[Report of the internationally acclaimed Rakugo artist Sanyutei Ryuraku's Classic Rakugo with Ukiyo-e and Supreme Dinner ]

It's happening again this year! Enjoy the summer in Sendai with Rakugo by Master Sanyutei Ryuraku and dinner at the Sendai Kokusai Hotel

Aperitif time

Sherry poured by the Venenciador performance and original cocktails of Sendai Kokusai Hotel were served.

Guests were greeted with aperitif drinks to cool down this humid summer. Guests also enjoyed the "Venenciador" performance, which has become a standard at dinner parties at the Sendai Kokusai Hotel, where sherry is served from a long ladle.

The cocktails served at the bar included the "Yanagikage Fizz," based on the Japanese cocktail "Yanagikage," which has been enjoyed since the Edo period. Tobu's original non-alcoholic cocktails, such as Miyabi and Iki, were also on offer, making for a truly "Iki" aperitif time.

Classical Rakugo and Ukiyo-e Storytelling

The performance began with the lively sound of the music. The show started with an introductory piece by Katsura Shuji called "Muhitsu no Kobanashi," which had the audience bursting with laughter, followed by a storytelling of Ukiyo-e by Makino Kentaro, which brought to life the life of Edo, a comical performance of Sanyutei Ryuraku in "Aona," and finally a heartwarming story of human interest called "Nakamura Nakazo."

A blissful dinner party

After enjoying the performance, Guests were treated to exquisite cuisine prepared by the "master chefs" of the Sendai Kokusai Hotel. Before the start of the dinner, four people performed the "champagne saber" at the same time, cutting and opening a bottle of champagne with a saber. The dinner got off to a splendid start with the sound of the champagne being opened to celebrate everyone's happiness.

Amuse-bouche: Chilled soup made from freshly picked corn with sautéed foie gras

The amuse-bouche to kick off the show was a small soup that allowed the audience to enjoy the natural flavor of corn. No sugar or salt was used, bringing out the maximum sweetness of the ingredients. The soup had a pleasant, smooth texture that was enjoyed alongside the foie gras, which enhanced the umami of the dish.

Each dish is a star

After enjoying an amuse-bouche start to the meal, the meal continues with authentic Western and Chinese cuisine. The highlight of this dinner party is the high level of perfection of each and every dish. This course is different from previous ones, which have placed importance on the harmony of the whole, and we have prepared only main dishes that are made with care and attention to "truly delicious things that we want you to eat now."

Hors d'oeuvre : Fresh scallop blancmange and meli-melo duet
Served with Sendai Kokusai Hotel original 3% salted caviar

The hors d'oeuvre was a scallop blancmange that received rave reviews at the in-house tasting event. It was a luxurious dish that combined the smooth texture of the scallops, which allowed the sweetness and umami of the scallops to fill the tongue, with the saltiness of Sendai Kokusai Hotel homemade caviar. Homemade dried tomatoes and a crunchy scallop tuile added extra accents. It was such a euphoric appetizer that it was almost a shame to swallow it as is.

Soup: Shark Fin and Red King Crab Soup, With Steamed Crab Roe

The piping hot shark fin soup, a Chinese dish that takes pride in, is served. From the moment you take a sip, you'll feel the rich flavor and fullness of the crab roe filling your entire body, making this a truly exquisite dish. This is an exquisite soup that allows you to fully enjoy the generous amounts of shark fin and king crab.

Seafood dish: Langoustine in Two Flavors - Chili Sauce and XO Sauce

Meat dish: Lamb Pie Wrapped in "Maria Callas" Style, served with Miyagi's Bounty Vegetables

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Sendai Kokusai Hotel has come up with many surprising meat presentations, such as meat appearing from the ceiling and meat of a large whole cow, but this time they went back to our roots and served the classic lamb dish "Maria Callas." When you cut into the pie decorated with vibrant sunflowers, you will see lamb wrapped in foie gras in the middle. The audience cheered.

Hand-made Soba Noodles made with Mogami-Wase, Yamagata Prefecture

For the meal, hand-made Soba Noodles is served, which are becoming a staple at classical Rakugo dinner parties. The soba noodles, made fresh that day, were made from the finest early-season soba, which has a firm texture. The fragrant aroma of the soba noodles made for a meal that gave us a taste of summer.

Hotel-made Bread

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Between meals, guests enjoyed Sendai Kokusai Hotel's proud hotel-made bread, "Champignon." This time, it was made differently from usual, with rye added to give it a rich flavor. In addition, "Matcha Brioche," created for this dinner party, was also served for the first time. It has a gentle flavor that allows you to enjoy the simple sweetness of the bread.

Jubile performance, the standard of the dinner party 

The Jubile performance has become synonymous with the Sendai Kokusai Hotel, but this time it was a little different. To create a refreshing feeling in the hot summer, the team came up with a performance using dry ice instead of flames. The staff cut the lemons into spirals with practiced hands, there are some who were actually participating for the first time. They all practiced a lot so that everyone could enjoy it.

Desert: Exotic White Dome

A warm sauce made from mango, passion fruit and orange is poured over the white chocolate dome, revealing coconut sorbet inside.

This is a truly exotic summer dessert, combining red-fleshed melon from Kitakama, Natori, and passion fruit from Tome.

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For after-meal drinks, Sendai Kokusai Hotel original blend tea, "Mori no Kaori" is served.

In addition, the hotel's sommelier has carefully selected a variety of drinks to perfectly match the food! Starting with champagne, the sommelier also introduced the origins and flavor points of the drinks, such as summery Japanese sake "Abe Kan Junmai Ginjo Summer Sake Goldfish Label," sherry, and Shaoxing wine.

The Summer Dinner Party was a great success. We will continue to come up with new events for everyone to enjoy. If you are interested in attending, please wait for information on the next event.

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