30 pieces of happiness. Is that an owl on the back of the lid, not Iittala's Taika? Iittala is from Finland. GODIVA is from Belgium. Different, right? The original country is Belgium, and the processing plant is in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture. This is a cute box of 50th-anniversary gratitude feelings Grand Plus (30 pieces) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the visit to Japan. Limited collection. The box is decorated with symbolic motifs of Belgium and Japan, as well as the 50th-anniversary logo, and contains limited pieces and curry with materials from each country to express gratitude. Tax-inclusive ¥8,640 (¥8,000 excluding tax) (consumption tax 8%). In the lower drawer are curries. It's cold outside, so let's get through February with chocolate x milk tea, chocolate x cafe latte, and chocolate x hojicha! GODIVA Hotel New Otani Store 03-5212-3050 Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, Kioicho 4-1 Hotel New Otani Tokyo The Main Shopping Arcade 6F.

On a Wednesday afternoon during a national holiday, I visited the Hotel New Otani Tokyo for the first time in a while after having lunch. I purchased some ice cream as a souvenir to take home. The staff's attentive customer service was also a delightful experience at this store. Here are the ice cream flavors I bought: - Tanzania Dark & Milk Chocolate (432 yen tax included): A luxurious ice cream with Godiva's unique Tanzania dark chocolate ice cream, milk chocolate ice cream, and a rich chocolate sauce. - Fondant Chocolat (432 yen tax included): A sophisticated and rich ice cream with milk chocolate ice cream, cocoa cookies, and chocolate sauce. - Milk Chocolate Chip (432 yen tax included): An ice cream with milk chocolate flavor and heart-shaped chocolate chips for a fun texture.

I visited "Godiva" located within Hotel New Otani in GW. The shop is right next to "Garden Lounge" in the hotel. The interior of the shop has a classical atmosphere, and they sell pralines, truffles, cookies, and ice cream. For those who are indecisive, I recommend the seasonal collection assortment. Since it was May, they had a Mother's Day collection. I wandered around the store and got a bit lost, but the staff kindly advised me and helped me choose my favorite biscuits and cute chocolates to pack. Godiva chocolates are very easy for delicate Japanese taste buds to enjoy. Personally, I prefer "Patchi" from Lebanon, but Godiva is also quite delicious. Once you start eating the biscuits, you can't stop, they are so addictive! They are easy to eat as souvenirs or for home consumption, so I recommend them! Thank you for the delicious meal! ★

In February 2019, I gave my father and husband GODIVA products as gifts. I gave my father the chocolate with macadamia nuts, and I gave my husband the chocolate biscuits. I also tried the chocolate biscuits myself, and they were really delicious! They were definitely worth the high price of over 100 yen per piece. I bought a box of 12 for over 1800 yen. The biscuits were very delicate and impressive. GODIVA is perfect for gifts. The GODIVA store inside the Okura is exceptional, with amazing customer service every time. I look forward to visiting again.

The GODIVA at Hotel New Otani is a hidden gem. On this day, they still had lucky bags available for Black Friday.

Ice cream

There is a boutique in San Roze that I wanted to visit to give New Year's greetings, have tea at the Garden Lounge, and buy chocolates at Godiva. On January 5th at 4 pm, there were no customers in the store, and two staff members were busy cleaning the glass. I decided to purchase a New Year's gift, and the process took longer than expected due to the time it took to add a decorative wrapping. The experience was not up to par with the high-end brand image. Comparing the truffles from Godiva to those from Neuhaus, I found that the outer layer of Godiva's truffles was slightly thicker. However, I was impressed by the variety of flavors offered by Godiva. While Neuhaus focused on pralines, Godiva had a wider range of offerings. The experience reminded me of my time working as an interpreter for Neuhaus, a prestigious brand with a long history. Despite the differences in marketing strategies, both Neuhaus and Godiva have their unique charm when it comes to chocolates. Neuhaus always stuck to its original pralines, while Godiva expanded its product range. The tradition of enjoying chocolates during meetings was something I learned from my time at Neuhaus. Overall, the artistry and flavors of pralines and truffles, along with the passion for chocolates, are what I admire in these brands.

