With travel on pause for the moment, Palace Hotel Tokyo is currently hosting a series of dinners to bring a taste of regional Japanese food and culture to the capital.
A collaboration with The Ryokan Collection, a consortium of luxury Japanese inns and boutique hotels, the “Essence of Japan” events feature eight traditional ryokan inns.
The series began Jan. 14 with a meal showcasing the cuisine of Ryokan Kurashiki and will run through March 18. At each event, the ryokan’s head chef is joined by the property’s okami, the female proprietor who manages the inn. More than a host or a maitre d’hotel, the role of the okami — which dates back to the origins of ryokan 1,300 years ago — embodies the history and spirit of each inn. As Hiroki Fukunaga, the founder of The Ryokan Collection, points out, the okami is “the symbol of the family business” responsible for overseeing the detailed and heartfelt service that forms the base of Japan’s omotenashi brand of hospitality.