Biwako Hotel (琵琶湖ホテル) in Hamamachi, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, will hold a four-day-only dessert event from Friday, November 20 to Monday, November 23 (national holiday), 2026. Under the title Autumn Afternoon & Desserts, the event serves a course of six sweets starring autumn fruits, named "Les Cinq Joyaux d'Automne" – Meeting Five Jewels of Autumn Fruit by the Lakeside.
A Dessert Course Inspired by Autumn Fruits
Biwako Hotel has walked alongside Lake Biwa since it opened in 1934, watching over the history and culture of Shiga and Otsu. While cherishing that tradition, the hotel has planned its first-ever event where sweets are served as a full course, as a new way to enjoy food with a contemporary sensibility.
"Les Cinq Joyaux d'Automne" is French for "the five jewels of autumn." The pastry chef treats fruits that come into season in autumn as jewels and turns them into beautiful desserts through skill and sensibility. Each plated dessert (assiette de dessert) gives a different expression to a distinct fruit: the juicy aroma of Muscat, the soft sweetness of European pear, the lively citrus aroma of Beni Madonna (紅まどんな), the deep flavor of the black fig ネグローネ, and the pleasant acidity of Kogyoku apple. With every plate, guests can discover a new side of autumn fruit.
The venue is Restaurant The Garden, an open space overlooking Lake Biwa. Guests can slowly savor delicate desserts made with seasonal fruit against the wide lake view, and spend an unhurried autumn afternoon tasting the five jewels one by one.
The Menu: Six Plates
Plate 1: Shine Muscat and Elderflower Blancmange
The opening avant-dessert pairs a jelly infused with the clean aroma of elderflower with juicy Shine Muscat grapes. A delicate foam (écume) made from rosé sparkling wine, with the tartness of raspberry, brings out the sweetness of the fruit for an elegant harmony.
Plate 2: European Pear and Lemon Mesclun
A refreshing compote of European pear and lemon is combined with crisp, juicy Japanese pear and scattered with soft micro leaves. Inspired by the scene of wild plants that color the lakeshore around Biwako Hotel, the dish is finished in the light salad style that originated in Provence, southern France, making for a vividly colorful plate.
Plate 3: Almond and Beni Madonna, Sabayon Style
Juicy Beni Madonna is paired with the warm traditional confection revani, which is soaked generously in syrup. A sabayon sauce flavored with Guihua Chenjiu (桂花陳酒) and scented with osmanthus is lightly coated over the top, so guests can enjoy the contrast between warm cake and fresh fruit, and between mellow sweetness and pleasant acidity.
Plate 4: ネグローネ Black Fig and Cherry Glass Forêt-Noire
A rich confiture of the rare black fig ネグローネ and a cherry sorbet are enclosed in a glass in the manner of the traditional pastry forêt-noire. The delicate aroma of hojiso (shiso flower spikes), a Japanese herb, adds a pleasant surprise and depth to the flavor.
Plate 5: Kogyoku Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream
Kogyoku apples, ripened for autumn, are made into a classic tarte Tatin. Cooked slowly for about an hour, the caramel-colored flesh develops a sweet-tart and slightly bitter taste, which melts together with the gentle, rich body of vanilla ice cream.
Plate 6: Petit Fours
To close the course, three autumn-inspired petit fours are served: a small Mont Blanc topped with pumpkin seeds, a yuzu-flavored pâte de fruits, and a nama chocolate (fresh chocolate) made with deeply aromatic hojicha. Guests are invited to spend a relaxed moment with a warm drink.
Event Details
- Name: Biwako Hotel Autumn Afternoon & Desserts "Les Cinq Joyaux d'Automne" – Meeting Five Jewels of Autumn Fruit by the Lakeside
- Dates: November 20 (Friday) to November 23 (Monday, national holiday), 2026, four days only
- Time: 2:30 PM start to 4:30 PM end
- Venue: Restaurant The Garden, 2nd floor, Biwako Hotel
- Price: ¥8,000 per person (¥7,500 for Biwako Hotel Club members)
- Optional pairings:
- Non-alcoholic pairing (4 types): ¥1,500
- Alcohol pairing (4 types): ¥2,500
- Capacity and reservations: Up to 20 guests per day. Reservation-only, accepted until 5:00 PM the day before.
- Reservations: TEL 077-524-1225 (restaurant reservations, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
Some of the sweets contain alcohol.
Prices include consumption tax and a 15% service charge. All photos are for illustration purposes only. Some menu items may change depending on ingredient availability.
Getting to Biwako Hotel
- Address: 2-40 Hamamachi, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 520-0041
- Access: About 5 minutes on foot from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, or about 5 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Otsu Station
