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Online Benefits If you do not need the print version of EIC Express, please visit http://www.keioplaza.com/eic/express.html for registration. Those who register will be notified of new issues via e-mail. This measure is part of the hotel's effort to decrease paper waste and stay as environmentally friendly as possible. The Keio Plaza will give a 500-point bonus to those who choose to register. Hokkaido — Experience Natural and Culinary Delights with the Keio Plaza Hotel Chain Surrounded by the sea, Hokkaido in northern Japan is endowed with natural splendor in the form of mountains, lakes, swamps, and other features noted for their beauty. Hokkaido offers dry, comfortable weather in summer and is a favorite destination for winter sports fans. One of Hokkaido's many pleasures is its wide range of gourmet foods, including crabs, scallops, other kinds of seafood, and special noodles. Among other attractions, Hokkaido has the largest number of hot springs in Japan. Its Toya-ko Lake will be the site of the G8 Summit in summer 2008, the Shiretoko Peninsula is a World Natural Heritage site, and Furano is famed for fantastic landscapes carpeted with flowers. Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido, makes an excellent base for visitors. Nearby, Jozankei is a onestop destination for fabulous gulches and hot springs alike, and Maruyama Park is a must-see. The city is also home to Keio Plaza Hotel Sapporo. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Keio Plaza Hotel Sapporo had a makeover this spring. Duet (a new cafe) and Glass Seasons (a buffet & party court) have been opened. The newly created Executive Floor radiates comfort, with its chic interior and eminent service. As always, Keio Plaza Hotels remain driven by the search for higher and higher levels of comfort. All EIC members are entitled to discount accommodation charges and other advantages with the Reward Point Program. Sapporo is only a 1.5-hour flight from Tokyo, making it a perfect side-trip destination. It should also be noted that Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo will hold a Hokkaido Fair this August, with its restaurants offering special dishes featuring fresh ingredients from Hokkaido. Whether in Sapporo or Tokyo, let us be your gateway to the unique culture of this fascinating region of Japan. The Very Best of Sake and Japanese Cuisine at Amanogawa Sake, a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice, comes in a great variety of flavors and tastes. Many sake brands from northern Japan are dry and fresh, while those from southern regions are sweet, mellow, and rich in flavor. When chilled, sake is refreshing and easy to drink. When it is served warm, a wealth of flavors and tastes emerge. Sake goes very well with almost any style of cuisine and brings out the best in every food. Amanogawa, the sake bar in Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, provides the very pinnacle of sake experiences. Takeshi Hikita, Amanogawa's "sake sommelier" and an expert in both sake and cuisine, says "We always have some 30 to 40 brands of sake chosen from the very best from producers across Japan in harmony with the current season. When helping a customer to select a brand of sake, I first listen to his or her likes and dislikes. I then offer the best choice possible and serve it at the appropriate temperature. It is my hope that you will visit Amanogawa and experience the unique joy of sake in our carefree atmosphere." Sake Bar Amanogawa (2nd Floor, Main Tower, within Kagari) Business Hours: 5:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. (orders accepted until 10:00 P.M.) 10 seats * Reservations are recommended. A Bird's-Eye View of Tokyo At 333 meters tall, Tokyo Tower is among the city's best-known sightseeing stops. Built as a radio tower for broadcasting and telecommunication in 1933, the tower features observation decks that provide an excellent view of the city. Standing at its foot is "FootTown," home to an aquarium, a wax museum, the Guinness World Records Museum of Tokyo, and other fascinating exhibits. The larger observation deck, 150 meters above the ground, makes for a clear view of every major building in Tokyo. From the higher deck, Mt. Fuji is visible in clear weather. After sunset, the tower from the outside is beautiful. There is an urban legend known as "Tokyo Tower lights down," which holds that a couple that watches the lights of the tower go off* together at midnight will enjoy eternal happiness. Many couples can be seen waiting to experience the moment of magic. To visit the tower, take the Toei Oedo Subway Line at the Tochomae station, which is very close to the hotel. After 15 minutes, get off at Akabane-bashi and walk 5 minutes. Please feel free to ask Guest Relations for more information. * On some nights, the lights are left on for maintenance or for other reasons. Series: Scenes from Japanese Society Volume 11: Yakata-Bune: Cruising Japanese Style The Yakata-bune is a Japanese-style boat featuring a roofed house-like cabin structure with tatami mats inside. Many such boats cruise around on rivers and along coasts, filled with passengers enjoying the view while dining or drinking. Yakata-bune come in a great variety of sizes and can accommodate 15 to 100 passengers. Some even have a two-storied cabin. Yakata-bune operate day and night. Many passengers use them to view cherry blossoms in the spring or colorful leaves in autumn. In summer, a nighttime cruise helps passengers to cool down amidst pleasant river breezes. A summer night can sizzle when there is a fireworks festival along a riverbank, which becomes crowded with boats full of passengers eager to watch the display. And in the clear air of a winter evening, the illumination along rivers or the coast sparkles all the more gorgeously. Usually, a yakata-bune is reserved by a group of passengers. However, some boats are shared by individuals. In Tokyo, you can catch yakata-bune at slipways located at Shinagawa, Hamamatsu-cho, and elsewhere. If interested, please contact Guest Relations for further information. Relaxation and Satisfaction at Nan-En (2nd floor, Main Tower) Business Hours: Weekdays (Lunch): 11:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. (orders accepted until 2:30 P.M.) Weekdays (Dinner): 5:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. (orders accepted until 9:30 P.M.) Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 11:30 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. (orders accepted until 9:30 P.M.) 174 seats in the main hall, 7 separate rooms *Reservations are recommended. At the Chinese restaurant Nan-En, culinary mastery is always on display, making the most of fresh ingredients from a variety of gourmet seafood, meats, and vegetables. One recent hit with diners is the "Souka" dinner course, which offers eight dishes including dessert at only 485 Kcal, created with the healthiest ingredients and oils. Staple dishes like pan-fried chicken with cashew nuts continue to enjoy lasting popularity as well. Nan-En's authentic foods are complemented by a luxurious but relaxing interior and meticulous service. It is a great place for a business meeting, to entertain someone special, or to celebrate special events with family. The restaurant's manager, Masaki Ohtsuka, says, "A group of guests can relax and enjoy a tempting variety of large dishes, or an individual can stop by for a quick snack. We serve many different needs, adjusting serving sizes, ingredients, and cooking methods to satisfy each and every customer. For instance, we are happy to serve a single Chinese dumpling to an individual diner. Our staff speaks English, so making an appointment is no trouble at all. Please feel free to let us know how we can best serve you." Visually enticing, rich in culture, and perfect as gifts — discover the crafts of traditional Japan. Series: Tiny Gifts from Yesterday's Japan Volume 14: Tenugui — Light, Durable, and Handy Tenugui are traditional Japanese cloth products usually made of rough, plain-woven cotton. Commonly sized around 90 cm by 30 cm, they carry a lovely diversity of patterns and designs dyed directly into the material. Light, thin, durable, easy to dry, and highly water-absorptive, tenugui have been a part of everyday life in Japan for more than three centuries. The uses of tenugui are literally innumerable — they can serve as handkerchiefs, towels, casual wrapping cloths, towels for wiping up, bandanas, face masks, and the like. Even today, many people moving into new neighborhoods and merchants launching new stores distribute tenugui as token gifts. At traditional festivals, people wear them around their necks or twisted around their heads. The cloth is an indispensable part of "cool" festival attire. Befitting the new century, many individuals are finding new ways to use tenugui. The cloth can serve as a centerpiece on a dining table, as an alternative form of wall tapestry, and so on. Light and small, these cotton products come in a great variety of colors and designs, often patterned with motifs taken from nature or with geometrical designs. Tenugui always make wonderful souvenirs. For Members of the Executive International Club THE CLUB LOUNGE opens its door to broader customers The International Club Lounge changes its name to THE CLUB LOUNGE, and opens its door not only for EIC members also the guests staying at the Plaza Comfort. At the lounge guests can enjoy coffee, tea, cocktails and so on for help-yourself service during the opening hours. Location South Tower, 34th Floor Seating Capacity 40 (28 in the lounge area and 2 private rooms with 4 and 8 seats) New Opening Hours: 1:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Free for all EIC members and guests staying at the Plaza Comfort, 2,000 yen for each additional guest *Meeting rooms are also available: 1:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Type A (up to 8 people): 8,000 yen for the first two hours; 4,000 yen for each additional hour Type B (up to 4 people): 4,000 yen for the first two hours; 2,000 yen for each additional hour *The price includes self-service drinks and snacks. *Advanced reservations recommended *To use or make a reservation for a meeting room, please contact THE CLUB LOUNGE staff. Special room rates for EIC members The discounted accommodation rates noted below apply to EIC members. Type of Room Single Double/Twin Superior 22,050 yen 26,250 yen Plaza Comfort 22,575 yen 26,775 yen Plaza Premier 24,150 yen 28,350 yen *Plaza Comfort rooms are located on the 28th through 33rd floors of the South Tower. *Service charges are not included in the above rates. *Rates are subject to change without notice. *Rates includes Complimentary Breakfast. Complimentary breakfast for EIC members To EIC members staying with us at the member rates, we offer free breakfast at the Cocktail & Tea Lounge on the 3rd floor (where the lobby is located) of the Main Tower. The Lounge, bathed with an abundance of morning sunlight, caters only to selected guests during breakfast, including EIC members. In this spacious, relaxing lounge, enjoy a buffet-style breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages, and more. Breads and cereals of many different kinds, fresh fruits, coffee, tea, juices, and other selections are also provided. Breakfast (served at the Cocktail & Tea Lounge on the 3rd floor) 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. (Please enter the lounge by 9:30 A.M.) Free for EIC members; 2,520 yen per person for their guests *We provide a complimentary buffet breakfast for guests staying at regular EIC membership rates. *Service charges are not included in the above rate. Umi-biraki is an event that marks the beginning of the swimming season at beaches in Japan. Usually led by local government officials in charge of a given beach, umi-biraki events are open to the general public and often involve a Shinto ceremony with prayers for prosperous business and prevention of sea accidents. Afterwards, participants