamic Arts Museum as Part of Qatar Creates
Qatar Museums recently announced Qatar Creates, a year-round cultural project overseeing, promoting, and encouraging diverse cultural activities throughout Qatar. Currently, over 40 pieces of art by prominent local and international artists are on display in Doha and throughout the country. A large-scale outdoor exhibit titled My Soul Blooms Forever, designed by iconic Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, has just been installed on the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). The exhibition includes a large-scale work on display for the first time in Qatar, expressing the artist's well-known reverence for the natural world through a spectacular installation of colorful, fantastical plants and a three-dimensional sculpture of a pumpkin with Kusama’s iconic polka-dot pattern. My Soul Blooms Forever will be on display at MIA Park until March 1, 2023 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Qatar's Years of Culture program, as well as to commemorate the 2012 Qatar-Japan Year of Culture. Photo by Iwan Baan. Artwork © YAYOI KUSAMA. Courtesy David Zwirner, Ota Fine Arts, and Victoria Miro.Information
My Soul Blooms Forever – Yayoi Kusama Exhibition
On Display until March 1, 2023
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Felissimo’s Museum Department has teamed up with Ad Museum Tokyo to release a collection of nail stickers inspired by famous works of art from the Edo Period. They also released an incense collection inspired by classic matchbooks on November 21, 2022. Nishiki-e is a type of Japanese multi-colored woodblock printing, and those interested in traditional art will love showing off their new style with these easy-to-apply stickers.
Edo Trend Nishiki-e Gel Style Nail Stickers
One Hundred Beauties from Famous Places of Edo - Ninghocho
Sixteen Female Sennin
Keisei Oyodo - Ichikawa Masunojou
Showa Modern Incense with Matchbox Labels
These incense sets were inspired by classic matchboxes, each featuring ads from the time. Each stick burns for about 10 minutes, making them perfect for use in your spare time. After using the incense, these are perfect for using as boxes for jewelry or other small items! Information
Ad Museum Tokyo x Felissimo Nail Stickers
Orders open November 21, 2022
Official Site: https://www.felissimo.co.jp/
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The Sumida Hokusai Museum in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, will be holding the ‘Hokusai at Play with the 100 Poems’ exhibition from December 15, 2022 until February 26, 2023. The exhibition will focus on the Hyakunin Isshu, a famous collection of 100 poems integral to Japanese traditional culture.
Hyakunin Isshu Uba ga Etoki - Sojo Henjo / Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum.
Hyakunin Isshu Uba ga Etoki - Ariwara no Narihira / Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum. (Phase 2)
The Five Great Poets, Tsuki - Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum. (Permanently on Display)
By the middle of the Edo period, the Hyakunin Isshu, or 100 classical poems, had become an established part of Japanese culture. Hokusai, an ukiyo-e artist of the period, painted a total of 27 of these famous poems, incorporating his own ideas and views to create unique pieces still beloved so many years later. This exhibition features 24 paintings from the museum’s Hyakunin Isshu collection along with dozens more items pertaining to this legendary collection of writings. Don’t miss it!Information
Hokusai at Play with the 100 Poems
Running: December 15, 2022 – February 26, 2023
*Certain exhibits will be changed between the first and second phases.
Phase 1: December 15, 2022 – January 22, 2023
Phase 2: January 24 – February 26, 2023
Hours: 9:30-17:30 (Last entry at 17:00)
Official Site: https://hokusai-museum.jp
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The Sailor Moon franchise’s 30th-anniversary museum is open from July 1 to December 30 at Tokyo’s Roppongi Museum. The series became a global phenomenon in the 1990s and remains incredibly popular with audiences around the world to this day. The museum itself is located near Azabu-Juban, where Sailor Moon took place. Volume 3 of the museum, the final installment, will take place from November 12 until the museum closes on December 30. During this period, fans can see over 100 pieces of rare Sailor Moon goods from its run in Nakayoshi magazine. All of the original color drawings currently on display will be replaced, with over 60 new pieces being added including previously unreleased works. Fans will also get a glimpse of the original drawing that appeared on the cover of Nakayoshi when the final chapter of Sailor Moon was published!
Christmas Menu
Sailor Moon Museum Christmas Pancake
Sailor Moon Museum Cheese Melt Muffin
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THE ALLEY Collaboration Drinks
Christmas Tapioca Banana Pumpkin
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New Christmas menu items will also be available during Vol.3. Guests can enjoy the cafe’s original Christmas tree-inspired pancakes and collaboration drinks with THE ALLEY. The main menu has also been overhauled and now includes plenty of dishes perfect for the cold winter months. The drink menu will also feature original coasters and straw tags only available at the museum. Will you be visiting the museum during its last few weeks? (c) Naoko TakeuchiInformation
Sailor Moon Museum
Running: July 1 – December 30, 2022
Vol. 3: November 12 – December 30, 2022
Hours:
Weekdays: 10:00-18:00 (Last entry at 17:30)
Weekends/Holidays: 10:00-20:00 (Last entry at 19:30)
*Open from 10:00-20:00 from December 26 – December 30
Venue: Roppongi Museum (5-6-20 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Official Site: www.sailormoon-museum.com
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The historic Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, which blends a hotel and a traditional Japanese museum, will offer a tour of the Hyakudan Kaidan (Hundred Stairs) from December 3 until December 25, 2022. This Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo is an incredible sight, and those with an interest in Showa-era architecture won’t want to miss it. In 1988, part of the old Gajoen structure was torn down to make way for new structures along the Meguro River basin, and the hotel underwent a large-scale renovation over a period of three years. The Hundred Stairs were originally built in 1935 and designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2009.
Over the years, the Gajoen has served as a restaurant and gathering place for visitors from both the Showa-era and Heisei-era. Filled with traditional Japanese aesthetics, the location is now filled with art and pieces of cultural significance. A number of special exhibitions are held throughout the year. Why not come enjoy this tour of a piece of Japanese history? Information
Winter Tour: Hyakudan Kaidan 2022
~Architecture, Beauty, and Tales of Tradition~Running: December 3 – December 25, 2022
Hours: 12:30 – 18:00 (Last entry at 17:30)
Venue: Hyakudan Kaidan (Hundred Stairs)
Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo, Hotel Gajoen Tokyo
Details: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/100event/tour2022