The mysterious scenery of Lake Shirakawa in the town of Iide in southern Yamagata Prefecture can be seen only during two months in spring. In spring, a large amount of melt water flows into Lake Shirakawa from the Iide mountain range, one of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains, where there is heavy snowfall. When the lake is full of water, it creates a fantastic sight of white willow trees as if they are growing out of the water.

Hotel Metropolitan will hold the “Nagasaki Fair” from January 15, 2024 (Monday) at three of its restaurants: the all-day dining restaurant Crossadyne, the Japanese restaurant Hanamusashi, and the Shikisai Saryo Shunka.

Ramen Izakaya Deniro is offering a collaboration with street-style ramen restaurant “No Good Neighbor” starting Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Hoshino Resort Aomoriya, in cooperation with local railroad company Aoimori Railway Co., will operate a sightseeing train service on Saturdays and Sundays only from January 20 to February 11, 2024, offering meals and local sake while enjoying Aomori’s snowy landscape.

Hoshinoya Tokyo, a Japanese-style inn located in Otemachi, Tokyo, will again this year host the “New Year Kabuki Stay” program, a two-day and one-night stay from January 5 to 26, 2024.
For people living in Edo, one of their New Year’s pleasures was to watch Kabuki, and it was a chic way to spend the New Year. Theatrical teahouses supported this way of enjoying Kabuki. In addition to arranging tickets to the theater, the teahouses delighted patrons by providing a complete range of services, including plot notes, tea, sweets, makunouchi box lunches, and snacks and drinks (*1). Hoshinoya Tokyo offers a stay to celebrate the New Year with hospitality similar to the theatrical teahouses of the time.

*1: Tomizawa, Yoshihide and Fujita, Yosuke (2012). The Latest Kabuki Dictionary. Kashiwa Shobo.

From November 22 (Wed) to December 3 (Sun), 2023, an autumn foliage lighting event will be held at Shinjuku Gyoen. Following the cherry blossom event this spring, Shinjuku Gyoen and Naked will collaborate again this fall for the autumn foliage event. Shinjuku Gyoen, one of Tokyo’s most famous gardens, is one of the few places in the city where visitors can enjoy the autumn leaves. The 200-meter-long rows of plane trees, the best maple tree spot in the city, Momijiyama, and the “Middle Pond,” with its spectacular reflection in the pond, will offer a world where the autumn leaves of Shinjuku Gyoen and Naked’s art and food are fused together.