Traditional cuisine in a natural setting, preserving the essence of the old capital The region to the west of Kyoto has a long history of supplying an abundance of agricultural products to meet the culinary demands of an imperial capital. Rice, regional varieties of chestnut and azuki (red beans), as well as the numerous vegetables used in traditional Kyoto cuisine are grown in the gentle climate north of the city. Another area specialty is the ayu (sweetfish) caught in local rivers. The region’s festivals are strongly interwoven with its traditional cultivation processes, and the culinary culture of the area is an inseparable part of its history.