Enjoy your fill of gorgeous traditional spring events of Japan

“Hina-matsuri”, or the girl’s festival, is a traditional spring event in Japan to wish for healthy growth of girls. The gorgeous decorations with spring-like colors are inviting, and the highlight is a collection of dolls called “Hina-Ningyo”. The Hina-matsuri event held at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo, from the beginning of February to the end of March every year is popular among tourists and is where they can fully enjoy the beauty of Hina-matsuri with a large-scale decoration and special cuisines.

Dolls used for hanging decorations — Dolls used for “hanging decorations” for Hina-matsuri. Each motif carries its own wish for happiness

Traditional decoration of dolls of Hina-matsuri

Public spaces in the hotel are covered with splendid hanging decorations of which about 6,000 dolls handmade from silk cloth. Gorgeous collections of fine dolls and their belongings imitating the medieval court in Japan are also displayed. This colorful and splendid exhibition is free throughout the day and a perfect spot for photos.

“Origata”, the origin of Japan’s “wrapping” culture

The technique of Musubi, or tying, to create the shape of a flower or a butterfly with one string — Japanese traditional culture is introduced, including the technique of “Musubi”, or tying, to create the shape of a flower or a butterfly with one string

There is also an exhibition of traditional “Musubi” and “Origata”, used for the kimono for dolls and the decorations of Hina-matsuri this year, which helps you experience the Japanese beauty even deeper.

The restaurant Soujuan offers a special Hina-matsuri-themed menu of Kaiseki cuisine, or traditional tea-ceremony dishes — The restaurant “Soujuan” offers a special Hina-matsuri-themed menu of Kaiseki cuisine, or traditional tea-ceremony dishes

Inside of the Kaiseki restaurant “Soujuan”

The restaurant Shun expresses Hina-matsuri with their popular tempura menu — The restaurant “Shun” expresses Hina-matsuri with their popular tempura menu

The Afternoon Tea Set of Duet — “Duet” serves the Afternoon Tea Set. Unique, Japanese modern, and box-lunch style one

During the period of this event, a special fair is also held in the hotel. Special cuisines, colorfully decorated with spring colors related to Hina-matsuri are offered in nine restaurants including “Soujuan” serving gorgeous Kaiseki cuisine in traditional Japanese interior, “Kagari” serving variety of Japanese cuisine, and “Shun” a restaurant specialized in tempura. A special Afternoon Tea Set will be offered by “Duet”. You can enjoy the traditional Japanese event from the aspect of food as well.

Lobby which welcomes guests from over 100 countries

Keio Plaza Hotel is a global hotel which welcomes guests from over 100 countries throughout the world. It is conveniently located with great access to airports and all areas of Tokyo, and their sophisticated interior design and variety of shops are also popular among tourists. What is most popular are the restaurants, which are the best collection of top restaurants among all the hotels in Tokyo. They include seven Japanese restaurants, which carry a wide selection of the best sake from all over Japan and satisfy you with Japanese food which is registered as one of the world’s intangible cultural heritages, as well as French, Italian, Chinese, Korean and Buffet restaurants. Special cuisine fairs to match the hotel events such as the Hina-matsuri event and ones that use seasonal ingredients are held at all times to increase enjoyment for food.

Enjoy the sweets buffet that uses seasonal ingredients

Sweets using about 30 kinds of strawberries are served as the sweets buffet — Sweets using about 30 kinds of strawberries are served in the sweets buffet from February

Inside of the restaurant Jurin — Inside of the restaurant “Jurin”, where the open space overlooking the lush greenery outside creates an elegant time

The sweets buffet of “Jurin” in the hotel is popular as they serve more than 30 kinds of sweets and snacks that use seasonal fruits and ingredients. Themes change every season and the strawberry fair is held in spring that use plenty of large and very sweet fresh strawberries grown in such as Japan. You can enjoy a luxurious moment in the afternoon.

You can take a photo in kimono in front of the Shinto-style wedding hall

You can take a photo in kimono with the Shinto-style wedding hall in the background — Take a photo of yourself in kimono with the background of the Shinto-style wedding hall in the hotel that is not usually accessible

Besides the Hina-matsuri event, Keio Plaza Hotel holds unique events in which you can experience Japanese culture at all times. Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms themed event and exhibition of Arita ware and Imari ware which boasts 400 years of tradition, are scheduled to be held in summer. Events introducing traditional crafts such as chopsticks are also being held.

