Introduction
We last visited Japan in 2015. Wahhhh where has time gone? 😦 Long time readers may recall our dessert guides here and here and here from Kyoto and Arashiyama. As soon as we were relocated back to the Asia-Pacific region, we couldn’t wait to visit again. This year, we visited Tokyo during what was supposed to be peak cherry blossom season. *Epic fail*. Instead of viewing cherry blossoms — which were on an ultra-delayed schedule — we were instead left to console ourselves with cherry blossom high teas. If you are already there, or thinking about next year, here’s a guide to the best cherry blossom high teas near the three most popular sakura viewing spots in Tokyo (Shinjuku Gyeon, Chidorigafuchi and Meguro River).
Best cherry blossom high tea near Shinjuku Gyeon
Dessert destination: Kimpton Shinjuku, 3 Chome-4-7 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo.
- Budget: Yen 10,000 (approx USD $65).
- Best for: Thoughtfully-considered sakura desserts in a casual setting.
- Closest Tokyo sakura viewing spot: Shinjuku Gyeon.
- Travel tip: Best visited in the morning or late afternoon, to avoid the crowds.
- Short and sweet story: A 10-minute walk from the west side of the gigantic Shinjuku station, the Kimpton Shinjuku Hotel offers a refreshing respite from the pandemonium. High tea here is taken in a more casual setting, where you will find office workers mingling with hotel guests. Instead of bite-sized savouries, we first ploughed through a salad course and then had a choice of main dishes, such as a hearty chicken, sirlion steak, or fish course, or more typical brunch fare such as French Toast and Eggs Benedict. The highlight of the Kimpton’s high tea was, of course, the incredible array of cherry blossoms-themed desserts. These were framed by an elegant branch of blossoms and also partly presented on a glass tray box resembling a Japanese-style garden. The desserts included sakura-flavoured mont blanc, daifuku, parfait, brownie, taiyaki, and a macaron. There was also a bowl of sakura zenzai (a watery soup traditionally made of azuki beans) with a skewer of dango mochi balls and strawberry slices. We barely finished all as they were very generously sized. The Kimpton’s high tea was also accompanied by a delicately-fragranced sakura matcha mocktail beverage.
Best cherry blossom high tea near Chidorigafuchi and the Imperial Palace
- Dessert destination: Palace Hotel, 1 Chome-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo.
- Budget: Yen 9,200 (approx USD $55).
- Best for: Dainty bites in a rarefied atmosphere.
- Closest Tokyo sakura viewing spot: Chidorigafuchi and the Imperial Palace.
- Travel tip: When the cherry blossoms are in bloom, the grounds are illuminated at night, and that’s the most magical time to visit.
- Short and sweet story: If you are looking for an exceedingly elegant and sophisticated high tea in Tokyo, we highly recommend the Palace Hotel. The Palace Hotel’s high tea set was presented on lacquerware crafted by a renowned Japanese artist. After a mug of very strong matcha, we nibbled our way through bite-sized savouries which included a crucible of green pea potage with truffle cream, and morsels of roast beef tartare, daikon and shrimp, a squid tart with mullet roe, a brioche tartine, a jelly-like jambon persille and a tiny broad bean layered with pate. The dreamy assortment of sweets were infused with both traditional Japanese flavours as well as Western flavours. Sakura, jasmine, matcha, and yuzu found counterpoints with lime, sparkling wine, grapefruit, honey meringue, muscadine, pistachio and basil. Scones also accompanied the high tea. Black in colour, they were baked in the crumbly American style, rather than the fluffier English form. They were to be eaten layered with tangy mandarin jam and clotted cream. After all that high tea food, we rolled out of the hotel and walked the entire circumference of Chidorigafuchi Park.
Best cherry blossom high tea near Meguro River and Nakameguro
- Dessert destination: Hotel Gajeon, 1 Chome-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro City, Tokyo.
- Budget: Yen 7,500 (approx USD $50).
- Best for: Simple sweet nibbles in an incredible art gallery/museum hotel.
- Closest Tokyo sakura viewing spot: Nakameguro and Meguro River.
- Travel tip: When the cherry blossoms are in bloom, the best time to visit is just after sunset. Note that taking a photo of the canals may not be possible during peak bloom. The centre areas were largely roped off and heavily policed, even during our non-peak-bloom visit.
- Short and sweet story: Over the years, we have stayed in many many hotels, and for the most part, they tend to blur into each other. Tokyo’s Hotel Gajeon, however, has to be one of the most memorable hotels we have ever visited. More frequented by locals than foreigners, it is one-part art gallery and antique museum, another part extravagant wedding venue, and a third part luxury hotel. It’s absolutely stunning – from the exquisitely landscaped Japanese gardens, to the corridors of opulent art work, even to the internal flowing river and waterfall, and what must be the craziest restrooms ever (it resembles a small village with a bridge!). Presented on a unique fan-shaped tiered tower, Hotel Gajeon’s cherry blossom high tea featured four savoury nibbles and seven sweet morsels. The desserts included sakura-flavoured mousse cake, cream roll cake and chocolate bites. There were also slices of red bean pound cake, green tea opera cake, and a mugwort scone. Hotel Gajeon’s high tea was perhaps the most understated (ie. simple) of the high teas we had in Tokyo, but it’s still worth a visit for the hotel itself.
Dessert adventure checklist
- ☑ Dessert destination: Tokyo, Japan.
- ☑ Budget: $$$-$$$$.
- ☑ Sweet irresistibles: High tea.
- ☑ Travel notes:
- How long? Tokyo is like NYC…but bigger, cleaner, more modern, much safer, and the locals are more well-dressed. Similar to NYC, 4-5 days is a good starting point for the first time visitor.
- When to visit? We visited during the last week of March, which is supposed to be — on historic average — the best week to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. It was instead, cold, rainy and grey. 😦
- How to get there? Our best tip would be to fly into Haneda, rather than Narita Airport. It’s closer to the city. Transferring from airport to the city was the most difficult and confusing aspect to figure out, whether by train or airport bus. By contrast, navigating the Tokyo train system on a daily basis was stress-free, at least for this long-time NYC expat.
- Where to stay? Almost every tourist guidebook (or social media influencer) will recommend staying in Shinjuku or Shibuya. It’s akin to staying near Times Square in NYC…don’t do it. For us (and our local Tokyo friends), we recommend Ginza. It’s more classy, less of a cacophony, and actually more centrally located for sightseeing, eating, shopping, business, etc. Nearby Marunouchi is also a good option. (There are also, a lot more high teas on offer on this side of Tokyo 😀 ).
Dessert Correspondents 