During my university days in Japan, cherry blossom season was something we felt as much as we saw. Beneath canopies of sakura in full bloom, friends gathered with picnic blankets and baskets celebrating the arrival of spring. There was always a quiet sense of anticipation in the air, of new beginnings just around the corner. The blossoms, fleeting and delicate, offered a gentle reminderto pause and savour the moment.
Fast forward, and I found that same sentiment again in an unexpected place – tucked discreetly behind a bookcase in the softly lit, intimate space of Notch8 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Here, the Sakura Afternoon Tea unfolds as a tasteful and thoughtful homage to the season.
Blending the tradition of classic afternoon tea with understated Japanese influences, guests are transported to a serene setting of soft pink blossoms, cascading white wisteria, glowing lanterns and delicate decorative touches.
A selection of teas is served alongside a three-tiered presentation of savoury and sweet bites, together with the hotel’s signature scones. We chose the Genmaicha Yamasaki, a light golden infusion with a gently toasted rice aroma and the Spring Berry Tea, a bright and refreshing contrast, layered with notes of strawberries and hibiscus.
The three-tiered tea set includes:
Scones
Buttermilk Scones and Vanilla Chia Scones
mascarpone tea cream with strawberry jam
Savour
Vegetable Korokke with Tonkatsu Sauce
Tamago Sando – creamy egg salad & furikake
Cherry Salmon Aburi on milk bread with yuzu aoli
Kare Pan – beef curry in puff pastry
Kinoko – mushroom dengaku tart
Sweet
Cherry Panna Cotta Tart – morello jelly and amarena cherry
Lavender Shortbread Cookie – pink lemonade glaze
Pistachio Raspberry Delice – layered joconde, pistachio, raspberry mousse
Strawberry Verrine – strawberry preserve, Chantilly, vanilla genoise
Castella Cake with yuzu cream and passion pearls
The savoury tier highlights the Japanese influence. I especially enjoyed the Kare Pan – rich, flavourful beef curry encased in delicate pastry, and the Vegetable Korokke with a touch of sweet tonkatsu sauce. The Tamago Sando was deliciously creamy, though I would have preferred a lighter touch with the furikake. Similarly, the mushroom tart, while tasty, leaned slightly salty for my taste.
From the sweet tier, the lavender shortbread cookie with its citrusy glaze and the castella cake with yuzu cream and passionfruit pearls were particularly memorable. I’m always drawn to desserts with a bright citrus lift to balance the sweetness, and these delivered beautifully.
No afternoon tea is complete without buttermilk scones, served here with clotted cream and jam. On this occasion, I found myself too full to enjoy them on the spot, but they made a perfect takeaway treat for later.
Sakura Afternoon Tea:
Available until May 18, 2026
Seatings: Thursday at 11:00 am or 1:00 pm; Friday to Sunday at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Price: $75 per adult, $40 per child (ages 12 and under)