As the scenery around Karuizawa gradually shifts into its autumn colors, Kyukaruizawa Kikyo, Curio Collection by Hilton, will begin offering the "KIKYO Halloween Afternoon Tea" from October 1, 2026 (Thursday). The seasonal menu brings together seasonal Shinshu ingredients with a Halloween theme for a tea time inspired by autumn in Karuizawa.
Seasonal Shinshu Sweets with a Halloween Twist
The dessert lineup features seven items made with pumpkin, purple sweet potato, apple, Nagano Purple grapes, and other seasonal ingredients. Halloween-inspired creations include the "Pumpkin Mont Blanc," styled after a pumpkin ghost, the "Ghost Cannelé," a cassis cannelé shaped like an adorable ghost, and the "Cassis Macaron," finished in Halloween colors. Other sweets highlight the character of each ingredient, such as the "Nagano Purple Verrine," combining Nagano Purple grape jelly with chocolate warabi mochi and Shinshu apricot, the "Apple Cream Puff," made with caramelized Shinshu apples, and the "Sour Cherry and Chocolate Cake," pairing Shinshu sour cherries with chocolate. The scone selection features the "Purple Sweet Potato Scone," with its gentle sweetness and fluffy texture, served alongside a smooth purple sweet potato cream.
Three savory items round out the menu. "Witch's Broom" pairs bamboo-charcoal grissini with prosciutto, "Witch's Forest" is a crisp panipuri filled with Shinshu salmon and beet mousse, and "Black Cat's Mischief" is a hot dog made with bamboo-charcoal sausage and Shinshu mushrooms. Each dish evokes a Halloween scene — a witch's broom, the forest where a witch lives, or a black cat running through the woods — expressed through both flavor and color with ingredients like bamboo charcoal and beets.
Enjoy this season's tea time in autumn Karuizawa, featuring Shinshu ingredients and Halloween colors.
Event Details
- Menu: KIKYO Halloween Afternoon Tea
- Period: October 1 (Thu) to October 31 (Wed), 2026
- Hours: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM (last order)
- Venue: Casual dining à table
- Price: ¥6,000 per person
- Reservations: Website: https://www.kyukaruizawa-kikyo.com/ / Phone: 0267-41-6990
*Prices include a 13% service charge and 10% consumption tax. Menu items are subject to change; please check the official website for details.
Menu
Sweets
- Pumpkin Mont Blanc — Mont blanc styled after a pumpkin ghost, set on a Shinshu wa-kocha (Japanese black tea) cookie
- Ghost Cannelé — Cassis cannelé shaped like an adorable ghost
- Nagano Purple Verrine — Nagano Purple grape jelly and white wine jelly layered with chocolate warabi mochi and Shinshu apricot
- Sour Cherry and Chocolate Cake — Butter cake sandwiched with Shinshu sour cherries and chocolate cream
- Apple Cream Puff — Bite-sized cream puffs with caramelized Shinshu apples and a mildly sweet cream
- Cassis Macaron — Halloween-colored macaron filled with cassis cream
- Black Sesame Pudding — Smooth pudding pairing fragrant black sesame with tart framboise
Scones
- Purple Sweet Potato Scone — A scone with the gentle sweetness and fluffy texture of purple sweet potato
- Purple Sweet Potato Cream — Smooth purple sweet potato cream topped with roasted purple sweet potato
Savory
- Witch's Broom (Prosciutto and Bamboo Charcoal Grissini) — Bamboo-charcoal grissini paired with prosciutto, styled after a witch's broom
- Witch's Forest (Shinshu Salmon and Beet Panipuri) — Bite-sized crisp-fried panipuri filled with Shinshu salmon and beet mousse, evoking the forest where a witch lives
- Black Cat's Mischief (Bamboo Charcoal Sausage Hot Dog) — A hot dog with bamboo-charcoal sausage and Shinshu mushrooms, inspired by a black cat running through the forest
About Kyukaruizawa Kikyo, Curio Collection by Hilton
Kyukaruizawa Kikyo opened in 2018 as the first Curio Collection by Hilton property in Japan. Its name, "KIKYO" (桔梗), the Chinese bellflower, echoes the word "kikyo" (帰郷), meaning "returning to one's hometown." With that spirit, the hotel welcomes guests with an "okaerinasai" (welcome home) feeling, hoping they will return again and again to Karuizawa, where the bellflowers bloom.
- Address: 491-5 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano 389-0102
- Rooms: 50
- Main Facilities: Restaurant, lounge, treatment spa, large public bath, banquet room, chapel, fitness gym, gift shop, and more
- Access: About 1 hour by Shinkansen from Tokyo Station; 5 minutes by car (15-minute walk) from JR Karuizawa Station; 15 minutes by car from the Usui-Karuizawa IC
- Official Website: https://www.kyukaruizawa-kikyo.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyukaruizawa.kikyo/
