Relaxing spa break in Yokohama

The InterContinental Yokohama Grand has arranged tie-ups with neighboring spa facility Yokohama Minatomirai Manyo Club to offer special accommodation and spa plans through May 31.

Each package includes a one-night stay in a Superior Room with city view, plus entrance to the spa (worth ¥2,620) and a drink, so guests can enjoy a hot-spring bath with a great view of Yokohama's bay front.

As an additional option, Plan A offers bedrock bathing, while Plan B offers a shiatsu finger-pressure massage.

Plan A costs ¥9,900 per person, and Plan B is ¥13,400. The price includes most tax and service charges, though at the spa, ¥100 extra will be charged as tax.

Also during this period, a special shuttle bus will operate between the hotel and the spa three times each day.

The brush is mightier than the wave

On May 13 (7-9 p.m.), Mado Lounge Spice in Roppongi, Tokyo, will hold an event, Nippon Isshin, which aims to support the reconstruction of the northeast of Japan in the wake of March 11's earthquake and tsunami.

Mado Lounge Spice is located high up in the center of Tokyo, and guests can enjoy splendid views of the city with music and food.

Cocktails using Nanbu Bijin, a renowned sake from tsunami-hit Iwate Prefecture, and dishes using products from the quake-affected areas will be served.

The menu includes quiche made with shiitake mushrooms and cauliflower from Fukushima Prefecture, ham and melon from Ibaraki Prefecture, and curry with wild vegetables from around the Tohoku region.

The Nippon Isshin project was established by Sisyu, a Japanese calligrapher, to help the victims of the disaster.

At the event, live artistic performances by Sisyu and other guest artists will be held, and artworks will be sold in charity auctions.

Admission is ¥1,000, and all proceeds will be sent to the devastated areas via the Japanese Red Cross Society.

A bubbly night out in Osaka

The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka presents a special bubbly-themed night menu, Yoru no Champagne Set, at its British-style bar The Lobby Lounge through May 31.

The special menu offers four kinds of appetizers, including asparagus rolled with smoked salmon and herb risotto, and three kinds of desserts, including assorted fruits and tiramisu. Guests can pick one of the seven dishes, and wash it down with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label champagne.

The menu is available for ¥3,000, Sun.-Thurs. 6-11 p.m. and Fri.-Sat. 6 p.m.-midnight. The price includes tax and service charge.

Also, live performances by the hotel's house band, which are normally charged at an extra ¥1,186, are included and start at 7 p.m., so guests can enjoy a luxurious evening at a reasonable all-inclusive price.