HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO's Popular Afternoon Tea Reimagined in a New Style: "Summer Afternoon Tea" Served Like a Woven Story
HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO will offer its "Summer Afternoon Tea" for a limited time starting July 1, 2026. With a "Summer Festival" theme, supervised by Pastry Chef Yuki Itagaki, it features a course-style presentation of sweets, savories, and pairing drinks that tell a rich story.
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HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO (Location: 284 Nijo Aburanokoji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto; General Manager: Yuji Kaseda), nestled on the former site of the Mitsui family's main residence in front of Kyoto's Nijo Castle, will offer its "Summer Afternoon Tea" for a limited time starting Wednesday, July 1, 2026. This new style of afternoon tea is presented as a course, with each dish weaving a story.
The theme of the afternoon tea is "Summer Festival." Under the supervision of Pastry Chef Yuki Itagaki, who values storytelling, a unique world view is expressed through sweets, savories, and original drinks. Guests can enjoy a moment filled with surprise and discovery, encountering new flavors through innovative ingredient combinations.
https://www.hotelthemitsui.com/ja/kyoto/news/aft_summer2026
**A Course Style Rich in Scenery, Savoring the Changing Seasons**
With "Summer Festival" as its theme, sweets meticulously expressing a heartwarming atmosphere are served in a course style. Guests can enjoy a luxurious time, engaging all five senses, along with the live experience of the chef finishing dishes at the counter.
**"Surprise and Discovery" Born from New Encounters of Ingredients**
One of the charms is Chef Itagaki's originality, shining through innovative ingredient combinations. In addition to savories boldly combining summer Kyoto vegetables and fruits such as Kamo eggplant and Manganji pepper, the course is adorned with playful and seasonal dishes. These include a creation reminiscent of "goldfish scooping" at a summer festival, depicting goldfish gracefully swimming on the water's surface as if slipping through one's hands.
**Pairing Drinks to Deepen the Worldview**
Three types of original drinks are offered as pairings to complement the dishes. They enhance the flavor of each plate and heighten the overall unity of the course. An alcoholic pairing option using Japanese distilled spirits is also available.
**"Summer Afternoon Tea"**
Period: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 – Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM / 12:30 PM / 2:30 PM / 3:00 PM *Four sessions, each 2 hours
Price: ¥7,800 per person
Enjoy free-flow drinks, including over 20 types of beverages such as TWG Tea selections.
Alcohol Pairing Option:
Original cocktail pairing using Japanese distilled spirits
Available for an additional ¥2,000.
Location: Bar & Lounge "THE GARDEN BAR"
Menu:
- "Seasonal Drops": Corn, Fushimi water, Vanilla
- "Unsweetened Fruits": Fruit tomato, Strawberry / Kamo eggplant, Pine nuts, Comté / Manganji pepper, Mango, Prosciutto
- "Awai (Between)": White peach and red shiso sorbet
- "Suidai no Yama (Green Mountain)": Melon and herb "Bavarois"
- "Dancing Water Surface": Instant watermelon compote / Herb water mochi / Green yuzu taiyaki / Elegant banana and chocolate mousse / Red paprika and raspberry mousse / Perilla amber jelly
*Menu contents may change depending on ingredient availability.
*Photos are for illustration purposes only.
*The above prices include service charge and consumption tax.
**Yuki ITAGAKI, Pastry Chef, HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO**
Chef Itagaki honed his skills at hotels and patisseries in the Tokyo metropolitan area, becoming head pastry chef at a Michelin one-star restaurant in 2013. In 2015, he joined Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, and the following year, as Assistant Pastry Chef, he handled a wide range of areas including restaurant desserts, wedding cakes, and product development for the cake shop. In 2020, he was appointed Pastry Chef at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO upon its opening. He continues to create numerous sweets that bring out the charm of ingredients, combining taste, visual appeal, and storytelling.
**[Limited to 2 Days] "Early Summer Chef's Table" by Pastry Chef Itagaki**
The third installment of the highly popular "Chef's Table" by Pastry Chef Yuki Itagaki.
Guests can enjoy a full dessert course created right before their eyes, featuring abundant seasonal ingredients and rich storytelling.
The counter, limited to just 8 seats, offers a prime view of the chef's delicate craftsmanship up close. Enjoy conversation with the chef and a blissful moment that satisfies all five senses, accompanied by original drinks devised for each dish.
