In commemoration of the Randen tramway service’s 110th anniversary, Kyoto Tower Hotel introduced an exclusive new one-night hotel plan on Friday at one of its rooms. The Kyoto Tower Hotel Train Room is a themed guest room experience and celebration of Randen’s long history.

A look at the Randen Kitano Line

Randen tram photos decorate the guest room

Old train tickets and platform signs

A tatami area, train handles, and train priority seat

Randen Train Room souvenirs for guests

Randen was founded in 1910 and remains the only tramline in Kyoto. It’s part of Keifuku Electric Railroad and runs from Shijo-Omiya to Arashiyama. The Randen Train Room is a trainspotter and train otaku’s paradise. Inside, guests will find historical photos of trams that have run as part of the Randen service, as well as other train-related motifs like a Randen priority seat chair, carriage handles, and more. There’s also a little tatami seating area which is perfect for sitting on and planning your next day’s trip, putting out souvenirs you’ve picked up, or just relaxing. Guests can also watch a DVD on the TV that looks at footage of Randen trains, and even listen to a CD that has train sounds on it.

Ace Hotel Kyoto marked its 1st anniversary on June 11 since opening. In celebration of hitting the milestone, the hotel is collaborating with Japanese artist Yu Nagaba by displaying his work at its gallery until June 30. The works displayed are of the sights and people that Nagaba saw and penned in a memo pad while staying at Ace Hotel Kyoto. All of the illustrations were made for this exhibition and so they are being exhibited for the first time. One of the pieces is also being sold at stickers in the hotel’s shop.

Yu Nagaba‘s work

Yu Nagaba | Comment

“After I heard whispers that Ace Hotel was setting up in Kyoto, I hoped I could do something, so I was happy to take part in this project, but I also spent my time wondering what I could draw, and no ideas came to mind. After pondering I went to find inspiration by deciding to stay at Ace Hotel. I drew what came to mind during my time there as I walked the streets of Kyoto and spent time at the hotel. I drew a total of 49 illustrations in my memo pad. I painted six of my favourites on canvas. I hope people can get a feel for my experiences of Kyoto in these pieces.”

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is a hotel in Kyoto that blends seamlessly into the town, offering a stay experience that’s like living there. For guests who use their baths, they have introduced a new selection of five ingredients to be put into the bath like bath salts. Each comes with a different effect, enhancing your bathing experience beyond getting clean.

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is continuing to enforce precautions against the spread of COVID-19 so guests can enjoy getting away from home to relax and unwind safely. The hotel has and continues to enjoy many guests during this time who are seeking out some healing. One of the biggest selling points for guests is the hotel’s bathing experience. With that in mind, they have set up the Yadoru YUAMI service which allows guests to try a variety of bathing products made by local Kyoto businesses.

‘Yuami’ is an old Japanese expression for getting in the bath. The word ‘yadoru’ in the hotel’s name is also an old phrase meaning ‘to stay at a lodging on your travels.’ Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is wanting to have its site feel even more like a traditional Kyoto townhouse for guests to experience, so they are now using the word ‘YUAMI’ as part of their services.

With Yadoru YUAMI, guests can pick from five different bath products, each wrapped in pouches. Each offers a completely different bathing experience with different benefits and fragrances.

1. Sake Lees

Sake lees from Kyoto’s long-standing and historical sake brewery Sasaki Shuzou. Massage the lees in the bathtub while they are still in the pouch to create a milky white water that fills the bathroom with the fragrant smell of sake lees. The ingredients in the lees have a moisturising effect, improve blood circulation, and leave skin looking beautiful.

2. Gyokuro Green Tea

The Kyoto Distillery stands as Japan’s first establishment specialising in gin. One of their gins is called Ki no Bi, a Japanese craft gin. Its smell and taste is the result of a combination of 11 kinds of botanical products including gyokuro green tea, junpier berry, and hinoki cypress, all of which are featured individually on this list. Gyokuro is a type of high-grade Japanese green tea and contains theanine which stimulates relaxing, making it perfect for unwinding after a long day.

3. Juniper Berry

Juniper berry is an indispensable ingredient in making craft gin. This bathing product is made with the type that’s actually used in making Ki no Bi craft gin. When submerged in the water, the air is filled with the woody, relaxing, and inviting scent of gin.

