Hotel Gajoen Tokyo
For lunch, we visited the Hotel Gajoen Tokyo (ホテル雅叙園東京) 🗾, a historic hotel, wedding venue, and restaurant located on the eastern edge of Shimomeguro. The opulent landmark building, in particular its lobby, reportedly inspired the red entrance in the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away.
The hotel started when the owner of a nearby restaurant acquired the property and relocated the business there. It opened in 1931 and is stunning in its architecture, and the interior is opulent and beautiful. Its current form is the result of a 1992 renovation, with only a small part, Hyakudan Kaidan (One Hundred Steps), remaining from the older building.
Our visit started about 11:00 AM, and we had ample time to explore the sights inside the hotel, before heading to the Kanade Terrace (or “New American Grill Kanade Terrace”) restaurant (inside the hotel) for a very luxurious buffet lunch, including:
- Japanese Staples: Steamed rice, miso soup, tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), pickles (tsukemono), grilled fish, natto (fermented soybeans).
- Seafood: Often a highlight, with fresh sashimi, sushi (nigiri), and sometimes premium items like crab or oysters.
- Western & International: A wide array of choices like salads, soups, breads, Western-style egg dishes, fried items (tempura, croquettes), and sometimes carved meats.
- Desserts: A wide selection of Japanese sweets (mochi, anmitsu), Western pastries, cakes, and fresh fruits, plus perhaps a chocolate fountain.yes
- Drinks: Green tea, coffee, juices, and sometimes specialty drinks. Around 12:30 PM, we hopped on the bus to our next destination.