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 89th Tokyo Yushun, or Japanese Derby, is scheduled to take place on May 29, 2022. Ahead of the event, a special site featuring Kabuki actors Onoe Matsuya and Ukon Onoe was opened on May 12. That’s right–it’s time for the Kabuki Derby!

Celebrating its 89th year, the Japanese Derby is considered one of the finest horse races in the world. To make this traditional and prestigious event even more exciting, a collaboration with the traditional Japanese performing art of Kabuki is getting people talking.

Tokyo Yushun Kabuki Simulation Game

In the Kabuki Derby, visitors can enjoy tons of unique content made with Onoe Matsuya and Ukon Onoe. The site’s racing game even has a completely original story! Trivia quizzes related to the Derby and obstacle courses will also provide hours of fun.

Special Video: Home Horse Racing!

Special Video: Instant PAT!

Special Video: Full House Derby

In the original videos, both Kabuki actors appear as brothers in the Edo Period. The two are sure to make you smile with their performances, as they explain what they do on their days off and show off how fun horse racing can be.

Horse Designer

There will also be a Twitter campaign where you can win prizes depending on the results of the Japanese Derby. Be sure to tune in and root for your favorite horse!

Shu Uemura Japan has announced that Kabuki actor Somegoro Ichikawa VIII will be the brand ambassador for its popular cleansing oil and other cosmetic items.

Shu Uemura products are all crafted in Japan and the brand exemplifies the Japanese spirit of perfection, care, and tradition. This advanced technology and cutting-edge design philosophy is a perfect match for Somegoro Ichikawa, who is incredibly passionate about Japanese artistry through his work in kabuki theater. This collaboration is bringing kabuki, a 400-year-old art form, to the mainstream, infusing it with modernity.

Comment from Somegoro Ichikawa

“I’m honored to have been chosen to serve as an ambassador for Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, which I personally use on a regular basis. What can we do to pass on Kabuki and other Japanese traditions to future generations? I feel a strong connection between my own ideas and challenges and those of the Shu Uemura brand.” 

Tohouen, a Japanese confectionary maker in Gifu Prefecture, has begun selling a springtime version of its popular cat-inspired manju. Inspired by the many cats that like to stroll around the shop’s headquarters, the new release includes cherry blossom-colored cat paws. 

A traditional sweet in Japan, Manju is made from flour, rice powder, and buckwheat, with a tasty sugar and anko (red bean paste) filling.

Do you think these are too cute to eat? 

Takayama Hotel Zenko-ji isn’t your typical hotel: this Buddhist temple invites anyone, regardless of faith or nationality, to stay in one of its five rooms. The property has now opened the ‘Activity Cafe Zenko-ji,’ a place to rest and relax while learning more about various cultures and, of course, traditional Buddhism. 

The well-ventilated and airy temple.
All drinks, including coffee and tea, are free of charge. 

The Takayama Zenko-ji Lounge Area

Enjoy free Wi-Fi, ample power supplies, and clean restrooms. 

Feel free to work remotely and have meetings in the main hall. 

Being in a new space will open up your mind and expand your creativity. 

The cafe was first opened for a limited time beginning in April 2021, inviting locals and tourists alike to come and find stress relief while praying for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, given the location’s immediate popularity, it will now be open for good. 

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, an increasing number of people have lost their physical and mental balance. For both the locals and visiting tourists, the temple is meant to be a place where anyone can find a sense of calm and peace of mind. Deep in the city of Takayama, this is where people are meant to relax, feel energized, and regain who they used to be before this stress became the new normal. 

Hiroshi Yamamoto, a Buddhist priest who works as the manager at Temple Hotel Zenko-ji, is the founder of the Activity Cafe. Hoping to help bring back the bustling tourist atmosphere of Takayama, he intends the space to be a meeting ground for locals and visitors from around the world to interact naturally. 

After graduating from an American university and working as an English teacher, Yamamoto became ordained as a Buddhist monk. Now a certified meditation instructor, he specializes in teaching meditation and Buddhist programs in English. 

Those utilizing the cafe can experience asceticism by walking through a dark tunnel to help find their inner peace, and can also try their hand at sutra-writing!

How would you like to spend some time at the Activity Cafe in Takayama? 

GALLERY COLLAGE is the name of the new contemporary art gallery that recently opened at NIPPONIA Mino Shokamachi, an accommodation housed in a remodelled townhouse that’s situated in a place famous for its mino variant of Japanese washi paper.