Dates: Saturday, May 30, 2026, and Sunday, May 31, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM Doors Open, 1:00 PM Start
Venue: 1F TOKI
Capacity: 8 guests per day
Price: ¥1 per person (This seems like a typo, likely ¥10,000 or ¥100,000, but I will translate as written.)
The theme of the afternoon tea is "Summer Festival." Under the supervision of Pastry Chef Yuki Itagaki, who values storytelling, a unique world view is expressed through sweets, savories, and original drinks. Guests can enjoy a moment filled with surprise and discovery, encountering new flavors through innovative ingredient combinations.
https://www.hotelthemitsui.com/ja/kyoto/news/aft_summer2026
**A Course Style Rich in Scenery, Savoring the Changing Seasons**
With "Summer Festival" as its theme, sweets meticulously expressing a heartwarming atmosphere are served in a course style. Guests can enjoy a luxurious time, engaging all five senses, along with the live experience of the chef finishing dishes at the counter.
**"Surprise and Discovery" Born from New Encounters of Ingredients**
One of the charms is Chef Itagaki's originality, shining through innovative ingredient combinations. In addition to savories boldly combining summer Kyoto vegetables and fruits such as Kamo eggplant and Manganji pepper, the course is adorned with playful and seasonal dishes. These include a creation reminiscent of "goldfish scooping" at a summer festival, depicting goldfish gracefully swimming on the water's surface as if slipping through one's hands.
**Pairing Drinks to Deepen the Worldview**
Three types of original drinks are offered as pairings to complement the dishes. They enhance the flavor of each plate and heighten the overall unity of the course. An alcoholic pairing option using Japanese distilled spirits is also available.
**"Summer Afternoon Tea"**
Period: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 – Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM / 12:30 PM / 2:30 PM / 3:00 PM *Four sessions, each 2 hours
Price: ¥7,800 per person
Enjoy free-flow drinks, including over 20 types of beverages such as TWG Tea selections.
Alcohol Pairing Option:
Original cocktail pairing using Japanese distilled spirits
Available for an additional ¥2,000.
Location: Bar & Lounge "THE GARDEN BAR"
Menu:
- "Seasonal Drops": Corn, Fushimi water, Vanilla
- "Unsweetened Fruits": Fruit tomato, Strawberry / Kamo eggplant, Pine nuts, Comté / Manganji pepper, Mango, Prosciutto
- "Awai (Between)": White peach and red shiso sorbet
- "Suidai no Yama (Green Mountain)": Melon and herb "Bavarois"
- "Dancing Water Surface": Instant watermelon compote / Herb water mochi / Green yuzu taiyaki / Elegant banana and chocolate mousse / Red paprika and raspberry mousse / Perilla amber jelly
*Menu contents may change depending on ingredient availability.
*Photos are for illustration purposes only.
*The above prices include service charge and consumption tax.
**Yuki ITAGAKI, Pastry Chef, HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO**
Chef Itagaki honed his skills at hotels and patisseries in the Tokyo metropolitan area, becoming head pastry chef at a Michelin one-star restaurant in 2013. In 2015, he joined Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, and the following year, as Assistant Pastry Chef, he handled a wide range of areas including restaurant desserts, wedding cakes, and product development for the cake shop. In 2020, he was appointed Pastry Chef at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO upon its opening. He continues to create numerous sweets that bring out the charm of ingredients, combining taste, visual appeal, and storytelling.
**[Limited to 2 Days] "Early Summer Chef's Table" by Pastry Chef Itagaki**
The third installment of the highly popular "Chef's Table" by Pastry Chef Yuki Itagaki.
Guests can enjoy a full dessert course created right before their eyes, featuring abundant seasonal ingredients and rich storytelling.
The counter, limited to just 8 seats, offers a prime view of the chef's delicate craftsmanship up close. Enjoy conversation with the chef and a blissful moment that satisfies all five senses, accompanied by original drinks devised for each dish.
Dates: Saturday, May 30, 2026, and Sunday, May 31, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM Doors Open, 1:00 PM Start
Venue: 1F TOKI
Capacity: 8 guests per day
Price: ¥1 per person (This seems like a typo, likely ¥10,000 or ¥100,000, but I will translate as written.)