General fair of Arita ware and Imari ware is a popular annual event in summer

You can choose to take a photo in the Imperial Suite Room where works of Japanese modern art are collected.

There are many opportunities other than events when you can experience Japanese culture in the hotel. One of them worth noting is a new service which for a fee hotel guests can try on a genuine Japanese wedding kimono. You can wear a gorgeous silk wedding kimono colorfully dyed and decorated with embroidery, a service only a hotel can offer. You can take photos in Shinto-style wedding hall and the Imperial Suite Room, places where you usually cannot enter. This will surely be a great memory of your visit to Japan for yourself and a golden opportunity if you experience this as a couple.

Tea ceremony experience event in the tea room — Tea ceremony experience event is held in the tea room (irregular schedule)

The koto performance is held at the front desk several times a week and the beautiful decoration fills every area of the hotel during a seasonal traditional event. Japanese cultural experience events for the hotel guests including the flower arrangement and the tea ceremony are also held occasionally.

Garden created by a leading potter and a landscape artist

You can see Japanese modern art including “Tou no niwa”, or a garden of earthenware, designed by the potter Yusuke Aida and a garden and grove of mixed trees designed by the landscape artist Koki Fukaya. Calligraphy, paintings, traditional crafts and modern art works are also exhibited in the Lobby Gallery for all visitors to the hotel for free.

Kitty Town where a king size Kitty Doll is waiting for you — “Kitty Town” where a king size Kitty Doll is waiting for you (c)1976, 2015 SANRIO APPROVAL No.SP560627

Original breakfast exclusively served for the Hello Kitty Room is available (c)1976, 2015 SANRIO APPROVAL No.SP560627

The “Hello Kitty Room” is a room that only Keio Plaza Hotel offers, which has thoroughly created the atmosphere of “Hello Kitty”, a leading popular character of COOL JAPAN, with interior design and furniture and is being actively introduced by foreign media. Keio Plaza Hotel of Shinjuku has two types of rooms, “Kitty Town” and “Princess Kitty”, and an original breakfast exclusively served for these rooms is available. They also offer plans that include specials such as an original Kitty cake.

Video introducing the “Hello Kitty Room”(Japanese)

Offering special time with the tradition and the pioneer spirit

Keio Plaza Hotel is welcoming the 45th anniversary since its establishment this year

Keio Plaza Hotel opened in 1971 with the aim of being not just an place for accommodation but an open area where diverse people can gather and enjoy culture together. It has welcomed more than 150 million guests from all over the world.

The hotel when it opened in 1971 and Shinjuku at that time

Making progress in remodeling guest rooms and the facility

Since its establishment as the first skyscraper in Shinjuku and the highest skyscraper hotel in Japan at that time, they have actively worked on their project as a forerunner in the industry to provide an environment for the guests such as promoting a barrier-free environment, installing guest rooms of universal design and a private toilet for the service dog, opening the first wedding chapel in a hotel in Japan and introducing non-alcoholic drinks. They continue to make efforts to maintain the facility to suit the needs of the times by remodeling a banquet hall last year, with the remodeling of the south building scheduled to be completed in March, 2016, and the remodeling of the main building scheduled in the future.

Main Bar Brilliant produced by Riki Watanabe, a world-renowned interior designer

Yamanami, a restaurant specialized in Teppanyaki — Space filled with a relaxing atmosphere in “Yamanami”, a restaurant specialized in Teppanyaki, that brings out the best flavor of Kobe beef, a brand of beef

Their 45 years of experience has built up to create their unique assets including excellent staff and traditional recipes. Many bartenders who actively compete in an international cocktail competition make their best cocktails for the guests, a chef honored by the French government cooks and experienced staff provides warm hospitality that has not changed over the different periods of time. They make your special stay come true.

An appealing point of this hotel is that it is located in Shinjuku, which is a convenient location for sightseeing, shopping, appreciating art, gourmet food and business. Shinjuku Station in 5 minutes walk distance has a great access to west Tokyo areas, where Mt. Takao and Sanrio Puroland are located, as well as other areas of Tokyo. It is also highly convenient with a shuttle operating to Tokyo Disney Resort and the airports. It is sophisticated and all 1,437 guest rooms in a variety of types are equipped with a free Wi-Fi. It provides a full range of service for their guests from overseas including giving information in multiple languages on their website and installing automatic foreign currency exchange machine that accepts 12 different currencies.

Enjoy West Side of Tokyo (Japanese)