Autumn in view

The beauty of Japan’s autumn leaves is world renowned, and has been chronicled in art, literature, film and more. Countries that are so densely clustered with trees that produce vivid foliage are few and far between. Excluding Japan, only a few coastal areas in East Asia, eastern areas in North America, and parts of Europe are the setting for the fiery natural displays. It’s also widely held that because of Japan’s weather patterns and distinct seasonal temperature changes, the gradation in colour between the red and yellow leaves are particularly apparent.

As we move deeper into autumn, the trees start showing off their Technicolor wonders and the exodus to popular foliage spots begins. Heading out of town to appreciate the autumn leaves is all well and good, but for an enjoyable and more light-hearted experience, you don’t have to go much further than one of Tokyo’s hotels— perhaps even on the way home from work.

Films such as ‘Lost in Translation’ or ‘Black Rain’ may have given the public the image that Tokyo is a concrete jungle, however, starting with the grounds around the Imperial Palace Tokyo has an abundance of parks and areas full of greenery for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.

Choosing one of Tokyo’s hotels to view the autumn leaves rather than one of the other more obvious spots in or around the city is can be an especially eye-opening and even unexpectedly comfortable experience; hotels provide comfortable lounges and great restaurants, and have luxurious guest rooms from which nature’s show can be enjoyed. Some hotels even light up their gardens at night, giving spectators a new perspective.

For a short time at least, it’s possible to forget you’re in Tokyo and simply let yourself be captivated by nature’s very own autumn artwork.

The Peninsula Tokyo

If location is the deciding factor in where to see autumn foliage, then look no further. The autumn leaves in both Hibiya Park and the Koukyo-no-mori can be enjoyed simultaneously from the hotel’s spot in front of the Imperial Palace’s outer gardens. True, a top class suite will set you back over ¥1,000,000 a night, however, this year The Hotel Peninsula is offering guests a chance to win the prize of reserving a deluxe room for ¥2009 (including service charge and tax) a night under their year-long ‘2009— A Year of Giving and Receiving’ programme. The campaign is part of the hotel’s ongoing philosophy of giving back to its customers and making a contribution to society. The proceeds from the campaign will be donated to breast cancer charities aiming to promote the earlier detection of breast cancer, and to Make-A-Wish Japan®, a charity which helps terminally ill children to realise their dreams. Until the end of the year, on the first day of each month, from 9am until 10am, the first 10 callers will be awarded a reservation of a Deluxe Room for up to three people for a one-night stay at the special campaign price.

The Peninsula Tokyo

Address: 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku

Telephone: (03)6270 2888, limited campaign hotline: (03)6270 2200

Website: www.peninsula.com/Tokyo/jp/default.aspx

Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo

Located at the heart of the city and surrounded in greenery, this hotel features a Japanese-style garden that has a distinctly different feel depending on the season. A large glass window, through which the garden can be viewed, is situated on the first floor lobby. However, it’s the autumn leaves in the garden that make it an exceptional spot; the garden is lit up at night making it all the more captivating. Nestled in Shirokanedai, it’s a place where the one can find a beautiful autumn view only a moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo

Address: 1-1-50 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku

Telephone: (03)3447 3111

Website: www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/tokyo/

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

The New Otani is surrounded by one of Tokyo’s noted Japanese-style gardens that features a waterfall within its grounds. The garden boasts over 400 years of history, has been painstakingly maintained and exhibits different but equally enjoyable scenery each season. The hotel is continuously being praised by customers for its environmental friendliness through its ‘Hybrid Hotel Project’, aiming to bring about a higher level of service through the ideology that ‘creating environmentally friendly amenities is inherent to the genuine comfort of guests’. By way of a major restoration, the hotel has upgraded its earthquake safety, installed an improved climate control system, and amongst other distinctions has cut its CO2 emissions to offer an eco-friendly level of service.

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

Address: 4-1 Kioi-Cho, Chiyoda-ku

Telephone: 03-3265-1111

Website: www.newotani.co.jp/tokyo/

The Four Seasons Hotel Chinzan-so Tokyo

The Four Seasons Chinzan-so offers rooms based on elegantly traditional European design overlooking a Japanese style garden with 60,000 m2 of scenery. The garden is steeped in history, and with treasures such as a three-storey pagoda dating back to the Muromachi Period and 500-year old sacred trees, a walk through the garden feels like a look back in time. Taking a stroll through the history of the garden whilst enjoying the foliage is just one of the many ways the garden can be appreciated; at night the garden is lit up by environmentally friendly light emitting diodes (LEDs), bringing the scenery alive and making the experience all the more spectacular. Japanese lanterns can be borrowed out to make an evening visit even more memorable. Couples are welcome to reserve a private room that affords views onto the garden— perhaps making this the perfect seasonal spot to spend some leisurely romantic time.

The Four Seasons Hotel Chinzan-so Tokyo

Address: 2-10-8 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku

Telephone: (03)3943 2222

Website: www.chinzanso.com/

RIGHA Royal Hotel Tokyo

The RIGHA Royal capitalises on the landscape of the surrounding 30,000 m2 Okuma garden at Waseda University, as if in its own private garden. Shin-Edogawa Park and Kansenen Park add to the area’s abundance of foliage. The hotel offers a health club and personal fitness programs supported by Waseda University’s School of Sport Sciences, allowing you the opportunity to devote yourself to personal training in the amid some of the best scenery that autumn in Tokyo has to offer. Furthermore, in celebration of its fifteenth anniversary, the hotel is currently operating select services at reduced rates.

RIGHA Royal Hotel Tokyo

Address: 1-104-19 Totsukamachi, Shinjuku-ku

Telephone: (03)5285 1121

Website: www.rihga-tokyo.co.jp/