Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto opened its limited-time “Champagne Garden” on July 3 at its first floor outdoor terrace restaurant Brasserie. Running until September 6, customers can enjoy free-flow French Bollinger champagne and cocktails.

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto opened back in October 2016 as a luxury hotel, home to the famous Sekisuien Gardens which have a history spanning back 800 years and are mentioned in the The Tale of the Heike epic. The hotel’s first floor restaurant Brasserie has towering 9-meter tall windows that look out onto these gardens, while inside customers can enjoy dining in a stylish environment.

The champagne served in the Champagne Garden is produced by the French Champagne house Bolligner, a company that started by Jacques Bollinger in 1829. Fermented in oak barrels, the champagne has sophisticated and complex flavours. In 1884, Bolligner received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria.

At the Champagne Garden, guests can enjoy four different types of canapé made by the restaurant’s head chef Koga together with a glass of Bolligner. They can also order rosé wine, cocktails, or soft drinks too, all of which are free-flow. And since the restaurant faces the garden, guests can enjoy the view of the greenery throughout all four seasons, in central Kyoto.

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto reopened on July 1 after closing temporarily due to COVID-19. The hotel has launched its “Lead With Care” program which ensures guests and staff are at the top of the priority list for safety against the coronavirus.

NAKED, INC. has announced that it is holding a special summertime light-up event at Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site in Kyoto, from August 8 to August 30. The company has also released its first ever 3DCG VR experience NAKED NINJA -Nijo-jo Castle- on the official NAKED, INC. online store.

Enjoy art entertainment in person or at home

NAKED, INC. has collaborated with many World Heritage Sites, Cultural Properties, tourism centres, leisure spots, and more over the years. Right now, the company is grappling with the question of what the shape of tourism, as well as art and entertainment, looks like during the COVID-19 outbreak—and what shape it will take post-pandemic. Nijo Castle is no exception, a place that enjoys tourism from both Japanese people and people overseas. In considering these issues, NAKED has conceived two different ways Nijo Castle can still entertain tourism now and in the near future.

The first is holding an event in person at Nijo Castle in the form of an outdoor light-up event that will have people wandering around as opposed to being stationary. In spring of 2017, NAKED held “Nijo Castle Cherry Blossom Festival 2017” where they hosted a variety of performances and events in line with the season. In fact, one such event was planned to take place at Nijo Castle this summer, but it had to be reconsidered as a result of COVID-19. Those involved still wanted to come up with a way that people who live close by could still enjoy some leisure time this summer, which is what led to this light-up event from NAKED.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the light-up safely by staying a set distance from one another while walking around Nijo Castle. The number of people inside at once will also be restricted. As well as this, people will need to wear masks, temperature will be regulated, and alcohol gel will be provided—all to ensure that visitors are kept safe.

The second way that NAKED has devised for people to still enjoy Nijo Castle is with the release of NAKED NINJA -Nijo-jo Castle-, the company’s first ever full 3DCG VR experience that lets people enjoy Nijo Castle online in a virtual space. This is so that people who cannot visit Nijo Castle can still enjoy its sights. NAKED plans to launch even more real and virtual, offline and online experiences in the future too in order to promote tourism in a new way during COVID-19.

Kifune Shrine, which is dedicated to the god of water Takaokami no Kami, is currently holding evening illuminations with Tanabata bamboo lamps until August 15, 2020.

About Kifune Shrine

Kifune Shrine is one of Kyoto’s foremost historical shrines. Records show that the shrine was already built in 677 during the reign of Emperor Tenmu. It is located near the source of Kamo River and is dedicated to the god of water who is said protect Kyoto’s water sources. The area is also known for kawadoko which is where Kibune’s restaurants build platforms over the river where visitors can enjoy their meal as the water flows beneath them.

Kifune Shrine and Tanabata

Tanabata is said to originate from the Suijinsai Festival (Water God Festival), with the stars themselves as the god of water. At Kifune Shrine, which is dedicate to Takaokami no Kami—the god of water—people not only pay their respects to the blessing of water, but hold Tanabata events as well as the Kifune Water Festival.

