HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, standing in front of Nijo Castle on the former site of the Mitsui main family's residence, has opened reservations for its Christmas offerings this year: a Christmas afternoon tea, Christmas special courses, and Christmas cakes.
The lineup includes special courses from the Italian restaurant FORNI and the French restaurant TOKI, both returning this year, and a Christmas cake packed with sparkling strawberries like a treasure chest, upgraded from last year's. New this year, a Christmas afternoon tea themed around the world of the holiday season will be served for 25 days only.
A glowing 2.5 m Christmas tree made from black pine wood stands in the refined space, where guests can spend a special time with family and friends.
Christmas Afternoon Tea (December 1 to 25, 2026)
This is the first Christmas-themed afternoon tea at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO. It begins with a bowl of the hotel's original matcha, "縁紫 ENISHI," whisked by the guest. It continues with savories that incorporate the flavors of winter in Kyoto, and sweets in cute Christmas motifs such as a snowman and gingerbread cookies. The sweets are brought to the table in a crafted piece modeled on the hotel's original "okamochi" (a Japanese food-carrying box). A Premium Option adds a special parfait with a Santa Claus motif.
Period: December 1 (Tue) to December 25 (Fri), 2026
Price: ¥7,800 per person / ¥9,800 per person with the Premium Option (both include tax and service charge)
Venue: Bar & Lounge "THE GARDEN BAR"
Menu
- Welcome tea: Original matcha "縁紫 ENISHI"
- Sweets: Gingerbread man cookie, snowman macaron, reindeer pavlova, chestnut stollen, strawberry and pistachio verrine, yuzu tartlet
- Savory: Shogoin turnip soup, Tamba shimeji mushroom croque monsieur, pork rillettes maritozzo, duck and mikan (mandarin orange)
- Scones: Japanese black tea scones (Kyoto strawberry jam, mikan and soyogo honey jam, clotted cream)
- Premium Option: Santa Claus parfait
- Drinks: More than 20 types of drinks, including TWG teas, are available as free flow
TOKI Christmas Special Course
TOKI is an innovative Kyoto French restaurant led by head chef Tetsuya Asano, who is Japan's representative for the Bocuse d'Or International Culinary Competition, with the main competition scheduled for January 2027.
The Christmas course includes lobster gently cooked in butter infused with the rich aroma of shrimp, served with a thick sauce Américaine and a brown butter potato purée. It also features domestic Japanese black beef fillet coated in a sauce Périgueux scented with black truffle, accompanied by gnocchi that carry the gentle sweetness of sweet potato.
Period: December 24 (Thu) to December 25 (Fri), 2026
Lunch: ¥12,000 or ¥18,000 per person
Dinner: ¥35,000 per person
All prices include tax and service charge.
FORNI Christmas Special Course
The Italian restaurant FORNI offers two Christmas special courses, one for lunch and one for dinner, that express the colors of Christmas. Highlights include a poached lobster dish served with celeriac fondue and three colors of vegetable sauce that bring out its sweetness and umami, and a pasta dish of carefully simmered seasonal venison wrapped in three colors of dough and paired with a rich house-made consommé.
Period: December 24 (Thu) to December 25 (Fri), 2026
Lunch: ¥13,000 per person
Dinner: ¥22,000 per person
All prices include tax and service charge.
HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO Christmas Cake
The hotel's original Christmas cakes are available in limited quantities. A cake packed with plenty of Kyoto strawberries like a treasure chest returns this year, now joined by a new size for one person. Together with the Kyotamba chestnut stollen, a popular item every year, there are three items in total.
Pickup period: December 1 (Tue) to December 25 (Fri), 2026
Reservations: Online shop, phone, or in store
Venue: B1F "THE SHOP"
Kyoto Strawberry Christmas Cake (reservations required at least 3 days in advance)
This shortcake has Kyoto strawberries filling a wooden box, reflecting a Japanese sense of beauty. It combines smooth fresh cream with an elegant vanilla aroma and a sponge cake the pastry chef is particular about. The larger size comes with a furoshiki wrapping cloth and suits holiday gifts, and there is also a size for enjoying on your own.
- 15 cm x 15 cm: ¥10,000 each (with original furoshiki)
- 7 cm x 7 cm: ¥3,000 each
Kyotamba Chestnut Stollen (limited to 200)
This original stollen, offered every year, blends Japanese and Western aesthetics. Plenty of Kyotamba chestnuts are wrapped in a butter-rich dough, with pistachios and pecans adding texture. The rich aroma of mirin-soaked dried fruits conveys the taste of a Kyoto winter.
- ¥5,000 each
Reservations and Inquiries
Phone: 075-468-3100 (hotel main line)
Email: src.kyoto@hotelthemitsui.com
