Most visitors to Kyoto rarely venture west of the Katsura River. On the face of it, the western tract of the city of Kyoto pales in comparison to Higashiyama in the east, which feels as though it could crumble under the weight of world heritage sites and the tourist hordes ticking them off their bucket lists.

But one location that does draw visitors west is Katsura Rikyu (Katsura Imperial Villa), with its pristine gardens hidden behind a wall of trees and bamboo. If you've made it that far, venture a little further from the beaten track, where you'll find Sumikura, a welcoming family-run restaurant that sits at an intersection in a warren of narrow roads midway between the Imperial abode and Katsura Station.

The star attraction at Sumikura is the Shokado bento, which is every bit as elegant as it sounds.