Hotter days, bigger dining discounts

Summer has started and the temperature and humidity in Tokyo is high. The Peninsula Tokyo welcomes the season by offering a special dinner discount called Heating Things Up. Every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday through Aug. 30, the highest temperature reached each day will be the rate of the discount for dinner. For example, if the temperature hits 35 degrees Celsius, the discount is 35 percent.

At 1 p.m. on the given days, the hotel will confirm the day's temperature on its website. The temperature posted will be applied as the percent of the discount when dining at Peter, Peter: The Bar, Hei Fung Terrace and The Lobby.

The discount is valid for regular courses and a la carte dishes, and soft drinks, cocktails, spirits, wine and other alcohol up to ¥30,000 per bottle.

To have this special discount, guests need only mention the deal when making a reservation or before they order.

Beat the heat with Chinese delicacies

The Westin Tokyo in Yebisu Garden Place is offering a special seasonal Ching Po Leung dinner course at its Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant, Ryutenmon, through Aug. 31.

The executive chef, Chin Keimei, and his team serve authentic Cantonese cuisine as well as original creations. This summer, they will prepare a course intended to give diners the stamina to beat the heat.

The course offers a range of dishes, such as shark's collagen soup, broiled dumplings with homemade Chinese chili sauce, Chef Chin's braised pork and bean curd and chilled black honey jelly.

The course is available daily for two guests or more at ¥15,000 per person from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Also, at lunchtime, 30 servings of a Ching Po Leung cold noodle using 20 ingredients is offered each day at ¥3,800. Prices includes tax and service charge.

Summer fun for children in Nasu

The Hotel Epinard Nasu in Tochigi Prefecture is offering several summer programs for children.

The Nasu district is about 180 km from Tokyo. It is a popular resort area known for its abundance of nature and as a summer heat retreat. The hotel occupies 165 hectares of greenery and guests can enjoy the tranquility of the countryside.

Through Sept. 30, the hotel's children's programs include such activities as hunting for beetles in the forest, making pastries, hiking, creating silver accessories and participating in other arts and crafts, and harvesting at a farm contracted with the hotel.

Also, the hotel's heated indoor pool is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The facility not only has a 25-meter pool but two smaller pools for children and a whirlpool bath. Through the summer, use of the pool is free for hotel guests. For visitors, it costs ¥1,800 per person ages 13 and up, ¥1,200 per person ages 6 to 12 and ¥800 per child ages 3 to 5.