EIC Express Vol.40 | Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

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.

A New Gratitude Campaign:
Bonus Credits from the Keio Plaza Hotel

Shinjuku, the home of the Keio Plaza Hotel, is one of the larger and more fascinating city hubs for sightseers, as well as an extremely convenient zone for businesspeople in Tokyo. Throughout its history, the hotel has always been a leader in new directions, from going completely barrier-free to setting up a solid IT infrastructure. The Keio Plaza Hotel is also constantly looking for new ways to help all of its guests from around the world and across Japan, and service improvement efforts never cease. Such work has attracted a great deal of positive attention, and the Keio Plaza Hotel enjoys a particularly good reputation among its many guests from abroad. At the heart of all hotel efforts are gratitude and a distinctly Japanese sense of hospitality.
Miyama / Polestar

This winter, the Keio Plaza Hotel would like to express its gratitude to EIC members for their continued patronage, in the form of a limited-period campaign. To those EIC members staying with the Keio Plaza Hotel during the period from December 1st, 2009, through February 25th, 2010,* the hotel offers 5,000 yen worth of bonus credits, available for guests staying in each room type. The credits can be used at eighteen of the hotel's restaurants, bars, and lounges,** as well as for in-room mini-bars.***
The Keio Plaza Hotel invites you to make the most of your bonus credits during this period, and sincerely thanks you again for your visit. As always, if there is anything the hotel can do to make your time in Tokyo more enjoyable, comfortable, or convenient, please do not hesitate to contact hotel personnel.

* The bonus credits will be available only for those members staying at members' rates. Also, the three days from December 31st, 2009, through January 2nd, 2010, are excluded from the bonus period.
** The bonus credits cannot be used at Sushi Kyubey, Soba Cuisine Fumotoya, Seikatsu Saika, or Food Boutique Poppins.
*** The bonus credits are available only for the use of the equipment and services mentioned above. They cannot be used to pay for the room or telephone bill, or at non-participating stores or restaurants that are tenants at the Keio Plaza Hotel. In addition, the credits may only be used during a single stay with the hotel.

Isao Urabe, the Hotel's New General Manager

It is the pleasure of the Keio Plaza Hotel to announce that, at the end of June, Isao Urabe became the hotel's Managing Director & General Manager. After first joining the Keio Plaza Hotel in 1975, Urabe served in the Food & Beverage Department for eight years, followed by approximately two decades of work in the Sales Department. By serving countless guests in person and listening carefully to their opinions, Urabe has gained a broad and deep understanding of what true hospitality means over the course of his career. In 2002, he was appointed Director of Sales, and he became Executive Director in 2008.
The new General Manager is determined to entertain all guests with quality hospitality. In practice, this means everything from providing a great variety of global cuisines to offering sophisticated facilities and reliable services based on the hotel's 38 years of experience. Says the General Manager, describing his determination, "As we entertain guests from around the world, we will be sure to make the most of our diverse facilities. At the same time, we will always remember the importance of Japan's traditions of warmhearted hospitality."

An Unforgettable Experience of Japanese Culture at Kabuki-Za

Kabuki is a traditional theatrical art of Japan performed solely by male actors. It is a composite performing art that brings together many different examples of the nation's time-honored aesthetic traditions — dramatic stories, highly sophisticated performances, gorgeous kimono costumes, elaborate and detailed stage equipment, and traditional Japanese music and dance, to name a few. The actors who play female roles are thought by many to be particularly convincing.
One of the major kabuki theaters is Kabuki-Za, known for its lovely traditional exterior and found in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Ginza is a roughly a 20-minute subway ride from Shinjuku, the location of the Keio Plaza Hotel. The theatre provides many ways to appreciate the unique performing art of Kabuki. For instance, you can watch only a single act from a reasonably priced makumi (literally, "act watching") seat. English-language brochures are offered at low prices, and simultaneous headphone interpretation into English is possible.
Kabuki-Za is currently holding a "farewell performance" that runs until April 2010, when remodeling of the theater will begin. If you are interested, please contact Guest Relations for more information.