For this year’s Tanabata event, bamboo lamps will be lit up with wishes written on them by people.

Tanabata Shinto Rituals and the Kifune Water Festival

Tanabata Shinto rituals and the Kifune Water Festival will be held on July 7 where people will express their gratitude to the god who watches over Kifune’s waters as well as pray for water’s blessing throughout the year.

Kyoto-based chocolate bar BEL AMER Kyoto Villa is serving up the perfect line of new chocolatey bites for summer 2020.

The entire line-up is a delight to look at, from a mountain of chocolate piled on top of shaved ice, a summertime mango and melon dessert, and more.

Chocolate Noir Shaved Ice x Matcha: ¥1,540 (Tax Included)

Shaved ice is the quintessential summertime dessert in Japan, and since this one is being served at a shop specialising in chocolate, what better way to serve it than drizzled in a mountain of the stuff? The shaved ice is covered in rich chocolate cream and chocolate sauce and is topped with chocolate nibs. It’s also served with a side of matcha sauce which you can pour over yourself, creating a delicious harmony of flavours.

Mille-Feuille au Chocolat Exotic With 196℃ Chocolate Ice Cream: ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

This summertime dessert is made with lots of mango and melon. In the centre of it all is even more mango, as well as pineapple and coconuts, for a flavourful layered experience. Served on the side is ice cream made from BEL AMER Kyoto Villa’s own original couverture chocolate.

Summer Pavlova: ¥1,320 (Tax Included)

This piece of art of a dessert is a must for lovers of matcha and melon. It’s made from fluffy meringue topped with white chocolate, matcha mousse, and chocolate cream, which itself is then topped with refreshing melon and grapes for a refreshing kick.

Chocolate Croquette Sandwich: ¥990 (Tax Included)

BEL AMER Kyoto Villa is also serving up a very unique dish indeed which mixes together chocolate and croquette—a flavour that actually works, combining sweetness and bitterness. The croquette is made from potatoes. The brioche sandwich also contains cheese and bacon.

These are just some of the delights on show at BEL AMER Kyoto Villa this summer. If ever you’re in Kyoto, be sure to stop by, especially in the summer.

Kyoto’s famous tea shop Itohkyuemon began serving four new Uji matcha and shaved ice mixed desserts on its menu yesterday (June 29). Itohkyuemon was founded in 1832 in the latter period of Edo. Ujitawara, the place in Kyoto where the shop is located, is famous for the tea served by Itohkyuemon which has been harvested by the Ito family for years.

Uji Matcha Parfait Ice: ¥1,490 (Tax Included) | Serving: Until Late September 2020 | Avaialble: Itohkyuemon JR Uji Station/Itohkyuemon Gionshijo

The Uji Matcha Parfait Ice uses a blend of matcha and milk-infused ice as its base. It’s then topped with sweet treats like rice flour dumplings, red bean paste, ice cream, matcha jelly, and more to turn it into a parfait.

Uji Matcha Daifuku Ice: ¥1,290 (Tax Included) | Serving: Until Late September 2020 | Avaialble: Itohkyuemon JR Uji Station/Itohkyuemon Gionshijo

This Uji Matcha Daifuku Ice is an upgrade of the one Itohkyuemon served last year. It has a creamy custard base with matcha daifuku hidden in the shaved ice.

Fluffy Uji Kindokei Vanilla Ice Cream: ¥990, Matcha Ice Cream ¥1,090 (Tax Included) | Serving: Until Late September 2020 | Avaialble: Itohkyuemon JR Uji Station/Itohkyuemon Gionshijo

Fluffy Uji Kindokei Rice Flour Dumpling: ¥850, Rice Flour Dumpling & Vanilla Ice Cream ¥970, Rice Flour Dumpling Matcha Ice Cream ¥1,090 Serving: Until Late September 2020 | Avaialble: Itohkyuemon Uji Main Branch

These two “Kindokei” (Gold Watch) servings use more ice. At the main branch of Itohkyuemon they’re more crunchy, while at the JR Uji Station and Gionshijo branches they’re more fluffy.

