Next time you are in Japan, take an extra couple of days to visit Kyoto. It’s just a few hours from Tokyo by high-speed train, but you’ll feel like you are in a different country.

Kyoto is famous for its imperial palaces, Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines. It’s also known for preserving many formal traditions, including geishas, the tea ceremony, and the kaiseki dinner (served at the tea ceremony), which consists of multiple courses of skillfully prepared and artistically presented dishes.

Warning: Some of the “finest” kaiseki dishes are creatures that may repulse you. Eat with large glasses of beer.