Restaurants in Kyōto near Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto

Nestled among the mountains in Western Honshu, Kyoto has a reputation worldwide as Japan's most beautiful city. However, many tourists may be surprised by how much work it takes to see the beautiful side. Most visitors' first impression will be the urban sprawl of central Kyoto, around the ultra-modern glass-and-steel train station, which is itself an example of a city steeped in tradition colliding with the modern world.

Nonetheless, the persistent tourist will soon discover Kyoto's hidden beauty in the temples and parks which ring the city center, and find that the city has much more than immediately meets the eye. Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the Emperor from 794 until the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when the capital was moved to Tokyo. During its millennium at the center of Japanese power, culture, tradition and religion, Kyoto accumulated an unparalleled collection of palaces, temples and shrines built for the privileged classes.

Kyoto offers an incredible number of attractions for tourists, and visitors will probably need to plan an itinerary in advance in order to visit as many as possible.