28 October 2026 Delphi 寒露 (Kan-Ro) Cocktails
The Dew turns Cold and Heavy in Late Autumn
At this event, we celebrate the coming of autumn, and its combination of beauty, maturity and - conclusion.
It's the period of 寒露 (kanro) when the dew turn cold and heavy, but still resists turning into frost.
At the Delphi cocktails, we celebrate this turning point without vulgar references to Halloween with its cheap, mass-produced candy and childish extortion.
In Japan, we know that the spirits, ghosts, and ghouls were appeased months ago during Obon—assuming, of course, you properly carried out your summer grave cleaning, altar-setting, and spirit vehicle creation!
However, "in the midst of life we are in death." Autumn is inescapably the end of a cycle, and you will therefore find symbolic chrysanthemums peeking out from the bouquet in our seasonal backdrop.
We vigorously reject the mournful shirakiku (the white chrysanthemum used in funerals) in favor of the magnificent imperial and festive hues.
Under their golden glow, we celebrate the last flourish of summer before the ice and dark of winter take hold. We are not mournful; but we indulge in mono no aware—the bittersweet understanding that beauty begins to fade even as it reaches its zenith.
Far away outside the 51st-floor windows of the Andaz, the landscape turns into a sweeping expanse of brilliant gold as the rice becomes ready for harvest. Far from slowing down, rural life becomes frenzied as farmers race against autumn typhoons to bring in the new rice.
Alongside the grain, persimmons, sweet potatoes, and buckwheat are gathered to dry in the cool wind, securing sustenance for the cold months ahead.
This is a "spirited" time for Shinto deities as well—encased in their portable shrines (mikoshi), they are brutally jostled up and down through village streets to "encourage" them to bless the harvest in autumn matsuri.
In a final congruent element, October marks the dawn of the sake brewing season. As you take the first sip from your urushi lacquer cup tonight, join us in a toast to fellow drinkers and artisans across Japan: 酒悦 — May your time with fine drink be filled with delight.