Series: Scenes from Japanese Society
Volume 20: The Pleasures and Surprises of Fuku-bukuro

One of the telltale signs of the Japanese New Year is the appearance of fuku-bukuro ("lucky bags"), which are popular items at department stores and other major shopping areas. They have become a firmly entrenched part of the nation's New Year celebrations.
A fuku-bukuro is usually fairly large, and the buyer has no idea what it contains. Since the sum total price of the items in a fuku-bukuro is usually higher than what one pays for the bag, shoppers can enjoy the satisfaction of a great bargain. Moreover, the unknown quality is the heart of the fun of buying a fuku-bukuro. The items inside might be more to one's liking than one expected. On the other hand, they might also disappoint. The fukubukuro offers a bit of the thrill of gambling.
Buying a fuku-bukuro involves a certain degree of risk. Nevertheless, many fuku-bukuro contain hard-to-find items and are often the hottest attractions in New Year sale campaigns. Since they are limited in quantity, many shoppers wait in line (which sometimes can be quite long) for their fuku-bukuro from the early mornings.

Savor the World of Sake to Expert Advice, at Amanogawa
(2nd floor, Main Tower)

Business Hours:
5:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M.
(Orders welcomed until 10:00 P.M.)
10 seats in all
*Advanced reservations are recommended.

The Keio Plaza Hotel's Japanese restaurant Kagari is home to Amanogawa, a distinctive sake bar featuring some 40 different brands of sake from
producers nationwide. The bar also offers Japanese cuisine specially prepared by its own chef.
Amenogawa's sake sommelier uses his expert knowledge and questions about your preferences to select the best possible match for your food or drinking tastes. Sake is served in a carefully chosen drinking cup and warmed to the optimal temperature. Both beginners and expert sake tasters can encounter the very best at Amenogawa.
Sommelier Masaki Tada, says, "I do everything I can to allow each customer to savor an unsurpassable cup of sake, given his or her preferences. This also helps to makes the most of cuisine, whether it is tempura, sushi, or dashimaki omelet (a type of omelet with broth). We always use fresh seasonal vegetables or fish sent directly from the port. You will be able to relax with us in full comfort. Whether you are coming for a full meal or an after-dinner drink, we will be waiting to share some of the wealth and subtleties of Japan's cuisine with you."

Visually enticing, rich in culture, and perfect as gifts — discover the crafts of traditional Japan.
Series: Tiny Gifts from Yesterday's Japan
Volume 23: Engi-kumade: Raking in the Good Luck

Engi-kumade are traditional Japanese good luck charms, long believed to draw in fortune and make your business thrive. These items are sold mainly at tori-no-ichi, festivals held in November at Shinto shrines nationwide. In Tokyo, one notable such festival is held each year at Asakusa.
Originally, this charm consisted of four claws, depicting those of an eagle tightly grabbing its prey. Eventually, this changed to a five-clawed rake, believed to allow one to "rake in" good fortune. The charm is adorned with a number of lucky ornaments. These include a smiling female mask called an okame, which represents good fortune, an image of a sea bream, an auspicious fish seen in countless celebrations in Japan, a golden straw rice bag for a good harvest, and an oval gold coin for business success. Engi-kumade come in various sizes. To bring increasingly good luck, some recommend buying a larger rake than the one you had the year before.
Both exotic and attractive, small Engi-kumade rakes make excellent souvenirs for those who appreciate Japan and its culture. For more information on tori-noichi festivals, where engi-kumade rakes are often on sale, please contact Guest Relations.

For Members of the Executive International Club

Special Room Rates for EIC Members
Beginning April 1st, 2008, new discounted room rates noted below will apply to EIC members. Customers staying with us at EIC member rates will be entitled to many special services and privileges, including use of The Club Lounge, free breakfast, and free extension of checkout time to 3:00 P.M.

Special Room Rates (to March 31st, 2010)

Type of Room	Single	Double/Twin
Superior	23,100 yen	27,300 yen
Plaza Comfort	23,625 yen	27,825 yen
Plaza Premier	25,725 yen	29,925 yen

*Plaza Comfort rooms are located on the 28th through 33rd floors of the South Tower.
*Service charge is not included in the above rates.
*Rates are subject to change without notice.

* These privileges do not apply to guests staying at rates other than EIC member rates.

Use of The Club Lounge
The Club Lounge is open to EIC members staying with us at member rates, as well as their guests. In the lounge, guests can enjoy coffee, tea, wine, and other amenities in a self-service environment during business hours.

Location:
South Tower, 34th Floor

Seating Capacity:
28 (20 in the lounge area and a private room with 8 seats)

Hours:
1:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Free for EIC members staying with us at member rates; 2,000 yen for each additional guest

* Meeting Room is also Available (up to 8 people):
1:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
8,000 yen for the first two hours; 4,000 yen for each additional hour
*Use of meeting room is available only to customers staying at EIC member rates.
*Meeting room cost includes self-service drinks and snacks.
*Advanced reservations are recommended.
*To use or make a reservation for a meeting room, please contact The Club Lounge staff.

