Harise

This unforgettable restaurant began life in 1656 as a humble teahouse for pilgrims en route to Kiyomizu-dera, but these days it serves something far grander. The maid will usher you into a private room, furnished with a sumptuous array of cushion seats. Twelfth-generation masterchef Tomoyuki Morimoto then serves a multi-course feast of Kyoto cuisine that perfectly balances colours, textures and tastes. Kaiseki can sometimes be a stiflingly formal affair, but Morimoto’s culinary creations are playful enough to make the fine dining fun.