Janu Tokyo celebrates its first anniversary with Afternoon Tea with Art

As it celebrates its first anniversary, Janu Tokyo hosts Afternoon Tea with Art, a special collaboration combining the disciplines of gastronomy and art.

Scheduled for 15th March to 11th May, the event coincides with contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyamaʼs first solo exhibition in Tokyo at the nearby Azabudai Hills Gallery.

This unique fusion of aesthetic and culinary creativity will feature a collection of sweet and savoury treats, served at the Janu Lounge & Garden Terrace and inspired by Matsuyamaʼs latest series FIRST LAST. 

As part of the joint venture, all hotel guests will receive complimentary tickets to Matsuyamaʼs exhibition during their stay, along with an exclusive opportunity to purchase one of 30 limited-edition prints of his new work, Nice Quiet Hot Tears, at Janu Tokyoʼs boutique.

According to general manager Noriko Tanaka: “At Janu Tokyo, we strive to inspire our guests through art, culture, wellbeing, and gastronomy. It is an honour to bring this concept to life, as part of our first anniversary celebration, in partnership with Tomokazu Matsuyama, a next generation Japanese artist who shares our values and that of our dynamic neighbourhood, Azabudai Hills.”

Intricate imagery and delicate flavours

Unique in flavour and aesthetic, each piece of the afternoon tea will be embellished with intricate, symbolic imagery drawn from works of Matsuyama’s exhibition. 

The first and third tiers take inspiration from works such as Passage Immortalitas, while the second tier incorporates elements of his abstract painting Keep Fishinʼ For Twilight, which evokes the imagery of a thousand origami cranes.

Crafted by Janu Tokyo Pastry Chef, Yukie Noguchi, the curated Afternoon Tea with Art highlights include a New York cheesecake with white chocolate, the signature ʻJanuronʼ macaron and a Sakura and berry mousse with seasonal fruit. 

Meanwhile, savoury options range from a roast beef open sandwich, with the beef sourced from Matsuyama’s hometown in the Gifu Prefecture, as well as salmon mousse with a vegetable mille-feuille and bouillabaisse jelly with caviar. 

Plain and cherry scones complete the selection, served with soya bean whipped cream, koji syrup and strawberry jam.