During this Golden Week, I thought everywhere would be really crowded so I decided to enjoy Showa Memorial Park in Tachikawa first, and then headed further west to a place called Akishima where I stayed overnight for the first time! The hotel was near Yokota Air Base, so it was quite noisy at night haha. The town seemed to be developing rapidly, including the area around the station. We stayed in a room called "Flooring Suite" which was quite spacious at 60 square meters, clean, and nice. However, the biggest weak point of this hotel is that there is no shop. There is only one vending machine, and no room service. This was quite inconvenient. Now, breakfast was a relatively small buffet. It had a mix of Japanese and Western dishes, nothing particularly unique or fresh, but at the same time, nothing was really missing. They even had curry haha. And then there was the chef-made omelette. It's not made individually for each person, but they serve a "jumbo omelette" for everyone. Quite a new concept, isn't it!? (Although I'm not particularly fond of omelettes haha) The atmosphere is great, as it feels like being in the middle of a forest. There is limited seating, but they also have terrace seating. This truly gives you the feeling of dining in the woods.

Employee cafeteria lunch, parent and child bowl large serving for ¥400 with miso soup, komatsuna salad, pickles, and dessert of pink grapefruit. By the way, set meals are ¥600 and pasta is ¥400. If all this is for ¥400, then it's great. It was also mentioned that general customers can use the cafeteria. As for COVID-19 measures, there is disinfection and hand washing.

This is a restaurant review for the restaurant located in Forest Inn Showakan, an Okura-affiliated hotel about a 5-minute walk from Akishima Station. The restaurant interior is elegant, with a beautiful view of the chapel from the windows. I had breakfast buffet here, and all the Japanese and Western dishes were carefully prepared and delicious. The chef's freshly made omelettes, hotel curry, and croissants were particularly tasty. The dessert of fruit yogurt and ice cream was also delicious. The elegant and splendid atmosphere made it a wonderful place to enjoy breakfast. Thank you very much.

I chose a plan with breakfast included when staying at the hotel. Due to the influence of COVID-19, the usual buffet style was not available that day, so we had to choose between Western or Japanese breakfast. We could also choose coffee, tea, juice, etc. I requested coffee before the meal and they offered refills when it ran out. On this day, my partner and I chose the Western menu, which included fruits, yogurt, corn soup, a salad with fresh vegetables, and an omelet with grilled vegetables, bacon, and sausages. We could choose between omelets or fried eggs for the egg dish. Several types of freshly baked bread were served, including a delicious croissant. I was impressed by how crispy it was and wished I had asked if I could have more. I imagine all the buffet items are delicious as well. I am curious about the Japanese menu and would like to try it next time. Our table had a view of the chapel and garden through a large window, creating an elegant atmosphere in the morning. Despite being a weekday, there were quite a few customers, so I assume it's a popular hotel. They offer a free shuttle bus from the station, and there are outdoor specialty shopping centers nearby, as well as various shops near the station, making it one of the recommended hotels in Akishima. After eating, we took a leisurely stroll around the hotel's garden, which was beautiful with cherry blossoms in bloom.

It was all-you-can-eat crab. Crab ===========

I had breakfast. I'm not a fan of buffet style, but I was satisfied with the good balance of Japanese and Western dishes, including some original ones. I will definitely come back.

Located in a corner of the forest as the name suggests, this hotel is part of the Okura Group. Surprisingly, it has a large communal bath, and we stayed with a breakfast plan that included complimentary drinks in the room fridge, such as mineral water, beer, and oolong tea. The communal bath, while not very big, had dry and mist saunas available. Non-guests could also use the bath for 2000 yen. The breakfast at the restaurant "Centro" facing the forest had a bright and spacious atmosphere with a glass facade. The kitchen was an open kitchen where they cooked more food as it ran out. The buffet-style breakfast included both Japanese and Western dishes, with decent taste, and the service was top-notch, as expected from Okura.