BEAMS Japan Kyoto finally opened on June 11, 2020 after the postponed grand opening of ShinPuhKan shopping centre in which it is located.

BEAMS Japan Kyoto comes as the first branch of BEAMS Japan in Kyoto and aims to be a hub of made-in-Japan products from BEAMS’s “TEAM JAPAN” range, a project to curate content across a broad range of categories based on the keyword “Japan.” The store will collaborated with Kyoto-based creators and businesses and offer a wide selection of branded products, original apparel lines, and more—through the lens of TEAM JAPAN.

The 3.5m high ceiling art of the legendary mythical bird Hou-ou catches the eye upon entry, and the shop lends a modern tinge to its traditional aesthetic. Here, BEAMS JAPAN’s many different products are lined up against one another.

BEAMS JAPAN opened a brand in Shinjuku in April 2016 and subsequently in Shibuya in December 2019. BEAMS Japan Kyoto comes as the company’s third branch.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji, a new hotel by major real estate developer Mitsui Fudosan and Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management, opened bookings for the new hotel last Friday. The hotel is set to officially open on September 28, 2020.

The hotel was developed to integrate into Jokyoji, a temple in Kyoto with a history spanning over 500 years. Even in Japan, where it is common for temples to undergo reconstruction, this is a rare project. The hotel aims to be a model case for breathing new life into temples.

The hotel is just a 1-minute walk from Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station and within walking distance from the bustling retail area of Shijō Kawaramachi, the Hanamachi district Ponto-chō, and Kyoto’s geisha district Gion. Guests are wrapped in the serene atmosphere of Jokyoji Temple where they can enjoy its historically maintained art, get involved in morning activities, and more.

Entrance Lobby

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji’s design concept is “Hotel Temple.” Nikken Space Design crafted the hotel’s interior design, which makes use of Jokyoji Temple’s preserved wood, gold leaf-covered folding screens and other features, while adding a modern white and black colour scheme throughout, giving a sense of comfort and high quality. From the lobby, guests can glimpse the main area of the temple and feel one with it.

Spacious rooms and baths

Guest rooms, even the standard room types, are a spacious 24m². All rooms can accommodate 2+ people, and there are even triple rooms which can house 3 people. Every room also comes with separate toilets and showers. Up on the second floor are the baths where guests can wind down after a day of travelling and sightseeing.

Restaurant

The 2nd floor restaurant, Sanga Ono Kyoto Jokyoji, was developed by ONO GROUP which has built many restaurants in Fukuoka Prefecture. This is the company’s first restaurant to be built outside Fukuoka. Guests can enjoy delicious Japanese rice, Kyoto vegetables, tai-chazuke (green tea poured over sea bream), Kyoto-style grilled fish, and more. The restaurant will also serve Japanese buckwheat noodles overseen by Akamachaya Asago, a restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide.

Experience Jokyoji Temple

Jokyoji Temple was founded in 1171 by Taira no Shigemori. In 1591, the temple was moved to Teramachi-dori where it has stayed to this day. When the hotel opens its doors, it will offer various activities to guests. Those who take part in the morning activity will receive a goshuin stamp from the chief priest.

Experience a hotel and a temple like never before as both are fused together at Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji.

FUNATSURU Kyoto Kamogawa Resort, the administrative building of VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES, has opened its 4th floor rooftop terrace ‘KAMOGAWA Tenku Terrace’ for a limited time. It will remain open until August 31, 2020.

VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES uses historical buildings to open new brands, like hotels and unique venues, while offering historical and cultural experiences of the buildings’ local areas.

FUNATSURU Kyoto Kamogawa Resort originally opened as a traditional inn priding itself on its cuisine back in 1870. It was renovated and reopened as FUNATSURU Kyoto Kamogawa Resort in 2008. Its historical and artistic value has been highly acclaimed as a time-honoured work of architecture and was registered as a tangible cultural property of architecture by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. It has banquet and ceremony spaces, and in the summer you can enjoy its restaurant on the riverbed. The building is also used for parties and wedding ceremonies.

