The historic Chinzan-so garden in Mejiro, Tokyo, has celebrated
fireflies as a gift of summer since 1954. To coincide with the
firefly season, from late May to late July, The Four Seasons Hotel
Tokyo at Chinzan-so is holding a variety of culinary fairs.
Japanese restaurant Miyuki is offering a "Firefly Kaiseki"
course through June 30 that uses ingredients in season at the same
time as fireflies start to be seen in the garden — including sweet
fish, Japan's premium summer delicacy, pike eel and summer
vegetables. The kaiseki course is ¥16,000 per person and
is served from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (last orders).
A "Twilight Fantasy" set of champagne, chef's special plate,
choice of dessert and tea can be enjoyed at the Le Jardin lobby
lounge for ¥4,800 while twilight settles on the garden outside. The
fantasy is available through July 20, from 5 p.m. to midnight.
The banquet room is serving a "Weekend Buffet" (Fri., Sat.,
Sun.) through July 19. The Japanese and Western buffet, with
unlimited drinks, is ¥10,920 on Fridays, and ¥11,970 on Saturdays
and Sundays for adults, ¥6,300 for elementary school children and
¥2,100 for children aged 2 and above. The buffet is available from
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on June 13, 27 and July
11).
And the main bar, Le Marquis, will be shaking — or stirring —
into life five refreshing champagne-based cocktails (created in the
image of the fascinating light of fireflies) for ¥1,800 each,
through July 20. The bar is open between 6 p.m. and midnight. The
cocktails are also available at Le Jardin.
The Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so is a 10-minute
walk from Edogawabashi Station on the Yurakucho Line. For more
information or reservations, call (03) 3943-2222.
The Royal Park Hotel in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, is combining
traditional Japanese tempura with champagne for a special dinner on
June 26 and 27.
At the hotel's Japanese restaurant, Genjiko, a seven-dish
traditional Japanese course dinner, with seasonal seafood tempura,
will be paired with four different kinds of champagne. The hotel's
sommelier, suitably attired in a kimono, will be on hand to explain
the varieties.
In addition, before the dinner, you can enjoy the Japanese art
of kodo. Kodo, meaning the "way of incense," is a
relatively little-known classical art compared to sado
(tea ceremony) or kado (flower arranging). A kodo master
will demonstrate how to enjoy the art form with a game of
Genji-ko, which involves guessing the variety of incense
by its fragrance.
The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. on June 26 and 6 p.m. on June 27
and costs ¥20,000 per person.
The Royal Park Hotel is a five-minute walk from Ningyo-cho
Station on the Asakusa Line; there is a direct link between the
hotel and Suitengu-mae Station on the Hanzomon Line. For more
information, call (03) 3667-1111.
The Hyatt Regency Kyoto is offering four nights' accommodation
for the price of three from June 19 to Sept. 18. If you stay eight
nights, two of the nights will be complimentary.
The Summer Special rate for a standard guest room starts at
¥19,000 per night, including consumption tax and service charge.
There are some exceptions, such as arrivals on Wednesdays and
during periods of high occupancy.
Some major events in Kyoto during the campaign period include:
Gion Matsuri (July 1-31), a monthlong festival considered one of
the three largest festivals in Japan, with the Yoiyama (July 16)
and Yamaboko Junko (July 17) parades as highlights; Daimonji Gozan
Okuribi (Aug. 16), a ceremony to send the souls of the deceased
back to their world after they visit this world for the Bon
Festival, by lighting fires on five mountains; and cormorant
fishing (July 1-Sept. 15 in Arashiyama, June 14-Sept. 28 in
Uji).
The Hyatt Regency Kyoto is a five-minute walk from Shichijo
Station on the Keihan Line or a 15-minute walk from JR Kyoto
Station. For more information or reservations, call (075)
541-3210.