Today is a holiday Saturday, and it's the day of the junior high school alumni reunion for my year group. I was asked to be the organizer for this reunion, so it's a busy day for me. The reunion is taking place at the Forest Inn Showakan hotel, located at the north exit of Akishima Station. It's the largest hotel in the local area. The organizers are meeting at 5:30 PM, but I arrived early to have a beer and make sure everything is ready! The venue is on the 9th floor of the hotel, called "Chohrin", which offers a beautiful view. The windows on the north side overlook Showa Forest, Yokota Air Base, and the hills of Murayama Reservoir. The windows on the south side overlook Moritown, the mountains north of Hachioji, and it's a stunning view that gets everyone excited. As the time approaches, classmates start arriving one by one. In the lobby in front of the venue, everyone is excited to reunite after many years. We fill the venue with nostalgic faces and take our seats at tables arranged by class. Cheers to the reunion! Let's enjoy the buffet-style meal with a mix of Japanese and Western dishes and free drinks. We are so engrossed in conversation that we forget to go get more food (laughs). Let's grab some food and enjoy the beef, chicken, prosciutto, smoked salmon, Chinese dishes, sushi, sandwiches, salads, and more. The reunion is lively and we mix and mingle across tables. Later, desserts are served and disappear quickly. I rush to get some cheesecake, orange cake, strawberry mousse, and more before they run out. The enjoyable time passes by quickly. We end the reunion with a group photo of the 87 attendees. Thank you for a wonderful time. It was a great reunion. Let's meet again in 5 years. By the way, I left after the third party, but I heard there were up to five parties after that...

2012.06.08. Revisited a group party. The venue was the Sakura Forest banquet hall at the back of the first floor. There were 60 people, and I enjoyed catching up with old friends, discussing recent events and work. 2012.03.25. Revisited for a wedding lunch. The menu included Chinese dishes such as Noble Celebration Platter, Braised Reddish Wings, Jinling Crispy Duck, Flower Decorated Sea Bream, Colorful Seafood Platter, Chinese-style Grilled Beef, Steamed Rice Dumplings in Soup, Dessert Buffet, and Coffee. The Chinese cuisine here is delicious, especially the appetizers, shark fin, shrimp, crab, and steak. I may need to fast tomorrow after indulging in the dessert buffet. 2011.12.17. Attended a Christmas party at the hotel's 9th-floor lounge "Chorin" for a certain group. The buffet included dishes like Roast Beef, Hayashi Rice, Braised Pork, Pork Cutlet, Fried Chicken, Shrimp with Mayonnaise, Pasta, Fried Rice, Chirashi Sushi, Salad, Cake, and Fruits. The open bar offered bottled beer, shochu, whiskey, and wine. Unfortunately, the party started after dark, so I missed the view of Mount Fuji at dusk. 2011.12.01. Dinner at the hotel's 10th-floor special room. The menu included dishes like Shrimp and Chestnut Salad, Black Pork Terrine with Yuzu Miso, Blowfish Sashimi with Yuzu Sauce, Red Snapper with Yuba and Consomme, Grilled Beef and Mushroom in Persimmon Leaf, Grilled Salmon Sushi, and Special Dessert with Coffee. The blowfish sashimi with yuzu was delicious, and the beef in persimmon leaf had a stew-like tenderness that paired well with the sweet miso sauce. The special dessert was well-prepared and satisfying. I enjoyed a variety of drinks throughout the evening. This hotel, part of the Okura Hotel & Resorts, is always a good choice for quality dining experiences.

In the lush greenery of Showa-era forest... there is a city resort called "Forest Inn Showakan (Okura Hotels & Resorts)" in the Tamagawa area of Tokyo...? Did you know that there is a healing resort surrounded by nature in the Musashino forest in Akishima City, Tokyo? Its name is "Forest Inn Showakan." It is located in Tokyo, yet... it is truly in a wonderful environment. Surrounded by lush nature, the taste of the meals at the restaurant here is... exquisite! How about treating your important guests or loved ones here? The photo below shows a full course meal with a mix of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes at a banquet on a certain day.

