In Tokyo, I decided to organise a private tea ceremony at the Chinzanso, one of Japan’s most famous luxury hotels. I did this just to relax and purposely slow down my usually fast-paced life. After all, the tea ceremony is a social event, but it’s really all about achieving inner peace, calm and joy by observing a series of ancient rituals

There are several places in Tokyo where foreigners can book a tea ceremony experience. In my opinion, the Chinzanso offers one of the best tea ceremony experiences because you can actually have the ceremony in one of a handful of historical tea houses on the estate.

THE ORIGINS OF TEA

The one I chose for my tea ceremony experience is a listed cultural heritage property that was modeled after the tea house of Sen no Rikyu himself. Sen no Rikyu is the father of the tea ceremony in Japan. Everything connected with him is treated with great reverence.

To start things off the tea ceremony, I had to go through a routine of cleansing to enter the tea house. So I washed my hands at a fountain right outside the tea house. After removing my shoes, I kneeled and worked my way into the tea house, where the tea mistress had prepared a lovely scroll and a vase of flowers for the occasion. Even the tea bowls used were chosen with thought.

The scroll for the ceremony yesterday said something about a chance meeting of significance, that is never coming again. I guess what it’s trying to say is that you should appreciate each moment because it’s special, and not live a life of missed opportunities.

ONE OF LIFE’S SPECIAL EXPERIENCES

Indulge in a special kind of afternoon tea by booking a traditional Japanese tea demonstration at the famed Zangetsu tea house in one corner of the estate. The tea ceremony, an art form with over 1,000 years of history, is at the very essence of Japanese hospitality, and central to the philosophy of zen.

Meanwhile, the Zangetsu is an authentic tea house that is registered as a tangible cultural asset of Japan. It was originally built on Baron Fujita’s property in Hakone before being transferred to Chinzanso in 1947.

The tea ceremony at the Chinzanso is performed in the Omotesenke style by serious tea practitioners with over 10 years of experience.

ABOUT CHINZANSO IN TOKYO

Chinzanso was created out of a lovely rambling estate owned by many prominent men. It’s dotted with hills, brooks, ponds and tea houses. The last master of chinzanso was Baron Fujita, and his former residence was reportedly a mansion the size of five tennis courts.

Because of its unusually picturesque surroundings in the middle of a bustling city, it’s the wedding venue of choice for every bride who can afford to get married there. As you can imagine, spacious luxury is not cheap.

Where to spend the summer in Tokyo

It’s also a perfect summer escape. But it’s equally lovely when the cherry blossoms and azalea are blooming in the spring, or when the fall leaves are out in breathtaking splendor in the autumn.

in the summer, the main pathways through the gardens are strung with glass bells that gaily chime in the wind, giving you a feeling of coolness, even where there is none. Together with the sounds of the brooks that run through the estate and greenery that has been around for at least 800 years, it truly is a rare oasis amidst a concrete jungle.

Read more about the best luxury hotels in Tokyo in Travelife Magazine.

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“What a beautiful room,” I exclaimed, as soon as I entered the garden suite of the Hotel Chinzanso in Tokyo. Just like many Tokyo residents spending the summer in Japan amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we had decided to book a staycation at a hotel in the city.

Tokyo has many luxury hotels. However, for many people living here, the Hotel Chinzanso occupies a special place full of nostalgia and good memories.

HOW TO TIME TRAVEL

So many new hotels have sprouted up all over Tokyo. Many of them occupy the upper floors of skyscrapers and upscale buildings. However, the old-fashioned Chinzanso, with its sprawling estate, is a testament to the fact that some good things should never change.

This hotel is a great favorite among Japanese aristocrats. For one thing, it is located in a quiet and genteel residential neighborhood, away from the tourist areas of Tokyo. Also, it is perhaps the most spacious hotel in the city. When you’re at Chinzanso, you feel like you’ve traveled elsewhere both in location and time. You see, this hotel with its garden full of history harks back to the days of Old World Japan.

A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN TOKYO

I booked the premiere garden suite because it comes with a view of the gardens. I love waking up and seeing the gardens and the temple first thing in the morning. The gardens are also easy on the eyes as I enjoy my room service breakfast. Even when I’m working on my laptop on the desk in the suite, I feel that the entire Tokyo is literally at my fingertips.

In the evenings, I often can’t take my eyes off the pagoda in the garden. It’s lit up dramatically and it makes quite a picture. In the distance is the skyline of Ikebukuro, a modern suburb of Tokyo. Meanwhile, in the foreground are the lush gardens of Hotel Chinzanso.

ABOUT THE GARDEN SUITE OF CHINZANSO

The hotel has many kinds of suites, each with its own decor. The garden suite I stayed in was a combination of Western and Asian interiors, with Japanese accents. It was very comfortable to spend several days here, just relaxing away from the heat and the stress of the pandemic.

The furniture are classic antique-style pieces merged with chintz, everything in elegant proportions. Meanwhile, the main bathroom is massive by Tokyo hotel standards, and there’s a second bathroom in the foyer. Even with years piling on it, the Hotel Chinzanso is so impeccably maintained that the rooms look fresh.

READ ABOUT SPAIN’S MOST ROMANTIC NEW HOTEL

It was so easy to feel at home here, especially as room service was excellent. I stayed three nights and only checked out with the greatest reluctance on the last day, determined to find some reason to return to this beautiful garden suite again someday.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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In the summer, Tokyo residents love visiting the famous gardens of Chinzanso. It’s the perfect summer treat, to dine in one of the restaurants and then to take a walk in the gardens.