4. Hinoki Cypress

This bathing powder is also made with the same hinoki cypress used in Ki no Bi which, when put in the water, emits the smells of a forest. Hinoki cypress contains phytoncide which has a relaxation effect, calming the autonomic nervous system and blood pressure.

5. Matcha

Matcha is the quintessential flavour of Kyoto. Guests who check in at Yadoru KYOTO HANARE are offered a cup. They can also bathe in it with Yadoru YUAMI.

nel craft chocolate tokyo, a craft chocolate shop located in Nihonbashihamacho, Tokyo, released two chocolate shaved ice desserts last Wednesday for the hot summer season. The desserts are also being sold at Saryo Tsukikage, a restaurant inside the hot spring ryokan Yuen Bettei Daita in Setagaya.

Left: Cacao Kintoki | Right: White Cacao Kintoki

Cacao kintoki is a type of shaved ice made with specially-selected cacao beans from Vietnam. It uses a ‘bean to bar’ method where the shaved ice is made from scratch, roasting the beans fresh to create the dessert.

The two new treats at nel use a chocolate base and add cacao pulp to the mix, adding a natural fruity flavour derived from the bean. Each is also served with a special cacao sauce for extra flavour. The white cacao version is made by combining with in-house white chocolate. It also comes with an Okinawan passion fruit and cacao pulp sauce, resulting in a sour kick and refreshing taste.

Saryo Tsukikage

The open-air baths at Yuen Bettei Daita

A special matcha version of this shaved ice can also be enjoyed while bathing in the open-air baths at Yuen Bettei Daita. It’s made with nel’s homemade white chocolate as well as dark chocolate, cacao pulp, and specially-selected yame matcha from Shimokita Chaen Ōyama, a cafe in Setagaya.

ICHIBIKO is a new strawberry dessert-themed cafe that opened at Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya, Tokyo, on June 1. The shop’s concept is centred on letting people enjoy strawberries all year round served in a variety of sweet and succulent ways.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding | 3 Flavours

The Migaki-Ichigo Pudding is a Japanese-style custard pudding made with a layer of custard and strawberry jam. The jam, which contains fresh juicy pieces of strawberry left over, is made from a type of high quality strawberry called Migaki-Ichigo. These puddings are available in three flavours.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Strawberry Custard | ¥432 (Tax Included)

Made with fresh cream and vanilla custard and combined with strawberry jam. Rich and full of fruity flavour.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Condensed Strawberry Milk | ¥486 (Tax Included)

Layered with condensed milk instead of custard, lending a refreshing milky flavour to the sweet strawberry and giving a velvety texture.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Strawberry Milk Yogurt | ¥432 (Tax Included)

Made with strawberry sauce-infused yogurt and Migaki-Ichigo jam giving a cool, refreshing flavour.

The new ICHIBIKO store also sells the brand’s most popular beverage, ICHIBIKO Milk, as well as baked confections, and fresh Migaki-Ichigo strawberries sourced directly from farmers.

Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana, a joint confectionery shop between GRAPESTONE and Tokyo Banana, released its new Mickey & Friends collection on Thursday.

Tokyo Banana Mickey & Friends Collection | ¥1,300 (Tax Included)

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto join hands in a heart-warming new collection of Tokyo Banana, a cream-filled sponge cake and the official souvenir sweet of Tokyo’s official souvenir sweet: Tokyo Banana.

Mickey & Friends arrive in all the colours of the rainbow

The colourful packaging features the Disney group of best friends including Mickey, who loves his friends, his girlfriend Minnie, the anger-prone Donald, stylish Daisy, silly Goofy, and trusty Pluto.

Six cute patterns decorate the sponge cakes

There are six super cute Mickey & Friends designs you could get in your Tokyo Banana, and each one is random. They are filled with chocolate banana-flavoured custard cream.

Collect all the postcards

All boxes of these treats come with two of eight possible postcard designs which you can use for sending to someone or even as room decoration.

 © Disney

The Pasco Kumamoto Prefecture Project is a collaboration between the Japanese pastry company Pasco and Kumamoto Prefecture which has appointed Kumamon, the mascot of Kumamoto, as its head to promote local foods.