"It has been four months since I began working at Guest Relations. Here, I welcome many different guests and try to help them with their questions
and requests. I am also able to learn something new each day. All our staff members are determined to help every single guest enjoy the very best stay possible. Please feel free to drop in at the Guest Relations Desk at any time."
Eriko Murai.

Complimentary Breakfast for EIC Members
To EIC members staying with us at member rates, we offer free breakfast at the Cocktail & Tea Lounge on the 3rd floor of the Main Tower. The Lounge, bathed with an abundance of morning sunlight, caters only to selected guests during breakfast hours. In this spacious, relaxing area, 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 arrive at the lounge by 9:30 A.M.)
Free for EIC members staying with us at member rates; 2,772 yen per person for their guests
*Service charge is not included in the above rate.

Free Extension of Checkout Time
Upon request, EIC members staying with us at member rates can have their checkout time extended up to 3:00 P.M., depending on the room reservation situation.

The winter solstice, which occurs around December 22nd each year, is called touji (literally, "the extremity of winter") in Japanese. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the time of year with the shortest days. Because this barren time was often associated with fears of food shortages, touji was believed to be the day of the year closest to death. This gave rise to annual folk events, at which people used rituals to drive away evil, warmed themselves up, and prayed for good health.
The most common touji custom in Japan today is bathing in a tub of warm water containing yuzu citrus. The fruit's refreshing fragrance is believed to banish evil, and it also stimulates blood circulation. Another popular custom is to boil and eat squash, or, in some regions, porridge made of azuki red beans.
The brighter side of touji is that it is the day upon which the sun begins to regain its strength. People celebrate this on the solstice or on the following day, all over the world. Long ago, the Japanese considered touji to be the first day of the new year, and the nobility would hold celebrations to mark the change.

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
December 31st, 2009 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 for this issue:

To three winners chosen randomly from among those who send the correct answers, we will present a Koshu Inden business-card holder, ornamented with the traditional leather craftsmanship of Koshu (in today's Yamanashi Prefecture). Once used in samurai armor and horse harnesses, Inden is renowned for its durability and comfort. The technique of Koshu Inden involves applying Japanese lacquer to tanned deer leather, and it is now certified by the Japanese government as a traditional craft school.

1. Which one of the following descriptions about kabuki, a traditional performance art of Japan, is NOT correct?

The stage costumes use kimonos, Japan's traditional clothing.
Female performers play all the parts.
Very often, kabuki performances involve exquisite stage equipment.
One of the theaters where kabuki is shown is Kabuki-Za.

2. Which custom below is commonly practiced in Japan on the day of touji (winter solstice)?

To bathe in a tub of warm water and sweet flag leaves
To decorate one's house with chrysanthemum flowers
To eat squash
To throw roasted beans

The winners of the prize for EIC Express, Vol. 39:
Devbrat Dutt (Austria)
Richard Moriguchi (U.S.A.)
Woon Chit Derrick Wong (Singapore)
The last issue's answers: 1. d, 2. c

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.

New Deep Relaxation at Keio Plaza Hotel

Carju Rajah, a luxury esthetic salon on the 8th floor of the South Tower, opened on December 1st, 2008. The salon has quickly become known for its excellent skills, sincere hospitality, and refined interior. Individual treatment rooms equipped with showers provide true relaxation for both males and females. Discount rates are even available for visitors who are staying with us. For more information, please contact Guest Relations.

The Business Center
on the 3rd Floor of the Main Tower

The Business Center has opened 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 14 participating airline partners

*These privileges above do not apply to guests staying at rates other than EIC member rates.

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

ALASKA AIRLINES		500 miles per stay
AMERICAN AIRLINES		500 miles per stay
ANA (ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS)		500 miles per stay
ASIA MILES		500 miles per stay
FLYING BLUE (AIR FRANCE/KLM)		500 miles per stay
JAPAN AIRLINES		500 miles per stay
JET AIRWAYS		600 miles per stay
KOREAN AIRLINES		500 miles per stay
SINGAPORE AIRLINES		500 miles per stay
MALAYSIA AIRLINES		600 miles per stay
QANTAS		1,000 miles per stay
UNITED		500 miles per stay
VARIG BRAZIL		1,000 miles per stay
VIRGIN ATLANTIC		1,500 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