Chinzanso has many lovely restaurants. But summer is synonymous with the Mokushundo restaurant in the garden. This dining venue is well-known for its teppanyaki set courses and its kaiseki cuisine that is cooked in a beautiful antique iron kettle.

TEPPANYAKI AT MOKUSHUNDO

The teppanyaki course is especially popular because Mokushundo has private teppan tables for each group. Moreover, each cooking slab is very special. The slabs are lava stones that have been brought down from Mount Fuji. They are supposed to impart a special flavor and energy to the food.

STAYCATION AT CHINZANSO

It was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, when we checked into Chinzanso for a staycation. And as this massive hotel complex is so comfortable, we decided to simply stay in and try out all the restaurants.

Interestingly, it seems that many Tokyo residents had similar plans. Arriving at the hotel, we were quite surprised to find so many people waiting to check-in in spite of the pandemic. Or perhaps, they’re opting for a staycation at Chinzanso because it’s a safe hotel to stay in during the pandemic.

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COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS

The hotel follows a strict protocol for ensuring that guests and hotel staff are kept as safe as possible. This includes temperature checks and mandatory masks at the hotel entrance and at every restaurant. So once you’re inside Chinzanso, you feel safe and relaxed.

Mokushundo too was full of diners. Every table was occupied and second seatings were being arranged. We had a 6 PM reservation and so many families were already in the middle of their dinners when we walked in. When we walked out two hours later, there were still groups of diners waiting outside in the garden for their tables.

FAVORITE JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Mokushundo is a great favorite of many Tokyo families. In fact, this traditional Japanese restaurant has been operating for such a long time that generations of Japanese families have grown up coming here for weekend meals and celebrations.

As the restaurant is famous for its stone-grilled kaiseki dinners, we ordered the seafood course. A lady in a kimono brought most of the ingredients for the meal to the table. Then she proceeded to cook every course in front of us. So practically every dish was prepared in front of us and we enjoyed these piping hot.

FOOD INSPIRED BY SUMMER

The appetizers were works of art. Every tray arrived showing off a balance of colors and design inspired by summer. The lady first brought the cold appetizers. Then she proceeded to prepare the hot dishes as we ate.

The piece de resistance was a half lobster, still in its shell, cooked right at the table. Then came the traditional Japanese bowl of rice accompanied by pickles and miso soup.

However, this time there was a nice twist. My rice bowl had flecks of oxtail and colorful crunchy decoration. Just as I was about to it eat as is, the lady in the kimono cautioned: “Please pour some of the tea from this teapot into the rice before eating.”

Japanese call this mixture of rice and tea “o-chazuke.” It’s incredibly good.

TWO DESSERTS IN A ROW

We had ice cream for dessert. A traditional Japanese restaurant usually serves fresh fruits or a small sweet at the end of the meal. We were also given this option, but we decided to have the home-made ice cream of Chinzanso instead.

Then came a second dessert after dinner. We walked back to our hotel through the gardens. Instead of taking the normal walking route, we climbed up a hill and were rewarded with the view of a most beautiful pagoda, all lit up amidst the dramatic darkness of the gardens.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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Chinzanso in the residential neighborhood of Meijiro in Tokyo is a grand hotel well loved by the old families of Tokyo. It’s luxurious, beautiful and full of Old World charm. It’s the best of traditional Japanese hospitality and Western comfort put together.

If you’ve been to Tokyo many times and wish to see a less touristy side of this city, this is the perfect hotel to stay in. It has a hot springs on-site, so many excellent restaurants, and a beautiful garden. So once you check-in, you’ll probably not want to leave.

DREAM WEDDING VENUE IN TOKYO

In fact, the garden of Chinzanso is very famous in Tokyo. Many Tokyo residents book staycations and meals at the restaurants just to enjoy the garden. Many couples also regard Chinzanso as their dream wedding venue in Japan. So it is extremely popular to hold an exclusive wedding reception here, in the adjacent banquet hall.

This is probably the most beautiful garden in Tokyo that is privately owned but accessible to the public. Guests can view the gardens from the premium rooms, the best tables in the restaurants and banquet halls.

HISTORY OF CHINZANSO

The history of Chinzanso’s land goes back to the 15th century, when it was already famous for camellias blooming on-site. However, the gardens itself really began in 1878. This was when Aritomo Yamagata, a former prime minister of Japan, bought the property from the aristocratic Kuroda family.

Yamagata-san then hired Katsugoro Iwatamo, who was then known as the best gardener in Tokyo, to work for him. The gardener created a series of pocket gardens and hills, plus a pond. These all remain to these day.

Actually, Yamagata-san was a great connoisseur of art and culture. So Chinzanso is just one of three gardens he commissioned. However it is his only beautiful garden in Tokyo and it is also the most famous one.

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ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN TOKYO

In 1918, Yamagata-san sold his estate and in 1948 it eventually became the property of Fujita Kogyo, the company that still owns Chinzanso. The founder of Fujita Kogyo also loved gardens. So he planted 10,000 trees to recreate the glory of Chinzanso, as it had been damaged during World War II.

Today, Chinzanso is synonymous with the grand life of pre-war Japan. It’s especially refreshing to see, amidst all the sleek high-rise new hotels made of glass and steel. One only has to walk through the garden, a beautiful oasis amidst a cityscape of Tokyo apartments and office buildings, to transport one’s self to another world and another era.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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