118 HERWORLD JAN 2020
Day 1
Ifdininginthegardenconjures
imagesofateahousenestled
inlushgreenery,you’renotfar
fromit.Mucha-an,oneofHotel
ChinzansoTokyo’sfirst-rate
restaurants,issetinthelittle
forestonthehotel’sgrounds.
ThewalktoMucha-anis
scenicasonestrollsthroughthe
KabukiGatealongtheKanda
River,beforethecobbledsteps
leadyoutothecharmingsoba
eatery.
Here,you’llexperiencean
authenticdiningexperience
withintheelegantconfinesof
lovinglyrestoredMuromachi
period(1336-1573)interiors.
Knownforitshomemade
soba,theculinaryteamat
Mucha-anmakesthesenoodles
fromstone-groundJapanese
buckwheatflourthat’scarefully
selectedeveryseason.
Servedincoldorwarm
broth,Mucha-an’ssobais
chewywithaslightgrainyHW FEATURE
texture,andservedwithspring
onions,radishandwasabi-
filleddippingsauce.
Indeed,theeaterylives
uptoitsnamewithaservice
that’sgraceful,andaculinary
standardthat’srefined.
Itskaiseki-stylecourse,
whichisatraditionalmulti-
courseJapanesedinner–akin
tohautecuisineoftheWest- thatpromisesadelightful
journeyoftextures,colours
andtaste.
Themulti-courseis
carefullypresentedto
harmoniseflavours.Themiso-
grilledsalmonisexemplary,
anditneedsnothingmorethan
asprinkleofseasalt.
Day 2
There’ssomethingmagical
aboutHotelChinzanso
Tokyo,whichdatesback
totheMeijiera,asguest
servicesdirectorAndreSol
narratespiecesofthehotel’she low evening
light accentuates
the green oasis of
the famed Hotel
Chinzanso Tokyo
in Bunkyo. It’s
postcard-perfect every season,
drawing visitors who are besotted
by the awe-inspiring view of
botanical species from cherry
trees to camellia trees and plums
that bloom beautifully in the cold
of winter, reminiscent of snowy
scenes on ink paintings.
The resort-like
facilities include an
indoor hot spring bath
or Japanese onsen
using water from Ito,
a famous hot spring
resort town.