help to clean up the beach and then go on to join in other activities. Many beaches of Japan celebrate this event on July 1st, while Okinawa and other warmer places do so earlier. Since most of Japan's public elementary and secondary schools have a summer off from late July through the end of August, families often visit beaches during this time. The third Monday of July is a national holiday known as "Marine Day," and the entire month of July has been designated the "Month of the Sea." To keep swimmers safe, most beaches run by local governments install lifeguards, often seated on watchtowers, from the day of umi-biraki or sometime in late July through mid-August. Following this time, schools of jellyfish frequently appear in the sea and cause difficulties for swimmers. Try This! Quiz on Topics Discussed in this Issue We hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. We have provided a quiz on the topics discussed in this issue. Please try your hand at the questions below and send your answers to us. We would appreciate your comments about this newsletter and the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo as well. Please send your answers and comments no later than August 31, 2007 to: Customer Relations Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo 2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8330 Japan E-mail: customer-rlt@keioplaza.co.jp Fax: +81-3-5322-8118 Prize of this issue: To three winners chosen by lot from among those who have applied with the correct answers, we will present a suite of sushi models. Food models, made of vinyl and/or plastic, are placed in some restaurant windows to indicate what is available. Their realistic representation has won the favor of many tourists from abroad, who take them home as souvenirs. 1. Which one of the Japanese restaurants below (all of which are inside Keio Plaza Hotel), houses Amanogawa, an establishment offering the choicest brands of sake? Miyama Kagari Shun Soujuan 2. What is the most common time for Japan's public elementary and secondary schools to begin their summer holidays? Early June Late June Early July Late July The winners of the prize for EIC Express, Vol. 30: Saiful Alam (Japan) Janice Vaghini Aranoff (U.S.A.) Elsie Chung (Hong Kong) Teri Futaba (U.S.A.) The last issue's answers: 1. b, 2. d Use of Personal Information Personal Information received from Members (hereinafter called "Personal Information"), such as names, addresses, company names, and e-mail addresses, will be used for the purpose of sending newsletters about our services to such Members. The Keio Plaza Hotel chain will obtain, use, and store personal information about Members (such as names or addresses) only for the Keio Plaza Executive International Club (EIC), and will never use such information for any other purpose. The Renewed Business Center Opens on April 1st, on the 3rd Floor of the Main Tower On April 1st, 2007, our renewed Business Center will begin service on the 3rd floor of the Main Tower, where the lobby is located. The Center offers rental cell phones, fax and photocopy services, arrangement of interpretation and translation as well as of international delivery services, business card printing, and other conveniences. Windows PCs (connected to the Internet) and printers are also available. The Center has been renewed to provide everything necessary for efficient business activities. The Business Center's business hours Monday through Friday: 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. * The coin-operated PCs at the entrance to the Center are available 24 hours per day. Please help yourself. * The Center offers the following pay services, among others: 1. Photocopies (monochrome and full-color) 2. Fax transmission 3. Rental cellular phones 4. Arrangement of interpretation and translation services 5. Typing 6. Arrangement of international delivery service 7. Internet connection 8. Business card printing EIC Advantages By enrolling in the Executive International Club, you will be eligible to receive a variety of special services and discounts reserved exclusively for EIC members. We cordially invite all members of the Executive International Club to stay with us and experience these advantages. · Free use of THE CLUB LOUNGE, exclusively reserved for EIC members · Extended late check-out until 3:00 P.M. upon request (subject to availability) · Early check-in at 11:00 A.M. upon request (subject to availability) · Priority room reservations · Frequent flyer mileage points with our 11 participating airline partners Joining is easy. Simply stop by the front desk, visit our web site, or write to the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo. http://www.keioplaza.com/eic/index.html Frequent Flyer Mileage Points Earn miles when using the following Frequent Flyer Programs. Points will be provided at eligible room rates or higher. To claim points, simply present your FFP membership card upon check-in. Participating Airlines and Program names AIR FRANCE 500 miles per stay ALASKA AIRLINES 500 miles per stay AMERICAN AIRLINES 500 miles per stay ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS 500 miles per stay CATHAY PACIFIC 500 miles per stay VIRGIN ATLANTIC 1,500 miles per stay JAPAN AIRLINES 500 miles per stay KLM 500 miles per stay QANTAS 1,000 points per stay UNITED AIRLINES 500 miles per stay VARIG BRAZIL 1,000 miles per stay To Make Your Next Reservation The Keio Plaza Hotel is a member of Summit Hotels & Resorts, an international luxury hotel group. To make your next reservation with us, please contact phone numbers below. * Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo Tel: +81-3-5322-8000 Fax: +81-3-3345-8269 * Los Angeles Office Toll free: +1-800-222-5346 * Online Reservations http://www.keioplaza.com * Summit Hotels & Resorts United States (toll free): +1- 800- 457- 4000 China / Hong Kong: +852-2965-1902 United Kingdom (toll free): +0800-55- 65- 55 Brazil (toll free): +0800- 55- 1821 Australia (toll free) +1-800-801-855