Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo: A Place of Cultural Immersion

Many hotels serve as a respite from the bustling cities they serve—a place to relax and recharge. Located in the heart of Japan’s capital city, the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo certainly provides a place to relax while surrounding you with a bounty of cultural experiences. It begins with the décor—a grand lobby adorned with Japanese-inspired furnishings and accented by exhibits displaying Japanese flowers, art, and cultural collections. But it’s more than décor that makes the Keio Plaza special, it’s the unlocking of Japanese beauty and culture from within the hotel. This is passion point travel—a complete immersion in Japanese culture through exhibits, cuisine, and experiences.

Experiencing Japanese culture through events, art, and ceremonies

The Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo hosts several events throughout the year to connect guests with Japan’s treasured traditions. An annual one is Japan’s traditional Girls’ Day Doll Festival, “Hina-matsuri,” where 6,800 spectacularly ornate handmade dolls are on display. Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo also hosts a special Aritaand Imari Porcelain Exhibition, giving guests the opportunity not only to view these treasures, but also to enjoy a meal served on Aritaand Imari plates at several of the hotel’s restaurants.

In addition to the seasonal events, art is everywhere in the hotel, including rotating installations of Japanese masks, pottery, calligraphy, paintings, and Ikebana—Japanese flower arrangements. Daily cultural experiences are available, including an authentic Japanese tea ceremony. Held four times a day, five days a week (excluding Thursday and Sunday) under the direction of Tea Ceremony Master SentousoueiYano, it includes English explanations of the unique utensils and practices.

Clothe yourself in a Japanese tradition for a day with the Kimono Experiences. You can choose the casual yukata (cotton kimono) worn by both men and women, or for the girls, a traditional Japanese wedding Kimono –available to brides having a Japanese wedding ceremony.

Sampling Authentic Japanese Cuisine and More

Opportunities for experiencing authentic cuisine are abundant at the hotel’s seven Japanese restaurants. Yamanami features Hida beef, Kobe beef, and carefully selected seafood prepared with an extraordinary live performance. Shun specializes in seafood and vegetable tempura.  Kagari offers an extensive menu, which includes Shabu-shabu or Sukiyaki of Kobe beef, as well as sashimi, sushi, and tempura.

Japan does traditional cuisine well, but chefs have also mastered the cuisine of other regions. You’ll find Italian, French, Chinese and Korean food at some of the hotel’s 15 restaurants and seven bars. Speaking of bars, don’t miss the mesmerizing 360-degree cityscape views from Aurora Sky Lounge located on the 45^thfloor.

About the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

When it was built in 1971, the Keio Plaza was Tokyo’s first skyscraper hotel and one of only three in the entire country. Conveniently located in Shinjuku, just a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku station, Tokyo’s major transportation hub, the hotel is lauded for its extensive facilities and unmatched comfort. With 1438 rooms, a wide range of accommodations are available from standard to premier, or executive level rooms. Guests staying on the Premier Grand Club Floors have access to the exclusive Club Lounge located on the 45^thfloor.

Experience an abundance of Kawaii—Japan’s culture of cuteness—by booking one of the hotel’s Hello Kitty rooms. Infused with the popular character through furnishings and décor, the rooms are available in two types. The “Kitty Town” room offers a fun, pop-art feel, while the “Princess Kitty” will bring out the fairytale princess in anyone. There’s even a Hello Kitty themed breakfast available through room service.

Venturing out to explore more of Tokyo

When you’re ready, Keio Plaza offers 50 types of sightseeing tours departing from the lobby. Tokyo sightseeing taxis are also available as well as free shuttle buses to Tokyo Disneyland.

For a more luxurious tour experience, a chauffeured limo sightseeing tour of two sake breweries and a museum is available. Choose from among the Ishikawa Brewery, famous for its “Tama Jiman” sake, the Tamura Brewery, known for its “Kasen” sake or the Ozawa Brewery renowned for its “Sawanoi” sake. The sightseeing tour includes a visit to the Kushi Kanzashi Museum, which exhibits traditional ornate Japanese hair combs.

You may arrive at the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo with little knowledge of the intricacies of Japanese culture, but you certainly won’t leave that way.