Search for Ryokan and helpful information on The Official Kyoto Ryokan Association Website [Yoroshiosu, Kyo no Ryokan]

Kyo-ryori was born and has been fostered over a 1200 year history and is representative of long-cherished Japanese cuisine.
Looking at the evolution of Japanese cuisine, it can be said that today's Kyo-ryori has been created by a harmonious combination of Taikyo-ryori originating from the banquets of the Heian-era noblemen, Honzen-ryori which puts emphasis on the formalities of the Samurai, Yusoku-ryori that prevailed among the lords after the Samurai era, Shojin-ryori which has little to no added preservatives and doesn't include raw ingredients to prevent foul odors developed in temples for monks in training (Japanese style vegetarian), and Cha-kaiseki* which developed with the tea ceremony from the complicated delicacies of Japanese culture.
With that background information, maybe you will see Kyoto cuisine in a different light, and understand the deepness behind it?

*茶懐石(Cha Kaiseki) – The formal differences of「茶懐石」(Cha Kaiseki) and 「会席」(also pronounced Kaiseki) is that 「茶懐石」(Cha Kaiseki) is the event of enjoying tea and「会席」(also pronounced Kaiseki) is the event of enjoying Japanese sake. Depending on the Ryokan, both expressions are used (pronounced the same but with different Chinese characters). In recent years, the formal differences are used vaguely but originally, they were prepared for two different purposes.