New Year Event 2025

Indulge in gourmet delights at Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, then spend precious moments encountering the splendors of Japanese beauty.

■Dates
Jan 1(Wed.) and 2(Thu.), 2025

Experience a variety of traditional Japanese culture.

■Venue

Hanatsudoi and Hanasizuka banquet room, 2nd floor

■Reception

Morning sessions start after 10:00 a.m. on the day / Afternoon sessions start after 1:00 p.m. on the day
Guests wishing to take part in workshops may apply at the Workshop Reception on the 2nd floor on the day.

* Workshops are on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not available.

Amezaiku (Candy sculpture)

Amezaiku, the traditional art of candy sculpture, hails back to Japan’s Edo period (1603–1867). In this workshop, you will use U-shaped scissors to create a snake, the sign of the Chinese zodiac for 2025. As well as the workshop, there will be live demonstrations, and works of candy art will be available for sale.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:30 / 11:00 / 12:30
【Afternoon sessions】
13:00 / 13:30 / 14:30 / 15:00 / 15:30 / 17:00 / 17:30 / 18:00
* Workshop duration: 30 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
10 people per session

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Paint a lucky charm

The chimes of a clay bell are said to ward off evil, and bells have long been displayed as a talisman to welcome in good fortune. In this workshop, you will be given an unglazed, white clay bell or daruma figure to paint in your favorite colors, imbuing it with your wishes for a safe and peaceful year ahead.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:00 / 11:45
【Afternoon sessions】
13:45 / 15:30 / 17:15
* Workshop duration: 60 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
16 people per session

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Mizuhiki (Paper Cord Art)

Mizuhiki refers to decorations made with colorful paper cords that adorn envelopes used for monetary gifts and presents. The colors, number of cords used, and ways of tying them into different shapes all have special significance for different occasions. In this workshop, you will learn about the tradition of mizuhiki as you create your own chopstick rest or accessories.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:30 / 11:30
【Afternoon sessions】
13:00 / 14:00 / 15:30 / 16:30
* Workshop duration: 30 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
10 people per session

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Blossoming Calligraphy

In this workshop, you will use brush and ink to write a favorite word or character, imbuing it with your hopes and feelings, before finishing it off with splashes of color. Enjoy this new form of art, with its charms of overlapping colors.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:00 / 11:00 / 12:00
【Afternoon sessions】
13:15 / 15:45 / 17:00
* Workshop duration: 45 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
16 people per session

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Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement)

After a talk about ikebana from an instructor of the Ohara school, you will actually make your own flower arrangement, which you can take home with you at the end.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:45 / 11:45
【Afternoon sessions】
13:45 / 15:15 / 16:15 / 17:15
* Workshop duration: 45 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
15 people per session
*Suitable for elementary school age and above

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Make Your Own Temari (Embroidered Ball)

Temari, or embroidered balls, are auspicious items that mean “everything will be okay” and “forging connections.” In this workshop, you will embroider a pattern in the image of a daffodil.

■Times
【Morning sessions】
10:45 / 12:00
【Afternoon sessions】
13:15 / 15:15 / 16:45
* Workshop duration: 45 minutes

■Price
￥1,000

■Workshop size
10 people per session
*Suitable for elementary school age and above

* Workshops are on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not available.

Guests wishing to take part in workshops may apply at the Workshop Reception on the 2nd floor on the day(Morning sessions start after 10:00 a.m. on the day / Afternoon sessions start after 1:00 p.m. on the day).

* Children of elementary school and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

* Event details are subject to change.

*All prices include taxes.

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In addition to live koto and shakuhachi performances, traditional Japanese arts such as umbrella spinning and paper cutting will be on display.

 

Koto and Shakuhachi live performances

The public areas of the 2nd floor will be filled with the elegant tones of the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument, and the shakuhachi, or Japanese bamboo flute, with live performances of primarily Japanese music befitting the New Year.

■Times
10:30 / 12:00 / 13:45 / 14:45 / 15:45
*30 minutes per performance

■Venue
2nd Floor Foyer

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Street Performers

Traditional Japanese street performers will exhibit their talents, from powerful displays of umbrella spinning to skillful displays of paper cutting.

■Times
10:00 / 11:00 / 13:30 / 14:30 / 16:00
*30 minutes per performance

■Venue
1st Floor Atrium Garden

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Blossoming Calligraphy Performance

Watch the artist make the brush dance beautifully and dynamically across the paper, transforming the traditional Japanese art of shodo, or brush calligraphy, into an energetic work of art.

■Times
10:45 / 14:00
※15 minutes per performance

■Venue
2nd Floor Foyer

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Traditional Japanese dance

The first dance of the New Year will be performed by dancers from the Hanayagi school, accompanied by the shamisen, the three-stringed Japanese lute. See the ancient and beautifully elegant movements that are unique to traditional Japanese dance up close.

■Times
11:15 / 12:30 / 13:30 / 14:30 / 15:30
*15 minutes per performance

■Venue
2nd Floor Foyer

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Shishimai lion dance and hayashi music

The spirited energy of hayashi, traditional festival music featuring flutes and drums, and shishimai lion dance, performed by the Megurobayashi Higashigaoka Preservation Society, will create a lively, festive New Year atmosphere.

■Times
13:00 / 16:30
*30 minutes per performance

■Venue
2nd Floor Foyer

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Guests of all generations will be able to enjoy the lively fun of nostalgic festival games, such as target shooting and ring toss.

■Venue
Corridor, 2nd floor

■Times
10:00 – 17:30

■Price
￥1,000 / 4 times

■Details
Target shooting, lucky pick fishing, ring toss, superball scooping

* Festival games are on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not available.

* Children of elementary school and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

* Event details are subject to change.

*All prices include taxes.

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The works of traditional arts and crafts that once adorned the main entrance of Meguro Gajoen, the previous incarnation of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo that opened in 1931, have been relocated and recreated in the entrance foyer of the hotel’s Japanese tatami banquet rooms. A professional photographer will be on hand to take commemorative photographs.

■Venue
Japanese Tatami banquet rooms foyer, 4th Floor

■Times
Jan 1(Wed.), 2025 11:00 – 17:00（requests accepted until 16:00）
Jan 2(Thu.), 2025 10:00 – 17:00（requests accepted until 16:00）

■Price
1 pose: ￥11,000 / 2 poses:￥19,800

* People with reservations will be given priority, but guests without reservations are also welcome. Please apply at the Commemorative Photo Corner on the day.

* You will be given the digital photo files on a CD-ROM 90 minutes after your session.

* Prices include taxes and service charges.

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Choose from around 200 traditional kimonos, most featuring classical patterns and colors with auspicious motifs perfect for the New Year. There is also an extensive range for children and men. The whole family can enjoy the New Year dressed in the splendor of Japan’s traditional attire.

■Venue
Heian and Genroku rooms, 4th Floor

■Times
10:00 – 16:00

■Price
From￥17,000

* Bookings accepted at 30-minute intervals; Up to 10 people per session.

* Prices include taxes and service charges.