The project was started as a reconstruction and restoration effort to help support Kumamoto after the devastating earthquake that struck in 2016 and the 2018 Japan floods. For every select product sold, 0.5 yen is donated to the relief effort to aid victims of the disasters.

The Pasco Kumamoto Prefecture Project is set to run until end end of September this year. It released two items on April 1 as part of the project. It is now releasing two new products: the “Strawberry Jam & Milk Whipped Cream” pastry and “Pancake Omelette Custard & Milk Whipped Cream.” The milk, strawberries, and eggs used for these confections are all sourced from Kumamoto

The pastry recipe creates whipped cream from milk and layers it with a strawberry jam made from yuubeni, a popular brand of strawberry grown in Kumamoto, before baking. The pancake omelette is a combination of Jersey milk, eggs, and custard cream to create a fluffy dessert.

Pasco carefully selects ingredients as part of Kumamon’s promotional products

The ingredients used in the recipes for these food products are all carefully selected to go deliciously well with Pasco’s bread. This includes milk, eggs, and yuubeni strawberries. Pasco plans to used Kumamoto-grown rice for a new product in August.

Scan the code on the packaging and meet Kumamon!

A special Kumamon AR service has also been created as part of the project. If you scan the code on the packaging of these products using a smart device, you can take a photo together with Kumamon as pictured above. He has the same design as on the packets.

Asahido is now selling a collection of Disney-inspired ceramics made using a traditional Japanese pottery technique known as Kiyomizu which originated in Kyoto.

Winnie the Pooh Hundred Acre Wood Teacup

This collection of teacups features hand drawn designs of Winnie the Pooh and his friends relaxing in their home of the Hundred Acre Wood. They are dyed indigo using a traditional dyeing technique known as gosu which makes the colour run deep into the design. There are cups to pick from, one big and one small and both with different designs. More details here (in Japanese).

Mickey & Minnie Traditional Dyed Pattern Mugs

These smiley teacups are made using the same dyeing technique and feature Mickey and Minnie made from collages of traditional Japanese patterns that have long been used in Kyoto.

Disney Princess Plates

Seven Disney Princesses have been feauted in this hand-painted Kiyomizu ware plate collection, all of which are lined with gorgeous colours including gold. They make for beautiful decorations for any Disney fan’s room.

Mickey & Minnie Kiyomizu Dolls

“Rakuyaki” is the name of the hand-mouldered pottery technique used to crafts these Mickey and Minnie Mouse dolls, one which has been used since the Taisho Period. Compared to the other ceramics on this list, these dolls are baked at a lower temperature, giving the colours a softer look. Red and black are classic colour combinations used in this technique, so Mickey and Minnie were the perfect candidates. Only 100 of each will be sold.

Hotel Keihan launched a new guest room plan in collaboration with the anime series The Promised Neverland at its Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, and Sapporo branches on Tuesday. It also released a collection of exclusive merchandise which can be bought at each hotel’s front desk.

Guest Rooms

Exclusive Merch Line-Up

Pins | ¥550 Each (Tax Included)

Key Rings | ¥550 Each (Tax Included)

Lobby display

The hotel plan was originally scheduled to take place for three months but has been extended by a further month to accommodate for travel restrictions as well as guest demand. New prices have also been introduced to make it more accessible to people. Fans of the anime series can get their hands on a range of items not available anywhere else too including pins, key rings, folders, and more.

The hotel room designs are inspired by both seasons of The Promised Neverland and come with life-size panels, wall decorations, and more, so fans can look forward to getting sucked into the world of the anime series.

(C)白井カイウ・出水ぽすか／集英社・約束のネバーランド製作委員会

Furunavi, a Japanese website that offers the hometown tax service, has added two restaurants in Kyoto to its listings. Hometown tax allows taxpayers to donate to any municipality and receive tax cuts.

Due to COVID-19, the number of tourists and travellers in Kyoto has meant that major tourist sites and restaurants have seen a lack of visitors. In response to this, Furunavi is collaborating with Kyoto City using its ‘Furunavi Gourment Point’ scheme that lets people dine at restaurants and eateries in the city while enjoying tax deductions.