Like all businesses, FUNATSURU Kyoto Kamogawa Resort too has suffered at the hands of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the facility wants people to enjoy the summer nighttime skies of Kyoto and so while observing the necessary coronavirus precautions it has opened its rooftop terrace which can be used as a bar.

Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. is a new inn that recently opened in Kyoto which is made up of 23 machiya (townhouses) and two restaurants. It was co-developed by Nazuna and Kiraku and offers an accommodation experience like no other.

Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. is renovated from an entire 110-year-old L-shaped alleyway of machiya spanning 1,400 square meters. The reception building sits on an unassuming streetand  serves as both an entrance to welcome guests, as well as a passage from the outside world into Tsubaki St. On the other side, guests are greeted by a world reminiscent of the historical geisha districts of Kyoto known as Hanamachi. In the evening, guests can experience the luster of Tsubaki St. as the Japanese paper lanterns and paper lamps illuminate the stone-cobbled path.

All guest rooms enjoy private semi open-air baths

All 23 guest rooms are named and decorated based on the elements of nature that have long been enjoyed in the ancient city of Kyoto: TAKE (bamboo), MIZU (water), IWA (stone), HANA (flower), and HA (leaf). And since each guest room is its own building, guests can enjoy the entire space to themselves. There is also a large open area between the reception and guest rooms to reduce the chance of running into other guests, offering a more private experience.

Chisao Shigemori’s modern rock garden greets guests at the reception

The first floor of the reception building features a rock garden created by landscape architect Chisao Shigemori which fuses the traditional and the modern. His grandfather was Mirei Shigemori, a famous Japanese landscape architect who is known for having designed the Tofukuji Hojo Temple gardens in Kyoto, amongst other projects. Chisao himself has produced numerous works both inside and outside Japan, such as at Matsuo-Taisha Shrine.

The reception building’s second floor is a lounge space where guests can enjoy tea and confections made by d:matcha after checking in. It’s a chance to try Kyoto’s famous Uji matcha. At nighttime, this are is free for people to use where they can enjoy friendly soft drinks and alcohol.

Unforgettable food at two different restaurants

Behind a secret door located somewhere inside Tsubaki is “q,” a six-seated chef’s table produced by Hiroshi Sasaki, who is the owner of the Michelin three-star restaurant Gion Sasaki, and TOROMO PRODUCE. A roster of chefs will rotate for service, with Hiroshi Sasaki in the line-up. The restaurant will open officially on July 2, 2020 and is now taking enquiries via mail@toromi.co.jp. Group and family bookings are available. The restaurant will serve special courses the likes of which cannot be experienced anywhere else.

The other restaurant, “Wagyu Ryotei bungo” will serve courses made with specially-selected high quality Japanese wagyu beef. There are counter seats as well as 7 private and semi-private rooms which house 2-8 people.

This year’s Hydrangea Week at Yokokuji Temple is set to take place from June 13 to July 5 where 5,000 breathtaking hydrangea will take over the temple grounds.

Yanagidani Kannon, also known as Yokokuji Temple, is located in Kyoto Prefecture’s city of Nagaokakyo and has been used as a place of prayer for many people with eye disease since the Heian Period. It is believed that praying at the temple will cure eye disease.

Special Opening of the Joshoin: Spectacularly Lush Flowers

Normally, the Joshoin only opens on the 17th of every month, but for this autumn week event, it will be open every day. It’s an area normally limited to officials and those in the imperial family. The beauty of its autumn colours have come to be enjoyed by VIPs, dating back to the pre-war period when it was designated as a place of scenic beauty. The Nanboku-cho Period painting Amida Sanzon Raigo Zu of Amida standing on a lotus pedestal will be displayed during the opening.

Entry Price: ¥1,000

Entry Times: 9:30-14:30

Limited Edition Goshuin: “Oku-no-in,” “Wagan-aigo,” “Airyoku”

We’ve covered goshuin many times on MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON. They are stamps or seals you can receive at most temples and shrines in Japan. Collected in a goshuincho, or stamp book, you pay a fee and the staff there will write gorgeous Japanese calligraphy in your book of the temple or shrine name and the date you visited along with a stamp. Every temple and shrine has their own unique stamps.

