Rediscover the city
Stroll from the hotel to the Imperial Palace Gardens, discovering the historic Ote-mon and Sakurada Gates and Nijubashi Bridge. During the Edo period (1603 to 1867), Ote-mon served as the main entrance to Edo Castle, built by the Tokugawa shogunate who established the city that today is the capital of Japan.
A shopping itinerary could include artisan-run stores keeping alive ancient Japanese crafts – a brush maker from the Edo period; a producer of exquisite cutlery; a Japanese paper merchant. Or see the city through the eyes of an Ukiyo-e ‘pictures of the floating world’ art expert, who will reveal the inspiration for this 17th to 19th century genre of woodblock prints and paintings. Wander the cobbled streets with a view of Mount Fuji, explore the riverbank where the fish market used to reside, and live the scenes that inspired these works of art.
The art of Iaido swordsmanship
Take a private Iaido session focusing on maneuvers and samurai etiquette. Dating back to the 16th century, this graceful martial art encompasses hundreds of styles of swordsmanship, reflecting the refinement and morals of the archetypal Japanese warrior.