This autumn, The Shinmonzen, a hotel on the banks of the Gion Shirakawa in Kyoto, is serving two different styles of afternoon tea depending on the day of the week. From Monday to Thursday, guests can enjoy a Japanese afternoon tea created in collaboration with OGATA, which connects Japan's traditional culture with contemporary sensibilities. From Friday to Sunday, an autumn afternoon tea by Kakimoto Akihiro, pâtissier of Kyoto's "ASSEMBLAGES KAKIMOTO," is on offer.
The afternoon tea with OGATA began in September and features sushi to enjoy with Japanese tea, along with sweets made with Japanese ingredients. From October, "Saisonnalité by Chef Kakimoto - 紅" joins the lineup, expressing autumn ingredients such as chestnuts, figs, and walnuts through delicate Western pastry technique and touches of Japanese flavor. One style presents Japanese tea and food culture through a contemporary sensibility, and the other shapes seasonal ingredients with free-spirited ideas and reliable skill. Together, they offer two ways to spend an autumn afternoon in Kyoto.
Japanese Afternoon Tea with OGATA (Monday to Thursday)
The savory items include kanpachi (amberjack) temari sushi, temari sushi with Kyotamba Wagyu beef and sea urchin, and inari sushi in ikura (salmon roe) and shiso varieties, each with its own flavor to enjoy. The sweets include castella, a chocolate terrine accented with the aroma of sansho pepper, sake lees cheesecake, natsume (jujube) butter, and a bite-sized fig yokan, offering a variety of Japanese ingredients and flavors.
Served alongside the food and sweets is "T., Collection," OGATA's lineup that expresses the appeal of Japanese tea through its own sensibility. The 10 blended teas include "果 Ka" (sencha with yuzu and kuromoji), "煎 Sen" (sencha and kamairi-cha), and "玉 Gyoku" (layered gyokuro), along with blends using hojicha, bancha, black tea, oolong tea, and grains. Each has its own aroma and flavor, which can be enjoyed in combination with the dishes and sweets.
OGATA proposes contemporary ways of living based on Japan's traditional culture, which has been handed down through coexistence with nature. "OGATA at The Shinmonzen" opened at The Shinmonzen in June 2024, connecting Japanese tradition and aesthetics to the present through Japanese tea, sweets, tea utensils, everyday tools, and fragrance.
Autumn Afternoon Tea by Kakimoto Akihiro (Friday to Sunday)
From Friday to Sunday, "Saisonnalité by Chef Kakimoto - 紅" is served, an autumn afternoon tea in collaboration with Kakimoto Akihiro, pâtissier of Kyoto's "ASSEMBLAGES KAKIMOTO."
Inspired by the bounty of autumn, the menu layers delicate Japanese touches over seasonal flavors such as chestnuts, figs, and walnuts to express warmth, depth, and elegance.
The sweets include a pastis espuma with fig compote, a hazelnut and vanilla choux, a tart of fresh muscat grapes and lime, and a walnut crème brûlée. The savory items include egg mayonnaise scented with truffle, duck and shiso pesto, Brie de Meaux with fig jam, and a shrimp cream croquette sandwich, offering a contrast to the sweets. The afternoon tea closes with freshly baked buttermilk and chestnut-coffee scones, served with clotted cream and fig jam.
Kakimoto Akihiro competed in two categories of the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in 2011 and entered the World Chocolate Masters in 2013 and 2018. Each time, he won through the domestic qualifiers and earned strong results in the world finals. The sensibility and skill he developed through these three challenges, in recognizing the character of each ingredient and finding the best combinations, are also reflected in this afternoon tea.
Whether it is the OGATA afternoon tea reflecting Japanese tea culture and food aesthetics, or Chef Kakimoto's afternoon tea expressing autumn flavors with skills honed on the world stage, guests can take their time enjoying these two teas in the refined space of The Shinmonzen.
Event Details
OGATA x The Shinmonzen Afternoon Tea
- Period: September to November 30, 2026 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday)
- Hours: Two-hour sessions, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM or 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Price: ¥8,000 (tax and service charge included)
- Venue: Terrace seating or indoors at Jean-Georges at The Shinmonzen
- Reservations: Reserve online
Saisonnalité by Chef Kakimoto - 紅 Afternoon Tea
- Period: October to November 29, 2026 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
- Hours: Two-hour sessions, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM or 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Price: ¥10,000 (tax and service charge included)
- Venue: Terrace seating or indoors at Jean-Georges at The Shinmonzen
- Reservations: Reserve online
Notes
- Welcome drink (NOOH non-alcoholic sparkling wine)
- Unlimited refills of coffee and tea
- Reservations are required by 6:00 PM the day before
