From October 1 (Tue) to October 31 (Thu), 2019, Hoshinoya Tokyo, a Japanese ryokan, will host a special full-course meal exclusively for guests, titled "Nippon Cuisine: A Journey Through Time." As Japan transitions into a new era from Heisei to Reiwa, this special course menu draws inspiration from the history of Japanese food culture to convey its charm.

Hoshinoya Tokyo opened in Otemachi, Tokyo, in 2016 as a Japanese ryokan. It is an urban ryokan that respects traditional Japanese aesthetics while incorporating modern comforts. In the dining room on the first basement floor, the focus is on fish dishes that have supported Japanese food culture, offering a full course called "Nippon Cuisine" that combines ingredients from Japan's rich natural environment with French culinary techniques.
   
The special course, "Nippon Cuisine: A Journey Through Time," available from October 1 (Tue), is based on the concept of Head Chef Noriyuki Hamada, who believes, "Perhaps natural ingredients native to Japan since ancient times are the true Japanese ingredients." With the arrival of the new Reiwa era, "Nippon Cuisine" has been enhanced with the element of "time" to create a special course tracing the origins of Japanese cuisine.

The menu features dishes such as "Ammonite Fossil-Style Shellfish," inspired by the Paleolithic era, and "Tilefish 'Clay-Baked' Style," derived from a Yayoi period cooking method of baking fish encased in clay. From appetizers to desserts, each dish is a unique expression by Head Chef Hamada, utilizing ingredients and techniques from various historical periods, from the past to the present.

Furthermore, "Nippon Cuisine" incorporates fish rarely used in French cuisine and even discarded parts. While rare, high-value fish become branded and command high prices in Tokyo's markets, where the world's finest ingredients converge, smaller, less desirable fish are often caught but deemed worthless and discarded. Head Chef Hamada finds new value in what is considered "worthless," using carefully selected natural Japanese ingredients to express the bounty of the mountains and seas, along with the wisdom and ingenuity of ancient Japan, in each dish.

These special dishes are served in a dining room characterized by its striking, earth-layered troweled walls. "Nippon Cuisine: A Journey Through Time" is offered as a limited course in this dining room, available to only three groups (six people) per day. Immerse yourself in a culinary experience that traces the past to the present, prepared with carefully selected ingredients in a unique setting.

Nippon Cuisine: A Journey Through Time
Period: October 1 (Tue) - October 31 (Thu), 2019
Eligibility: Guests staying at Hoshinoya Tokyo
Capacity: Up to 3 groups (6 people) per day (minimum 2 people required)
Reservation: Bookings required at least 7 days in advance via the website
Price: ¥30,000 per person (excluding tax and service charge)