In the long arcade connecting the main building and the new building of Hotel New Otani, there is a Godiva store. They offer a set of 16 pieces of assorted chocolates for 1,995 yen, including milk chocolate, 50%, 72%, and 85% cocoa content. I remember trying a high cocoa content chocolate for a diet years ago and finding it too bitter. But now, as an adult, I tried the milk chocolate Carré Milk and found it deliciously sweet. The 50% cocoa Carré Noir 50% is slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness. The 72% cocoa Carré Noir 72% offers a deep bitter taste, while the 85% cocoa Carré Noir 85% is extremely dark and not very sweet, yet surprisingly tasty.

I stopped by Hotel New Otani Arcade at the request of my family and while exploring, I noticed the rare Godiva store inside the hotel. It had a sophisticated and calm atmosphere, different from the usual Godiva stores found in malls. The store had a high-end feel and also featured fashionable items, creating a unique gap that heightened my expectations. Godiva is known for its luxury Belgian chocolates, so I decided to try their French Vanilla and chocolate truffle-flavored coffee, which is only available in select stores. Despite the somewhat high price, the coffee had a soothing and gentle aroma that didn't feel like regular coffee, reflecting the essence of Godiva. I have purchased their coffee online before, but it seems that it is only available in a few select stores for in-person purchases. Overall, it was a delicious experience.

This place exudes a sense of luxury, making you feel rich even when dining alone. I visited here for White Day and the packaging was cute and seasonally appropriate, making the recipient very happy. I especially love the Rich Milk here and purchase it every time. The customer service was friendly and attentive, making shopping a pleasant experience. I would definitely like to visit again. It's recommended to visit around 2-3 pm to avoid the lunchtime crowds. It can get a bit crowded, especially when the Garden Buffet in front is busy, causing a flow of customers. With only about 3 staff members, it may be beneficial to have more during peak hours.

This is a traditional chocolate brand that was once appointed by the Belgian royal family. I used to think it was a Belgian company, but recently it seems to have been acquired by a Turkish company. I never expected to find a Godiva store inside a hotel. Lately, I've been seeing Godiva in various department stores, so the novelty has worn off. However, the quality is still top-notch. Especially the dark chocolate has a rich flavor that lingers on the palate. The meticulous silver packaging for each piece is also appreciated.

Last time we went shopping for New Year's gifts, and this time we are preparing gifts for the year-end season. The gift giver is someone I had dinner with at Brasserie Vatu for the first time in two years. Last time, we enjoyed a selection of pralines as Christmas chocolates at home, but this time, we have a special treat made by two employees at the office. It's a Gold Collection box with 20 pieces (¥5400), but this time it's a smaller assortment with 4 pralines. The pralines include 9 pieces of 'Kale' cocoa 72 and 50 from Neuhaus, which were referred to as 'Good Night' during meetings. Neuhaus, founded in 1857, has withdrawn from the Japanese market, but 70 years later, in 1926, Neuhaus was followed by Godiva, founded in Brussels, Belgium. Godiva entered the American market with the support of Campbell Soup and opened its first store on Fifth Avenue in New York in 1966. In 1972, Godiva began its history in Japan at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, marking the 50th anniversary of its landing in Japan next year. The first overseas shop was the Saint-Honore store in Paris, opened in 1958. In Japan, Godiva Japan, a subsidiary, imports and sells chocolates, with about 250 stores as of 2014, including 127 stores in department stores. However, in the US, sales at large commercial facilities have been sluggish, and in January 2021, Godiva announced its withdrawal from store operations in North America (128 stores). Currently, Godiva has been acquired by the parent company of Ulker Group, Turkey's largest food company, with 450 directly operated stores in over 80 countries worldwide. In Japan, next year marks the 50th anniversary, and from January 7 to March 31, 2022, a limited edition Anniversary Collection will be released. The 12-piece praline box is priced at ¥4320 and features a box with a light color scheme using Godiva's retro logo, featuring yuzu marmalade from Miyazaki Prefecture and hazelnut praline, as well as yuzu feuilletine and cherry and cranberry jam with vanilla mousse wrapped in dark chocolate, known as 'Spring in Japan,' and 'Nippon' created to celebrate the 1972 opening. Godiva fans, don't miss out on these treats! Exciting, right?!