THE THOUSAND KYOTO, the flagship hotel of the Keihan Group located just a two-minute walk east of Kyoto Station, is hosting a series of Earth Day events from April 18 (Saturday) to April 22 (Wednesday), 2026. Reflecting its identity as a "millennium hotel" that pursues comfort and sustainability across a thousand years, the hotel is offering five actions for guests to consider eco-friendly choices alongside the Earth Day spirit. The hotel is also participating in "Earth Day in Kyoto" this year, serving as one of the satellite venues for the festival.
Five Earth Day Actions
ACTION 1: Organic Cold-Brew Sencha as Welcome Tea
On April 22 (Wednesday), Earth Day itself, guests visiting the hotel are offered a complimentary welcome tea — cold-brewed organic sencha from Ippodo Tea Co., a renowned Kyoto tea shop with more than 300 years of history. The tea leaves are certified under the organic JAS standard and selected by Ippodo for their characteristically gentle aroma and natural flavor.
- Date: April 22, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Time: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (may vary depending on the day's conditions)
- Fee: Free (first 100 guests; ends when supply runs out)
- Location: 1F Front Lobby
ACTION 2: Free Shoseien Garden Tickets for Hotel Guests
From April 18 to 22, hotel guests (on request) can receive complimentary admission tickets to Shoseien, a detached garden of Higashi Honganji Temple designated as a national scenic site. Located about a 10-minute walk from the hotel, Shoseien manages its garden with biodiversity conservation in mind and represents one of the rare natural environments remaining in central Kyoto.
- Period: April 18–22, 2026
- Fee: Free (first 10 guests per day; hotel guests only)
- Distribution: 1F Front Lobby
- Ticket validity: Until September 30, 2026
ACTION 3: Free Takeaway Drinks for My-Bottle Carriers
Guests who bring their own reusable bottle to the second-floor café and bar "TEA AND BAR" can receive a complimentary takeaway coffee or tea (hot or iced) poured directly into their bottle. During this period, any personal reusable bottle is accepted — not only the hotel's original stainless bottle.
- Period: April 18–22, 2026
- Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- Fee: Free (first 10 guests per day; one drink per person; maximum capacity 360 ml)
- Location: 2F Café & Bar "TEA AND BAR"
ACTION 4: Urban Honey Risotto with Beeswax Candle Gift at SCALAE
During the Earth Day period, Italian restaurant "SCALAE" on the second floor is serving "Thousand Honey Risotto," made with honey harvested from the hotel's rooftop urban beekeeping project. Guests who order this dish can also receive a sustainable novelty gift — a handmade beeswax candle crafted from natural wax secreted by the honeybees — on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Period: April 18–21, 2026 (closed Wednesdays)
- Time: Lunch 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM (last order) / Dinner 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (last order)
- Price: Thousand Honey Risotto ¥3,200 (à la carte; service charge 15% and tax included)
- Novelty: Beeswax candle (first 5 guests per day)
- Location: 2F Italian Restaurant "SCALAE"
ACTION 5: "Four Seasons Banquet" Dinner Featuring Urban Honey Menu at KIZAHASHI
On April 21 (Tuesday), Japanese restaurant "KIZAHASHI" on the second floor hosts a special seasonal event, "Four Seasons Banquet" (四季の饗宴), where menus incorporating honey from the hotel's rooftop beekeeping project are featured. This kaiseki/kappo dining event is held four times each in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, showcasing seasonal cuisine crafted by the head chef.
- Date: April 21, 2026 (Tuesday) — advance reservation required by 3 days prior
- Time: Doors open at 11:30 AM / Meal begins at 12:00 PM
- Capacity: 30 guests
- Price: ¥12,000 per person (service charge 15% and tax included)
- Location: 2F Japanese Restaurant "KIZAHASHI"
Upcoming dates: Lunch — July 14, November 17, 2026; February 9, 2027 / Dinner — April 17, July 24, November 13, 2026; February 19, 2027
Urban Beekeeping Tour for SDGs Learning (Every Thursday)
The hotel has been running an urban beekeeping project on its rooftop since May 2021. Every Thursday through the spring season, it offers an SDGs-focused urban beekeeping tour, guided by the hotel staff members who regularly tend to the bees. Participants start with a classroom session covering beekeeping basics, followed by an observation visit to the rooftop apiary.
- Period: April 2 (Thursday) – May 28 (Thursday), 2026; every Thursday (requires reservation one week in advance; cancelled in rain)
- Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
- Capacity: 5 guests per session
- Fee: ¥3,000 per person (tax included)
- Includes: Rooftop beekeeping observation (protective gear provided), pre-study PDF material, and a souvenir (THOUSAND HONEY 35g jar)
- Note: Not available for participants with bee venom allergy or those carrying an EpiPen. Participants must be 13 years or older.
About Earth Day in Kyoto
Earth Day in Kyoto is a community-driven environmental action event held around April 22 each year, inviting citizens to think about and act on global environmental issues. The main venue at Okazaki Park brings together environmental organizations, government bodies, businesses, and individuals for natural-products markets, hands-on workshops, stage talks, outdoor yoga, open-air film screenings, and more. Satellite venues across Kyoto Prefecture also host various eco-actions throughout the satellite period.
- Main venue (Okazaki Park): May 16 (Saturday) – 17 (Sunday), 2026
- Satellite venues (across Kyoto): April 18 (Saturday) – May 17 (Sunday), 2026