For Hydrangea Week, you can get the following words written in your book: Oku-no-in (Inner Shrine) Wagan-aigo, (Gentle Face, Loving Words), and Airyoku (Power of Love).

Goshuin: “Omoi”

This special goshuin prays for the fulfilment of people’s Omoi, which can mean thoughts, desires, wishes, affections, and so on. It also features a picture of the temple water basin.

Price: ¥600

Seasonal Pressed Flower Goshuin Kit

This special goshuin kit has you pressing your own flowers to create your own personal and unique design. The theme of this kit changes each season. For June, the theme is hydrangeas.

Price: ¥1,000

Hydrangea Goshuincho

The temple is also selling seven different goshuincho stamp books. Orders are being carried out on the official website.

Price: ¥3,500 (+¥500 handling fees)

Yanagidani Kannon Treasure Exhibition

The “Yanagidani Kannon Treasure Exhibition” is a monthly showcasing of the temple’s treasured articles which are normally unavailable to the public. For June, they will be showing the art piece Daffodils by Japanese painter Keika Kanashima who was active during the Taisho and Showa periods. Her work is also on display at the Imperial Household Agency. The painting incorporates the Shijō school of Japanese painting as well as the intai style.

Items Bestowed to the Imperial Household & Buddhist Art

The temple will display items bestowed to the Imperial Household from its collection, including Emperor Nakamikado’s mirror which has a deep green hue, a flower vase owned by Japan’s last empress regnant Empress Go-Sakuramachi, and more.

Kyoto-based confectionery company Bijuu opened its new shop “Fruits Panda by bekkaku” inside Kyoto Tower on June 4, 2020.

Premium sandwiches made with high quality bread

Fruits Panda by bekkaku serves colourful and Instagrammable open sandwiches made from bread baked by Kyoto-based luxury bread company bekkaku which is topped with a variety of fresh fruits and one of the shop’s rich creams. The in-house made creams, whether it be the caramel cream, condensed milk cream, or another, all bring out the delicious taste of both the fruit and bread.

Strawberry Panda (Strawberries/Red Bean Paste/Condensed Milk Cream): ¥350 (Tax Included)

Topped with fresh strawberries and sweet red bean paste, this open sandwich is served with a side of velvety condensed milk cream for a harmony of flavours.

Kiwi Panda (Kiwi/Honey Cream): ¥350 (Tax Included)

Sweet and sour kiwis coupled with sweet honey is a match made in heaven that creates a refreshing aftertaste.

Banana Panda (Banana/Chocolate Cream): ¥350 (Tax Included)

Subtly sweet fried bananas and rich chocolate cream are a classic combination which create a full-bodied aroma and delicious aftertaste.

The shop will also be selling bekku’s “Tanabiki” bread, so if you visit the shop, use this opportunity to try out their luxurious loaves.

Fruits Panda by bekkaku plans to serve seasonal combinations too so customers can enjoy their open fruit sandwiches all year round.

Kyoto-based tea company Itohkyuemon is now serving its gorgeous new “Hydrangea Parfait” at each of its cafes.

Hydrangea Parfait: ¥1,290 (Tax Included) / With Drink ¥1,690 (Tax Included)

In Kyoto’s city of Uji, where Itohkyuemon’s cafes are based, lies Mimuroto Temple which is famous for its hydrangeas. The temple bustles with tourists and sightseers during Japan’s rainy season who flock to see the gorgeous gardens. During this season, wait times for the cafe can last up to three hours.

The Hydrangea Parfait is made with mashed sweet matcha hydrangea, hydrangea-coloured crushed jelly, tea leaf-shaped matcha cookies, blueberries, and more.

Itohkyuemon will also be serving a special “Hydrangea Chakai” tea set for ¥1,900 (tax included) which sees the parfait topped with warabimochi. You also get a drink of your choice.