1. Raising local value with contemporary art

The world of local culture, such as local business and customs, has been abandoned in favour of rapid economic growth and globalisation. But those halcyon days and their background, which are rooted in their respective local history, culture, and nature, have once again come to be of huge importance to many people. It’s in these times that things like the sounds of insects in the evening that are local to the area should serve as the direction that people move forward in. The artwork showcased at GALLERY COLLAGE will depict scenes familiar to locals to show them in a new light. In doing so, NIPPONIA Mino Shokamachi hopes that connecting contemporary art with washi paper will promote and raise the value of the local traditional industry.

2. Season Lao’s “Mino – blank-leaving” exhibition on show

Contemporary artist and photographer Season Lao is currently holding his Mino – blank-leaving exhibition at the site. He has used his unique approach to utilise mino paper, a type of Japanese washi paper with a history spanning 1,300 years and is also registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Property. An online talk will take place on May 22 hosted by participants of Lao’s photography workshop that was held for the event’s opening. It focuses on photos taken by locals, including pictures from their high school days.

3. Season Lao’s Accommodation Plan

With support from NIPPONIA Mino Shokamachi, the Season Lao Accommodation Plan will see guest rooms decorated in numerous artworks by the artist, and guests will be given a tour of the mino paper factory amongst other exciting things.

Minami-za, one of the most respected kabuki theatres in Japan, has announced a special exhibition in collaboration with the TV anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba which will run from November 6 to 23.

Minami-za is the oldest theatre in Japan and is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. The Demon Slayer exhibition will feature displays, decorations, and a range of exclusive merchandise.

Lobby Exhibit

Fans will find a range of character boards displayed at the entrance lobby to Minami-za with the characters donning traditional kabuki attire.

Special Stage Photo Spots

Cut-outs of the main cast of characters will be displayed on stage. People will be able to stand up on stage and take photos with the characters in this unique collaboration with kabuki.

Signboard

An original signboard will be displayed at the entrance to Minami-za.

Free Bonus Items

All customers who visit the theatre will receive one of these 18 possible coasters for free.

Merchandise

Those who hold a ticket to the event will be able to purchase a selection of original merchandise at the theatre. The items will also be sold online at Shochiku Kabuki-ya Honpo.

Teabags (4 Flavours) | ¥800 (Tax Included)

Special teabags will also be sold at the Tokyo and Kobikicho Square branches of Shochiku Kabuki-ya Honpo as well as their online website between October 21 and 23.

Tickets to the event are available via Lawson in Japan.

©Koyoharu Gotouge/Shueisha・Aniplex・ufotable

Japanese kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo XI, the eleventh holder of the famous Ebizo name, is set to perform at Tomioka Silk Mill, one of Japan’s World Heritage Sites, and it will be streamed online.

Tomioka Silk Mill is the oldest modern silk reeling factory in Japan. Ichikawa Ebizo XI will perform two kabuki plays there: the long-celebrated Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso and Ebizo’s famous piece Otokodate Hana no Yoshiwara.

This is a special one-night-only opportunity to see a legendary perform at such historical location.

From old shrines and temples to cuisine, Kyoto enjoys a rich arts and culture scene. The former capital is also famed for preserving Japan’s traditional stage drama known as Kabuki. Every year, Minamiza Theatre located on Shijō Street in Kyoto holds a grand Kabuki performance called THE FESTIVE KAOMISE PRODUCTION to commemorate its debut. This year, the performance will run from November 30 – December 26.

To celebrate, koe donuts kyoto will be selling collaboration doughnuts themed around the official Kabuki character “Kabuki Nyantaro” during the same period.

Kabuki Nyantaro’s adorable face decorates some of the doughnuts and can even be seen on the packaging too. This set is exclusive to koe donuts Kyoto.

Enjoy a traditional Kabuki performance with some delicious Kabuki Nyantaro doughnuts to complete your Kyoto experience.

©2017, 2019 SANRIO/SHOCHIKU APPROVAL NO. G603142  著作（株）サンリオ

The Mino region of Gifu is famous for its traditional pottery called Mino Ware, its Gifu lanterns, and much more. Recently, an empty building located in front of Minokamo station in Gifu prefecture was renovated by a company called IDENTITY, who transformed it into a community building called MINGLE. MINGLE is now home to the Japanese tea shop Minokamo Chapo. This tea shop proudly represents the culture of tea and pottery that still remains in the Mino region. In order to share this wonderful culture, they are now offering a new accommodation plan to provide guests with the chance to experience the world of Japanese tea and the rich culture of Mino.