It was a very good plan. The building was very clean and sophisticated, with a sense of luxury. There was a pond decorated with flowers, and the garden was well-maintained. When I made the reservation, I was planning to go after work and I was worried if I would make it in time for the 8pm check-in. However, my plans changed and I arrived early. The hotel has a restaurant and a spa. I was planning to spend time in one of them after dropping off my luggage, but this time they showed me to my room early. Although I don't expect this every time, I thought this hotel showed a high level of consideration. I made various requests to make my stay comfortable, and they always responded politely, allowing me to relax and unwind. The spa is free for guests, and with this plan, you can use the spa even after check-out. I wanted to stretch out and relax, so I went to the spa after entering my room. They provide gowns, towels, bath towels, shower caps, razors, body sponges, etc. You can choose what you need from a basket and they will guide you. There is a locker with a key, and a basket-style dressing room upstairs. There was a sauna, a large bathtub with a view from a large window, and a space for a bubble bath at the end. The spa was well-maintained and comfortable. There is also a massage service available, and this time I requested a 40-minute foot course for 5000 yen. The treatment on the bed helped me relax and relieve the fatigue of my journey. There is also an oil-based esthetic salon on the 8th floor. I was looking forward to the restaurant at this hotel, which has high ratings on Tabelog. I was thinking of going to the car dealer, but after seeing the Chinese course menu, I wanted to try it. Unfortunately, the course is for two people, so I ended up having dinner with additional room service menu. The plan's dinner was mentaiko spaghetti and Kyushu vegetable chips. The thinly sliced pumpkin and other chips were delicious with the right amount of salt. The spaghetti was not piping hot, but it was still delicious. The sausage I ordered was hot, juicy, and very delicious. Breakfast was a buffet at Centra. Both Japanese and Western dishes were well-prepared. Soft-boiled eggs, simmered dishes, grilled fish (salmon and white fish), bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, salad, fruits, miso soup, porridge, rice, etc., were all delicious. Especially the special fruit juice with summer oranges and aloe was outstanding. The room was a double room, typical of a city hotel. The bed was of high quality and very comfortable. I brought a DVD, so I borrowed a DVD player, which was free. There was also a rental computer, which cost 1000 yen per day. I don't have a portable computer, so this was very convenient and helpful. The check-out for the plan was at 1pm, so I was able to relax and unwind. I would love to stay at this wonderful hotel again.

I heard from someone who visited this chapel that it was a really lovely place. Normally used as a wedding venue, I had a hard time getting time off to attend a concert on a weekday. I adjusted my schedule and decided to go to this chapel concert. (On the day, vocalist Masako Kanou and pianist Hiroko Kuni performed) Since it's usually a wedding venue, the restaurant's lunch menu is very luxurious. While enjoying a luxurious lunch, I saw Kuni-san wandering around the chapel. The chapel is attached in the photos. It was wonderful. Thank you for the meal.

This time, my wife and I visited the Forest Inn Showakan to listen to Ken Muramatsu's live performance "Ilifnedefne". Since it is a hotel in the suburbs, there is plenty of free parking available, which is convenient as we don't have to worry about it. We arrived at 16:45, 45 minutes before the 17:30 opening time. We headed straight to the Garden Chapel. I thought it might be impossible to be the first in line since we were slightly late due to some errands, but it turned out there were no other early birds, so we were able to secure the first spot. However, a woman started lining up right after me, followed by others. It seemed like there were a few people waiting inside the venue. I felt bad for inadvertently causing this situation. At 17:30, we received flyers and a bonus CD at the reception and headed to the VIP seats. We were seated in the front row on the left side facing the piano. This place is usually used for weddings, with a glass front that beautifully reflects the greenery of the forest. At 18:00, Ken Muramatsu and Hiromi Mori (drums) finally appeared. They started with a duet of "Kaerimichi". Oh, where is the bassist Hiroshi Ando? Seems like he got lost. The trio played some pleasant songs, and soon, it was announced that there were other guests. Is Jun Konno here again? No, this time it was the couple Mitsuhiro Ogasa and Miwako (cello, violin). They were introduced as friends, but they are actually professionals who have been performing with Ken Muramatsu for years. Their performance was fantastic, showcasing their perfect harmony. They played 8 songs in total, and after about an hour, the first part ended, followed by a break. In the second part, they played another 8 songs, and then an encore. In total, they performed 17 songs, for about 2 and a half hours. Once again, I had a blissful time. The audience turnout was quite good. Although there are around 100 seats, it was almost full. Despite the ticket price of 6000 yen, which includes a CD, the event was very successful. It made me realize that Ken Muramatsu is truly supported by many fans who genuinely love his music. Considering the travel expenses to and from Amami, accommodation, venue arrangements, and fees for the guest performers, I don't think they are making a huge profit even at 6000 yen per person, but they are really working hard. I want to continue supporting them as much as I can. By the way, the chairs in the Garden Chapel are wooden and can be quite uncomfortable for the buttocks. I tried to find a portable cushion at a nearby Daiso before coming to Showakan, but unfortunately, they didn't have it. If I have the chance to come again, I will prepare in advance next time.