Kyoto's Hotel Chourakukan Serves a Limited-Time Christmas Afternoon Tea in Its Historic Reception Room

Dessert Cafe Chourakukan (デザートカフェ長楽館) at Hotel Chourakukan in Higashiyama, Kyoto, will serve a limited-time "Christmas Afternoon Tea" from November 21 (Saturday) to December 25 (Friday), 2026. The tea is served in the "Geihin-no-Ma" (迎賓の間) reception room on the first floor of the main building.

The menu features Christmas sweets such as a chocolate mousse shaped like a reindeer, a nut verrine inspired by a fir tree, and a crumble tart made with apples from 善積農園 in Nagano Prefecture. They come on a British-style three-tier tea stand together with savories, including a salmon and persimmon sandwich and chicken confit, and two kinds of scones.

Christmas Afternoon Tea 2026

Sweets

Reindeer Forêt-Noire Mousse

A cocoa sponge soaked in cherry and kirsch syrup is layered with a chocolate mousse scented with tonka bean. Chocolate antlers and a cherry finish the sweet in the shape of a reindeer.

Tarte Tatin-Style Apple and Caramel Crumble Tart

This crumble tart is made in the style of a tarte tatin with apples from 善積農園 in Nagano Prefecture. The sweetness of the apples and the caramel flavor are paired with the toasty aroma of the crumble and the texture of the sucré pastry.

Fir Tree-Inspired Nut Verrine

Hazelnut panna cotta is topped with pistachio chantilly cream piped to resemble a fir tree. The Christmas-themed sweet brings out the flavors of two kinds of nuts.

Savories and Scones

The savories include a salmon and persimmon sandwich, quiche Lorraine, and a crab and citrus salad served with cauliflower mousse. The chicken confit is paired with a burdock and red wine purée, bringing out the flavors of seasonal ingredients.

The scones come in two varieties, plain and cranberry, and are served with clotted cream and jam.

A Reception Room With a History

Dessert Cafe Chourakukan is located inside Chourakukan, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property built in 1909 as a guest reception facility in Kyoto.

Geihin-no-Ma on the first floor of the main building

The "Geihin-no-Ma" on the first floor of the main building, where the afternoon tea is served, is a reception room recorded as a "drawing room" in documents from the time of construction. In a space that conveys the building's history as a guest reception facility, the seasonal afternoon tea takes up Christmas motifs.

Exterior of Chourakukan

Christmas Afternoon Tea Details

Period: November 21, 2026 (Saturday) to December 25, 2026 (Friday)

Venue: Dessert Cafe Chourakukan, "Geihin-no-Ma" on the first floor of the main building

Address: 604 Maruyama-cho, Yasakatorii-mae Higashi-iru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

Hours: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM (two seatings, 2 hours each)

Price: ¥7,480 per person (tax and 10% service charge included)

Reservations: Advance reservation required, for parties of 2 or more

Make an online reservation

Website: https://www.chourakukan.co.jp/

The menu may change depending on the availability of ingredients.
Guests under 12 years old cannot be seated for the afternoon tea.
Business days and hours may change. Check the official website for the latest information.
The information is current as of the announcement date and may change due to various circumstances.