KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO : EIC EXPRESS

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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.

World-Class Hospitality
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan and
His Majesty King Gustaf of Sweden Visit Keio Plaza Hotel

On October 5th, 2007, the Keio Plaza Hotel's Concord Ballroom was the site of a dinner party in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of scouting. The event was hosted by the World Scout Foundation under the title: "Centenary of Scouting: The 54th World Baden-Powell Fellowship Event." The celebratory dinner was graced with the presence of His Majesty King Gustaf of Sweden, who serves the Foundation as its Honorary President, and Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

The World Scout Foundation provides financial support to the scout movement, which some 29 million people in 152 nations throughout the world currently participate in. In the spacious and elegantly decorated ballroom, numerous Keio Plaza Hotel service specialists worked together to make the evening worthy of the occasion. Participants relished a special dinner featuring broiled fillet of Japanese beef served with bercy sauce as a main dish.

The celebration was a great success, and His Majesty King Gustaf, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and many other guests kindly bestowed warm words of gratitude upon the hotel staff.
Ever since its beginnings as an international urban hotel serving a great variety of guests as a "plaza," the hotel has been doing everything it can to provide guests with the very best of hospitality over the past 36 years.

Our guests have included countless artists, from Herbert von Karajan to Placido Domingo, top athletes in sports such as tennis and distance running, leading figures in many different fields, and persons of distinction from nations all over the world. During your next visit to Japan, we cordially invite you to experience the unique form of world-class hospitality that can be found only at Keio Plaza Hotel.

From Master to Meister

Li Guo Chao has long delighted guests with his culinary achievements as the head chef of Nan-En, Keio Plaza Hotel's Chinese restaurant.Now, he has been officially recognized by the Tokyo Government as a "Tokyo Meister."
"Tokyo Meister" is a title granted by the Governor of Tokyo to experts working in Tokyo who provide excellent models for others in their fields to follow. Mr. Li began working at Nan-en when the hotel opened in 1971, and he was appointed the restaurant's head chef in 1995. Along the way, he worked consistently to hone his increasingly masterful culinary skills through rigorous study of many different Chinese regional cooking styles. These days,

he enjoys recognition as a leading figure in Cantonese cuisine, appearing as a TV commercial spokesperson for a major Japanese food manufacturer.
Head Chef Li spoke of his dedication to his art, saying, "I am determined to do everything I can to create a Chinese cuisine that tastes great and makes everybody happy." This devotion is certain to give rise to even more sublime creations from Chef Li and Nan-En in the years to come.

Immerse Yourself in the World of Ukiyo-e

From its origins in the 16th century, ukiyo-e, a traditional category of painting in Japan, has pleased the eyes of countless viewers. Some ukiyo-e works were painted, but especially well-known are multi-colored wood prints. Though small and simple, those works feature a wide variety of motifs, and are known to have had a great influence on impressionist painters such as Van Gogh, among many others.
The Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art's collection of ukiyo-e, which numbers some 12,000 works, contains works of masters like Katsushika Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro, as well as excellent pieces by many other artists. To appreciate such masterful art, just take a short walk to Shinjuku Station from Keio Plaza, followed by five-minute ride on a southbound Yamanote Line train to Harajuku. From that station, the museum is only five minutes away on foot.
Tokyo has many more museums of various kinds, from the Tokyo National Museum to the National Art Center, Tokyo, most of which are within 30 minutes from the Keio Plaza Hotel. For more information, please speak with our Guest Relations staff.

Hours:
10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.
(Entrance is permitted up to 5:00 P.M.)

Closed:
On Mondays (except National Holidays)
*If Monday is a holiday, it will be closed on the next regular work day.
From the 27th to the last day of each month
From December 17th to January 2nd

Admission:
700 yen to 1,000 yen for an adult (charges vary depending on the exhibition)
*Works on display are changed regularly. Confirmation is recommended before visiting.

Series: Scenes from Japanese Society
Volume 13: Kotatsu: Warm Winters and Warm Family Life in Japan

A kotatsu is a common heating device found in Japan. It is a small table with a heat source (such as an infrared heater) installed on the underside and surrounded by a thick blanket-like futon. People sit around the table with their lower bodies wrapped in the futon in order to warm up on cold winter days.
The kotatsu is quite suitable for a typical Japanese house, where inhabitants generally remove their shoes and sit on the floor. Also, it boasts good heat efficiency, which means lower heating costs. Though many Japanese today use Western-style chairs and tables, the kotatsu still enjoys widespread popularity, especially in winter. It is a time-honored Japanese tradition to spend many hours lazing around the kotatsu like "couch potatoes," enjoying snacks, mikan tangerines, and other fruits. Its widespread usage even today is evidence of how comfortable the device really can be. A very common scene during Japan's New Year holidays is for a whole family to sit around the kotatsu and watch New Year TV specials together. In winter, the device serves to warm the hearts, as well as the legs, of families throughout the nation.

