Christmas Tree

Christmas tree has already appeared in Hotel Niwa Tokyo 's lobby.

The tree is decorated by flower artist Mr. Hiroki Maeno. We look forward to see Maeno-san's Christmas tree every year.
Maeno-san says this year's decoration theme is "Happy Bloom Tree", which expresses happiness bloomig like a flower in every one's heart.

The tree will be displayed at the lobby until December 25th, Christmas Day.

.

"International Flavored" Star Festival Display

The Star Festival Bamboo Tree has appeared in the lobby of Hotel Niwa Tokyo.

Please read this Post for description of the Star Festival.

The wishes written on the a strip of paper which is called a "Tanzaku" is very international that you can see many kinds of languages besides Japanese.

This Star Festival Bamboo Tree will be displayed until July 7th.
Please feel free to write your wishes and hang them when you visit the Hotel.

Hope your wishes will come true !

.

"Mikoshi" - a portable shrine

This is Misaki Inari Shrine which is the guardian god of the Hotel Niwa Tokyo.

It is said that the Shrine was built at the end of 12th century and was relocated several times in the Edo period. Then in 1905, it was settled down in present place which is three-minute walk from the Hotel.

"Mikoshi" is a portable shrine which is usually kept in a treasure house in Shinto Shrine. When the Shrine Festival is held, the shrine parishioners carry it on their sholders and parade around the ward dressed in matching outfits called "Hanten".



The Mikoshi parade held infront of the Hotel Niwa Tokyo on May 3rd, 2010.

This year, before the parade, thankfully the people of the town came to the Hotel to display "Mikoshi" in the lobby.

This "Mikoshi" was made about 80years ago in plane wood, you can see the excellent workmanship of the carving by the creater.

These are the carvings of four scared animals or four mythological creatures which are Vermilion Bird (upper left), Black Tortoise (upper right), Azure Dragon (lower left) and White Tiger (lower right).

Finally, the displaying is finished. The golden phoenix is on the top of the "Mikoshi".

The "Mikoshi" will be displayed in the lobby until May 3rd, right before the festival starts.

.

Girl's Festival Dolls - "Hina Ningyo"

March 3rd is "Hina-matsuri", the Japanese Girl's Festival  or Girl's Day in Japan.
The festival is for wishing girl's growth and happiness, most families that have female children display these dolls at home.
They are usually decorated with peach blossoms , grilled bits of rice cake, sweet white liquor called "Shirozake" and so forth.

From the top tier, the two dolls infront of a gold folding screen are imperial dolls, the Emperor and Empress.
"Sannin-kanjo" is three court ladies which holds a "sake" equipment at the second tier.
Third tier holds a five male musicians "Gonin-bayashi". Each of them have a musical insternment in their hands except the singer, who holds a fan.
On the fourth tier is the Minister of the Left and the Minister of the Right. Between of them there is a "Hishimochi", a diamond shaped rice cake.
Fifth tier holds the three helpers as a protector of the Emperor and the Empress.
Sixth and seventh tier, there are a variety of miniature furnitures, tools and carriages are displayed. 

It is said that the custom of displaying dolls began during the "Heian" period (794-1185).
These dolls are made almost 60 years ago. You can see a delicate work on each of them.

The dolls are displayed until March 3rd. Please come and see the beautiful "Hina-ningyo" at Hotel Niwa Tokyo! 

.

Happy New Year !

May the New Year bring many good things to you and we'd like to take this opportunity of thanking our guests and friends for their continued confidence and support.


We had a mochi-pounding with our guests at the lobby on January 1st morning.
Fresh sticky mochi is very delicious!

There was a custom in Japan that all the relatives gather in one house to pound mochi and celebrate New Year. But now mochi-pounding is very rare in ordinary house so not only foreign guests but also many Japanese guests were beginner pounder.

We had a very fun time with our guests.
Thank you very much!


There is a New Year's flower display in the lobby by flower artist Mr.Hiroki Maeno.
The theme is "Pray".

.

Ukiyoe and Nihonbashi bridge

We are displaying an Ukiyoe at the lobby until November 8th.

Hotel Niwa Tokyo is one of the venue for Ukiyoe stamp rally of Edo Art Expo "Japan Beauty from Edo-Tokyo" held in Nihonbashi area.

Japanese Cuisine "YUKURI" is participating in sweets rally, also promoted by Edo Art Expo.
YUKURI's recommendation for this saeson is "Anmitsu" with sweet pumpkin paste and vanilla icecream.

Nihonbashi bridge is very famous since Edo era, it was wooden bridge built in 1603 which was a starting point of Japan's main road such as Tokaido and Nakasendo.

In 1911 Meiji era, the wooden bridge was rebuilt to stone bridge which is still standing today.

.

The Star Festival "TANABATA"

July 7th is "TANABATA" , The Star Festival, in Japan.

The Star Festival is an event originating from a Chinese legend.
According to the legend, the Milky Way, a river of stars that crosses the sky separated ORIHIME(Vega) and HIKOBOSHI(Altair) and these lovers are allowed to meet only once a year by God on July 7th.

It is said that if you write your wishes on a strip of paper called "TANZAKU" and hang it on the bamboo branch, your wishes will come true!

No only Japanese guests, but guests from all over the world wrote down their wishes on TANAZAKU !

The bamboo tree will be displayed until July 7th.
Please feel free to write your wishes when you come to Hotel Niwa Tokyo!

Flower display in the lobby

The display by flower artist Mr.Hiroki Maeno has been set up in the lobby.
This work represents his wishes for the full recovery from the earthquake disaster.



Maeno-san said "Blue is for water, yellow which is a sunflower expresses a hope and green is for life."

“Tango no Sekku” Boy's Festival Dolls

Tango-no Sekku (Boy’s festival or Children’s day) on May 5^th is a festival to pray the health and courage of boys.Families with sons celebrate this day by flying carp-shaped windsocks called “Koinobori”.  They also decorate their houses with samurai armors and warrior dolls, and eat seasoned rice cooked in bamboo leaves and sticky rice filled with red bean paste.
In Japan, carp are known to be strong fish that can leap up waterfalls. The Koinobori symbolize parents’ wishes for their sons to be as strong as carp.



We decorated our lobby with dolls and miniature armors 
of Boy's festival. 

  

Right doll : "Shoki" for against evil.
Left doll : "Emperor Jinmu" for being good at both academics and sports.
Center : A miniature warrior helmet