Hoshinoya Tokyo’s “First Tea of the Season Experience” for the Eighty-Eighth Night

Enjoy the Season in Harmony with the Calendar: “First Tea of the Season Experience” from May 1st to May 5th, 2024

Savoring the aroma, taste, and texture of tea leaves, indulge in several types of new tea

In Japan, the eighty-eighth day following Risshun (the beginning of spring in the traditional calendar, which falls on February 4th or 5th each year, marking the start of spring) is known as “Hachiju-Hachiya,” a seasonal marker that has long been associated with the beginning of the tea-picking season. Since the Edo period, the new tea picked on this day was highly valued for its nutritional benefits and considered a harbinger of longevity and good fortune, making it one of the refined seasonal pleasures.

Hoshinoya Tokyo, a Japanese ryokan located in Otemachi, Tokyo, offers a “First Tea of the Season Experience” aligned with the calendar from May 1st to May 5th, 2024. Coinciding with this period, guests can enjoy a moment in the “Ocha no Ma Lounge,” tasting new tea from tea farmers whose traditions date back to the Edo period, along with tea sweets. This experience offers a unique way to enjoy the season.

During the Edo period (around the 17th to 18th centuries), people living in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) believed that eating the first harvest of the season would extend one’s life by 75 days. It was common to actively incorporate seasonal fish and vegetables into their meals. The new tea, picked from the fresh buds that sprouted rapidly in early spring after storing nutrients all winter, was considered one of these first harvests. It was cherished not only for its freshness but also as a lucky charm believed to ensure a year free from calamities.

Moreover, tea picked during the eighty-eighth night was regarded as having an excellent balance of flavor and aroma, making it a high-quality tea. Hoshinoya Tokyo has planned this experience with the hope that guests will savor the new tea, a first harvest of the season, and enjoy the season as summer approaches.

Features of the “First Tea of the Season Experience”

1. Enjoying the Rich Flavor and Aroma of Gyokuro and Tea Sweets

Offering not just any tea for quenching thirst but gyokuro for a rich tasting experience, we present the “Saemidori” from Morinouchi Tea Farm in Shizuoka, a lineage of tea farming that dates back to the Edo period. Saemidori is known for its sweet aroma, low bitterness, and astringency, but rich in umami components.

By brewing it at a low temperature with care, you can experience a higher quality of umami. Paired with this gyokuro is a namagashi (sweet) using white chocolate. The strong umami of the gyokuro, combined with the richness of cocoa butter and the intense sweetness of white chocolate, creates a delightful harmony of flavors.

2. Enjoying Sencha with Various Brewing and Eating Methods

Sencha, deeply familiar to the Japanese, is savored from the first to the second infusion, and even as cold brew. The balanced taste and aroma of the new tea leaves come from Morinouchi Tea Farm’s single cultivars: “Yama no Ibuki,” “Soufuu,” and “Yabukita.”

Among them, “Yama no Ibuki” brewed with hot water is characterized by its refreshing aroma reminiscent of verdant mountains and its exquisite umami. With the cold brew, one can appreciate the fresh astringency typical of new tea, enjoying the variations brought by different brewing methods.

Furthermore, eating the soft tea leaves seasoned with rock salt allows for the enjoyment of each variety’s aroma and texture. This unique experience, made possible only with new tea, highlights the special offerings of the season.

Celebrating the Eighty-Eighth Night

May 5th is also known as Boys’ Day, one of the five seasonal festivals. To enjoy the season, in sync with the Eighty-Eighth Night, guest rooms will be prepared with iris baths.

The tradition of the iris bath, still carried on today, is believed to repel evil spirits with its unique fragrance. Moreover, the essential oils found in iris leaves and roots are thought to promote blood circulation, making the iris bath a therapeutic experience for both mind and body. It’s a perfect way to unwind in the bath of your room after enjoying the new tea experience.

Stay Schedule

• 15:00 Check-in
• 16:00 Enjoy gyokuro and tea sweets at the Ocha no Ma Lounge
• 16:15 Taste three types of sencha
• 17:00 Heal your body with an iris bath

“First Tea of the Season Experience” Overview

• Duration: May 1st to May 5th, 2024
• Capacity: One group per day (1-2 persons)
• Price: Complimentary *Excluding accommodation fees
• Includes: Gyokuro, sencha, tea sweets, iris bath set
• Eligibility: Guests staying at Hoshinoya Tokyo
• Note: Contents may change partially depending on circumstances.
• Reservation: Required via the official website at least 5 days in advance

About Hoshinoya Tokyo

A “tower ryokan” that has evolved to meet modern times. This tower spans two basement levels and seventeen above-ground floors, featuring tatami-floored entrances, traditional Japanese-style rooms, tea lounges on each floor, and a hot spring on the top floor.

Hoshinoya Tokyo offers room services aligned with the Japanese almanac, experiences that bring Japanese culture closer, and the hospitable service characteristic of Japanese ryokans.

In September 2023, it was selected as one of the top 50 hotels in the world in the inaugural “The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023.” It has also won numerous awards in hotel categories from global travel magazines like Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.

• Location: 1-9-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004
• Phone: 050-3134-8091 (Hoshinoya Reservations)
• Number of Rooms: 84 rooms
• Check-in: 15:00 / Check-out: 12:00
• Rates: From ¥112,000 per night (per room, including tax and service charge, meals not included)
• Access: 10 minutes on foot from the Marunouchi North Exit of Tokyo Station, 2 minutes on foot from exits A1 and C2c of Otemachi Station on the Tokyo Metro