You can also experience tasting and comparing different Japanese teas that are offered by Minokamo Chapo. During your stay, you will also encounter lots of Mino Ware, and be surrounded by a traditional Mino interior decorated with Mino washi paper.

1st floor: Café and Bar

You can order the Japanese tea tasting selection at the counter. This space is used as the Minokamo Chapo tea shop from 11 am to 4 pm on weekends and national holidays.

2nd floor: Rooms

The rooms are approximately 22m². On top of this space, there is also a shower room and toilet in their own separate rooms.

3rd floor: Lounge

This is an area of free space for the guests. There are future plans to decorate this space with paintings and pottery according to the season.

The interior of the guest rooms are also packed with the wonders of the Mino region, so we are going to introduce you to a few of its special features. 

Upon entering your room, you will be greeted by the warm light of an Akari lantern. This is a kind of lantern which is recognized as a traditional craft of Gifu prefecture. This lantern design was created by famous artist Isasmu Noguchi, who named it Akari which means “light”.

In the bathroom, you will spot a few stylish mugs which belong to the brand “3rd-ceramics”.  

 The rooms are affixed with paper sliding doors (shoji) and bear beautiful Mino washi paper that is a traditional turquoise-blue colour. 

This is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional experience like no other. 

Shimocho is one of the districts of Hida Takayama and is overflowing with traditional culture that you absolutely must experience. To make the most of your trip, there is a summer yukata-wearing programme running from July 20th which is the perfect opportunity to wear cooling and refreshing Japanese clothes while strolling and exploring the streets. 

This year will be the 7th time the programme has been run. The Hida Takayama de Nippon no Natsu Yasumi programme allows visitors to dress in a comfortable and cooling yukata, stroll, explore, try different foods and enjoy the culture of the area. This year’s theme is “romance and yukatas” and gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy programme-limited desserts and the rich culture of the district.  

Discover Hidden Beauty with the Stroll Map

Visitors will be given a map packed with wonderful spots of the area. The map will also include the destinations of 31 shops where you can enjoy special experiences, meals and desserts that are limited to those who take part in the yukata programme. Recommended spots to visit are also drawn on the map in a very cute handwriting-like style, so you can stop by these places easily while enjoying your walk. There are even many places on the map that only a local would know about. 

Some of the special benefits of the programme allow you to enjoy the best regional cuisine that Hida has to offer, including the wonderful experience of restaurants that have been loved by the locals for generations, a beef delicacy restaurant, and much more. Besides food, the programme also gives you the opportunity to witness the beautiful festival floats used during the Takayama festival at the Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan. You can also enjoy experiencing baking your own senbei crackers and gold panning.  

The programme includes a wide range of experiences for you to enjoy from local shops to food to culture to some new experiences. 

 An old-style café called Sabou Usagi is particularly popular with the locals. Here, the coffee is made using a vacuum coffee maker. With the summer programme, you can enjoy the delicious heart Tiramisù served here.

The stroll map includes a variety of locations such as the Takayama Tourist Information Centre, Hida Takayama Tourism Convention Association, Hida Takayama Travel Hotel Association and much more. The map also includes some of the accommodations available around Takayama, some important train stations and much more. You can easily download this map from the official website. (Japanese only )  

Stroll the Streets in an Elegant Yukata

Change into a traditional Yukata that matches the beautiful surrounding townscape. There are four shops Yukata rental shops available to pick up your favourite Yukata, so there is no need to worry if you did not come prepared. There are also some accommodations that allow for yukata rental. 

If you decide to join the Hida Takayama Nippon Natsu Yasumi programme, make sure to share your beautiful memories on Instagram with the hashtag #Hidasummer 

Village Vanguard is well known for their collaborations with characters and their animal-themed designs. This time, they’ve made a Kabuki-themed soy sauce dish that you can order online.

Young, old, male or female, Japanese people love their traditional theatre shows called “Kabuki”. One fascinating feature of Kabuki is the impressive makeup of the actors and actresses called “Kumadori

They made animal-themed soy sauce dishes, then character-themed ones, and now finally, we’ve got Kabuki-themed ones! There are many different designs in this new series ー you can enjoy all their different expressions! This is bound to make your dinner table a thousand times more exciting!

There are a total of six designs. Please come and choose from this wonderful selection!