Kikunoi Roan and Sushi Rakumi are two restaurants that have been added to Furunavi’s service.

Kyoto x Kikunoi Roan

Kikunoi Roan is a Michelin two-star restaurant located just a little down from Shijo-dori and Kiyamachi-dori by the business district of Takase River. When stepping through the noren entrance curtain of the concrete building, you’re met with a quiet tranquility that makes you forget you’re even in the big bustling city. The restaurant’s counter seats are popular as you get to watch the chefs prepare the food before you. It’s a compact space that brings customers close together. More details on Furunavi here.

Kyoto x Sushi Rakumi

Sushi Rakumi is a Michelin one-star sushi restaurant situated beside Shirakawa River. This counter-style sushi bar seats just eight people at a time. The chefs are skilled in many different forms of sushi making, all of which capture the delicious taste of Kyoto cuisine. The sushi toppings are all sourced from Kyoto, Toyosu, and Yaizu. Enjoy a unique selection of innovative sushi courses. More details on Furunavi here.

Ace Hotel Kyoto will commemorate its first anniversary on June 11, 2021. The hotel opened on the site of the historical former Kami Branch of the Kyoto Central Telephone Office which was completely renovated and refurbished. The hotel takes on an ‘East Meets West’ theme with elements of art and culture found throughout. As part of the celebration, the 98-year-old Samiro Yukino, a dyer and the man responsible for creating the hotel’s logo, has made sign posters and will display 242 photos from his immense collection of 17,000 photographs he has taken over the years in 10 guest rooms as part of the special hotel plan.

Ace Hotel Kyoto Tatami Suite

Ace Hotel Kyoto Standard Twin

Samiro Yunoki

Ace Hotel displays works of art from artists from both Japan and abroad all around the building, from the hotel’s iconic logo to dye work, paintings decorating the guest rooms, eye-catching tapestries, and more. Despite the pandemic which began last year, Ace Hotel has enjoyed many guests staying there. In celebrating of their first anniversary, they are releasing offering their ‘We Are One’ package for guests booking Suite rooms.

Ace Hotel ranked No. 9 in the ‘Most Popular New Hotels’ in TripAdvisor’s 2021 Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best Hotels. It was also the only Japanese hotel to rank in the list.

The Taiwanese castella cake shop Pong Pong and Japanese bubble tea brand Mottram teamed up to release their new ‘Pong Pong on the Mottram Milk’ beverage at the Kawaramachi branch of Pong Pong in Kyoto on Tuesday.

Pong Pong is a shop specialising in the Taiwanese-style of castella, a type of cake originating from Japan. It has stores at Osaka Namba, Kobe Sannomiya, Osaka Kuzuha Mall, and Kyoto Kawaramachi. The castella are made fresh, are fluffy like a cloud, and never fail to sell out.

The castella are made with lots of meringue and are airy. They are cooked slowly for 90-minutes and have a rich eggy flavour with a fluffiness akin to a chiffon cake.

Pong Pong x Mottram’s Menu

Pong Pong on the Mottram Milk | ¥860 Each (Tax Included)

The store is limiting the Pong Pong on the Mottram Milk to just 50 servings per day. There are two types: one made with brown sugar milk and another with Uji matcha milk.

Machi Bura Pong Pong (Plain) | ¥400 (Tax Included)

Machi Bura Pong Pong (Matcha) | ¥450 (Tax Included)

The Machi Bura Pong Pong are perfect for snacking on while strolling around Kyoto.

May and June exclusive Pong Pong

Matcha White Chocolate Pong Pong | ¥860 (Tax Included)

Cooked slowly for 90 minutes with specially-selected matcha and white chocolate for a tasty and fluffy finish.

Fuwa Shuwa Taiwan Castella Pong Pong | ¥700 (Tax Included)

A large-size plain castella baked slowly for 90 minutes. Hot, fluffy, and kids will love it too.

Moko Shuwa Cream Castella – Fresh Cream Pong Pong | ¥860 (Tax Included)

This one is stuffed with smooth fresh cream to create a different kind of castella experience.

If you’re in Kyoto, be sure to visit Pong Pong in Kawaramachi to try the ‘Pong Pong on the Mottram Milk’ collab beverage.