JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo to Host Limited-Time Afternoon Tea Collaboration with Florence-Based Fragrance Brand Santa Maria Novella

Opened in October 2025 in Takanawa Gateway City, Tokyo, JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo (2-21-2 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo) will host a limited-time afternoon tea collaboration titled 'Santa Maria Novella Afternoon Tea – Giardini Medicei (Medici Family Garden)' from Saturday, August 1, 2026, to Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the 30th-floor 'JW Lounge'.

Inspired by the 'Giardini Medicei' perfume collection from Santa Maria Novella, a Florentine fragrance brand founded in 1221 and recognized as the world's oldest pharmacy, the hotel's culinary team has created four savory and four sweet items that embody the refined aesthetic cultivated in Florence.

Drawing on botanical elements such as jasmine, pink pepper, and citrus featured in the fragrances, the menu translates olfactory narratives into taste, while colors are designed to reflect each perfume's identity. Guests will be immersed in a beautiful sensory world, reminiscent of strolling through the lush gardens of the Medici family, where scent, flavor, and color intertwine.

An on-site 'Fragrance Bar' will allow guests to sample Santa Maria Novella's perfumes, enabling direct comparison between the scents experienced in the food and the actual fragrances, offering a full five-sensory appreciation of Florentine elegance.

Additionally, guests enjoying the afternoon tea will receive a complimentary 2ml fragrance sample from Santa Maria Novella, as well as a voucher for the brand’s hand-engraving service—available at all Santa Maria Novella flagship stores in Japan—where artisans can personalize fragrance bottles with names or special dates.

<Santa Maria Novella Afternoon Tea – Giardini Medicei (Medici Family Garden) Overview>

Period: August 1 (Sat), 2026 – September 30 (Wed), 2026

Time: 12:00–19:30 (Seating is limited to 2 hours; last drink order 30 minutes prior)

Pricing (inclusive of tax and service charge):

· Per person: ¥10,000

· With a glass of Champagne (Veuve Clicquot): ¥13,000

(Available only at 12:00, 12:30, 15:00, and 15:30)

· Guests reserving seats from 17:00 onwards will receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

Venue: JW Lounge, 30th Floor, JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo

Reservations: https://www.jwlounge-lecres.jwmarriotthoteltokyo.com/

Santa Maria Novella Afternoon Tea – Giardini Medicei (Medici Family Garden)

<Sweets>

The sweets selection includes a vibrant green mandarin tart infused with jasmine, a peach and pink pepper macaron with chocolate, and a rare cheese cake made with three types of cheese. Guests can enjoy a harmonious blend of fruity sweetness, refreshing acidity, and floral aromas.

· Jasmine-Infused Mandarin Tart

Inspired by 'Gelsomino,' the mystical jasmine scent cultivated in the Medici family’s secret garden, this tart combines white chocolate mousse infused with jasmine and mandarin compote to evoke the delicate fragrance of mandarin and jasmine.

· Rare Cheese Cake with Timur Pepper-Infused Pineapple Compote

Inspired by 'Iris,' the beloved purple flower symbolizing Florence, this rare cheese cake features Timur pepper—a note used in perfumery—adding a spicy accent that enhances the rich flavor of the pineapple compote.

· Panna Cotta with Jasmine Jelly

Inspired by 'Magnolia,' the flower that adorns the entrance of the Medici villa, this dessert layers a vibrant pink jelly—reminiscent of the brand’s iconic bottle—with jasmine fragrance used in perfumes, creating a delicate floral world.

· Peach and Pink Pepper Macaron Chocolat

Inspired by 'Incenso,' capturing the warm, spicy ambiance of the Medici winter garden, this chocolate-coated macaron contains smooth chocolate mousse and peach compote. Pink pepper enhances the gentle sweetness of peach, adding a subtle kick and lingering depth.

<Savories>

The savory menu features four refined dishes that delicately reflect the world of perfumery: crab and corn aqua-blue jelly, bergamot-scented cauliflower mousse, citrus-infused duck rillettes, and lavender-scented braised beef cheek.

· King Crab Tartare with Corn and Aqua Jelly

Inspired by 'Acqua,' evoking the fountains of the Medici garden, this dish layers king crab tartare and sweet corn over a translucent jelly colored with spirulina, topped with kelp tea jelly, capturing the crystal-clear essence of 'Acqua'.

· Cauliflower Mousse Coated with Bergamot and Shellfish Broth

Inspired by 'Ambra,' where deep amber meets bright bergamot, this mousse offers a light texture contrasted with a shellfish-infused coating, finished in an amber hue reminiscent of the fragrance.

· Citrus-Scented Duck Rillettes with Potato Confit

Inspired by 'Bizzaria,' a rare citrus grown in the Medici garden, this dish features duck rillettes with grapefruit served on potato confit. Timur pepper adds a refreshing, spicy top note. A vibrant yellow dish with a zesty citrus aroma.

· Braised Beef Cheek with Lavender, Inspired by Quercia

A tribute to 'Quercia,' honoring the majestic oak tree. Tender braised beef cheek, resembling tree bark, is enhanced with aromatic lavender, delivering deep umami and a refined aftertaste.

<Welcome Drink>

· Aqua della Regina

The welcome drink is a non-alcoholic cocktail paying homage to 'Aqua della Regina,' a fragrance carried in 1553 by Catherine de' Medici, a noblewoman from Florence, upon her marriage to the King of France—often considered the origin of modern perfumery. Infused with jasmine, elderflower, and rosemary, it invites guests on an elegant aromatic journey.

<Scones>

Freshly baked plain and raisin scones served with house-made clotted cream, blood orange curd, and fig jam.