Sublime afternoon tea overlooking a Japanese garden with a waterfall: Hotel New Otani Tokyo

Tokyo is a sweets heaven. So where should you go? Well, the afternoon tea at Hotel New Otani Tokyo is always a great choice. While enjoying your tea and delicious sweets, outside the window, a magnificent and beautiful Japanese garden is spreading just in front of your eyes. It’s one of the outstanding features of Hotel New Otani Tokyo. Of course, you have to take a stroll through the Japanese garden!

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

Hotel New Otani Tokyo is one of the largest hotels in Tokyo. Besides its large number of rooms, the hotel offers over 30 restaurants and cafes, several shopping areas and clinics, too. There is no doubt: this hotel is a “city” on its own.

Ready for the tea?

Pass the reception, follow the Shopping & Gourmet Street and you will arrive at the “Garden Lounge” with its large windows overlooking the Japanese garden.
I had the famous afternoon tea set which is very popular among sweets fans in Japan!

Choose your favorite tea blend

Since it’s afternoon tea, you can choose your favorite tea from several types (but don’t worry if you are a coffee lover: they have coffee, too!).

Feeling the change of seasons

The menu of the afternoon tea set changes every season. Being aware of the seasons and its nature is, in fact, very Japanese. For example, the sweets set in May was all about “green melon, chocolate and matcha”. This color combination was inspired by the fresh green of the month of May.

The theme of the sweets set was “fresh green”

The sweets are made by a famous patisserie inside the hotel. When you eat their sweets, you can actually taste their strong commitment to Japanese food. For the sweets, they selected famous Uji Matcha from Kyoto and used only the sweetest part of delicious melons.

Looking out the window while enjoying a set of delightful tea, sweets, and sandwiches, all you see is a lush Japanese garden with a history of over 400 years. Outstanding every feature of the garden by its pure presence, a big waterfall is gracefully flowing in the center. At night, the waterfall is lit up. A dreamy sight, absolutely worth a second visit at night!

A walk in the park

After the relaxing tea time, you have to take a walk through the Japanese garden.
The traditional Japanese garden, as well as the hotel restaurants, can be used by anyone. The admission is free.

A stroll in the Japanese garden

It is a garden with lots of Japanese features, such as bright red bridges, a carp pond, a stone garden, and several big lanterns. With its maple trees and various kinds of cherry trees, you can enjoy the garden’s different views depending on the season.

Fresh green – just like the sweets set!

A Japanese garden always looks as if everything is just grown naturally. But in fact, everything is calculated even in the smallest details: the plants, the crooked garden path, the pond… Still, it feels as if you were walking through the woods. Hidden behind the large trees, there is also a restaurant offering teppanyaki.

Tranquility and natural beauty

Since I am a huge architecture geek, I instantly fell in love with the “retro cute” architecture of Hotel New Otani Tokyo which can be seen from various angles in the garden. Wonderful!

The highlight is the waterfall

The highlight of the Japanese garden is the big, impressive waterfall!
As you approach the waterfall, all you can hear is flowing water and the sound of the wind swaying the trees.

One of the garden’s highlights is the big waterfall

I was very surprised by the garden’s beauty and its relaxing quietness.
The garden at Hotel New Otani Tokyo might be the quietest place in central Tokyo.

It’s an oasis in a big city. If you love Japanese gardens and tasty sweets, you have to visit the Garden Lounge and the Japanese Garden at Hotel New Otani Tokyo!

Interesting architecture – even for the koi carps

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

4-1, Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Garden Lounge
https://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/restaurant/gardenlounge/
Japanese Garden
https://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/garden/

Nearest Stations: JR Yotsuya Station, Tokyo Metro Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Nagatacho Station, Kojimachi Station
Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/4Vwrb95i5gCL93oB9