Suzumushi Cafe now open in green oasis in downtown Tokyo.

Japan is famously hot and humid in the summer, and especially so this year. Not coincidentally, though, Japan has a lot of cultural traditions centered on keeping cool during the hottest part of the year, and visitors to the Prince Park Tower Tokyo, located near Tokyo Tower, can enjoy some very elegant ones right now, regardless of whether or not you’re staying at the hotel overnight.

Held at the shrine on the hotel’s grounds, Suzumushi Cafe is a summertime event that invites you to relax while gazing out at evening views of Tokyo Tower, dining and sipping on fare that’s a treat for the eyes and taste buds, and listening to the soothing sound of the chirping crickets (suzumushi in Japanese) as you stroll the hotel’s garden.

The best seats are the ones on the engawa, an extended low verandah that surrounds buildings with a classical Japanese architectural style. Engawa literally translates as “green side,” referencing their view of an adjacent garden and plant life, and they’re also a great spot to sit and be caressed by the cool evening breeze.

In addition to festively colorful drinks, the Suzumushi Cafe’s set meal includes artistically arranged dishes and desserts drawing inspiration from Tokyo Tower and the starry summertime sky.

Another reason you’ll want to snag an engawa seat is so that you can enjoy ashimizu, a cold-water footbath that’s another tried-but-true method of staying cool in Japan in the summer.

During the event, the hotel garden (which admission to is in included in the cost of the Suzumushi Cafe meal) will have a special photo spot with an array of traditional Japanese paper umbrellas…

…and if you’re thinking, “Yeah, I’d like to take a photo like that too, if only I had a kimono/knew how to tie the sash,” during the event the Prince Park Tower Tokyo will also have a selection of rental yukata (summer kimono) on offer for an additional charge, as well as staff to help you get dressed in them.

▼ Note that the hotel only has women’s kimono, so if you’re a guy you’re going to have to get your yukata and tie your sash on your own (but we can help you with that last part).

And while not specifically related to staying cool, it’s not really a complete summer night of Japanese fun without some fireworks, so the Suzumushi Cafe also includes a set of sparklers, or senko hanabi, as they’re called in Japanese.

The Suzumushi Cafe event is going on now and runs until September 1, with engawa seats prices at 6,500 yen (US$42), indoor seats 5,500 yen, and kimono rental/sash tying 2,300 yen. Reservations can be made online through the Prince Park Tower Tokyo website (seats here, kimono rentals here).

Location information
The Prince Park Tower Tokyo / ザ・プリンス パークタワー東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Shiba Koen 4-8-1
東京都港区芝公園４丁目８−１
Website

Source, images: PR Times
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