Japanese Taste and Style, with a Refreshing Twist, at Kagari
(2nd floor, Main Tower)

Business Hours:
Breakfast:7:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.
Lunch:11:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. (Orders accepted until 2:30 P.M.)
Dinner:5:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. (Orders accepted until 10:00 P.M.)
108 seats 2 separate rooms
*Reservations are recommended.

Kagari, a neo-Japanesque restaurant, offers a look at the new frontier of Japanese culinary art in a comfortable, modern space. It takes pride in dishes that make the most out of fresh ingredients, such as fish delivered directly from contract fishing ports and organic vegetables harvested newly each morning by contract farmers. Kagari provides an excellent variety of a la carte dishes, including sushi, tempura, soba (buckwheat noodles), and more — all the crown jewels of Japanese cooking in a single location.
Toshihiro Uchimura, the manager of Kagari, says, "During the daytime, we offer reasonably-priced lunches consisting of a great variety of dishes. In the evening, many choose from our a la carte dishes, which use specially recommended ingredients selected on a day-by-day basis. During the winter, our special recommendation is swellfish. Kagari's sake bar Amanogawa is manned by a kikizake-shi ("sake sommelier") who can rapidly select the most suitable sake for the foods of your choice. If you are new to Japanese foods, Kagari can be an excellent introduction. And it is a great place for business dinners, too. Whether alone or in a group, a good time in a relaxing space awaits you."

Visually enticing, rich in culture, and perfect as gifts
— discover the crafts of traditional Japan.
Series: Tiny Gifts from Yesterday's Japan
Volume 16: Limited Distribution, Unlimited Appeal:
The Adventure of Local Japanese Snacks

Beloved by all regardless of age or gender, lightweight, and easy on the pocket — Japan's unique snacks can make the perfect souvenirs for just about any occasion. Particularly in demand are those made with local signature ingredients.
Recently, many snack manufacturers in Japan have achieved explosive sales with local variations of snacks sold all over the nation. For instance, some are making stickshaped cookies with local flavors — melon in Hokkaido (renowned for its melon production), apple in Nagano, brown sugar in Okinawa (made from the island's famous sugarcane), and so on. Such "localized" versions of snacks are sold in the corresponding regions only. In addition to common fruits, some flavors come from unusual sources such as spiced cod ovum, Alaska Pollack roe with red pepper, or Japanese wasabi (a horseradish-like garnishing originally unique to Japan).
These special-region-only snacks are often available at local airports and major railroad stations. If you have a chance to travel outside Tokyo during your time in Japan, try some of these snacks as souvenirs for friends familiar with Japan. They might be pleasantly surprised to see such items so far from their original homes.

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)

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.

Seijin-no Hi, (Coming-of-Age Day) is a national holiday in Japan observed on the second Monday of January. It is intended is to commemorate the new adulthood of young people and to encourage them to gain independence. On this day, cities, towns, and villages nationwide hold the Seijin Shiki ceremony (coming-of-age ceremony) for those young men and women who have recently turned 20 or will soon do so.
At Seijin Shiki, many participants dress formally in a suit or kimono. In particular, many women wear a special type of kimono with large sleeves called a furisode. In the old days, Seijin Shiki ceremonies were usually solemn affairs, featuring speeches by local dignitaries. As years passed by, however, more local governments turned to informal speeches by celebrities, pop star concerts, and the like. Today, there is much hand-wringing over the fact that many new adults do not know how to behave at the ceremony. Some enjoy chatting during the speech, for instance.
Seijin Shiki is also an occasion for many old friends from the elementary and junior-high-school years to get together. The ceremony thus also functions as a sort of alumni reunion.

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
February 29, 2008 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 right answers, we will present a yosegi zaiku jewelry box crafted in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. Yosegi zaiku (literally, "craft of combined wood") is a form of Japanese woodwork with a history stretching back more than two centuries. Yosegi zaiku works are renowned for their lovely geometrical designs made by combining natural wood pieces of various colors and grains.

1. Last November, Chef Li Guo Chao was commended by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for his culinary expertise. What is the name of the Chinese restaurant in Keio Plaza Hotel in which he serves as head chef?

Nan-En
Gokoku-Tei
Soujuan
Super Buffet Glass Court

2. On which day do many local governments of Japan hold Seijin Shiki (Coming-of-Age) ceremonies?

January 1st
The second Monday of January
April 1st
September 1st

The winners of the prize for EIC Express, Vol. 32:
Peter Bayley (U.K.)
Byongho Lee (Korea)
Robert T. Mayekawa (U.S.A.)

The last issue's answers: 1. b, 2. a

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 Opened
on the 3rd Floor of the Main Tower

On April 1st, 2007, our renewed Business Center began 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