Photo= Chinese buffet breakfast begun in the refurbished Chinese restaurant to cater to the surge of Southeast Asian tourists (Kyoto Hotel Okura, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

First-class hotels in Kyoto City are focusing on their breakfast menus. They are using their ingenuity to satisfy an increasing number of foreign guests, as well as local patrons: one became the first among the city's hotels to offer a Chinese buffet, while another uses luxury ingredients such as foie gras. By creatively moving beyond the standard fare, these hotels are making strides to stand out among the competition.

The Chinese restaurant at Kyoto Hotel Okura, in Nakagyo Ward, took advantage of its renovation last September to start a buffet-style breakfast. In addition to offering ten-odd dishes, including meat balls, rice noodles, stir-fry and other items, its food-stall section provides hot noodle soup and Chinese congee.

Thus far, the hotel had not met fully the breakfast demand during the tourist seasons, only two of its restaurants served breakfast. It is also aims to appeal to the growing number of tourists from Southeast Asia.

The buffet-style breakfast is also available in its top-floor lounge. The hotel says, "We want to promote this Chinese buffet as one of the pillars of our hotel." Its Kyoto cuisine restaurant also serves an authentic breakfast with a Chinese soft-shell turtle pot-dish and rolled omelets. "We would like our guests to enjoy different breakfasts if they stay more than one night," they stated.

Kyoto Century Hotel in Shimogyo Ward features luxury ingredients. Foie gras saute and roast Wagyu beef are available in their buffet-style breakfast. Also, the line-up of cakes, including tarts and others, has also been expanded. Consequently, the number of guests eating the hotel's breakfast was 60 % last summer, a 10% increase compared to 2012. The hotel ranked top in the Kinki-region for the hotel-breakfast contest hosted by a travel site. Hotel staff said, "In the future we want to use ingredients such as Kyoto-grown vegetables so that our guest can experience the feeling of Kyoto."

Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto, in Shimogyo Ward, has increased the "Obanzai" menu, or Kyoto's home-style dishes, in its buffet breakfast. Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto, also in Shimogyo Ward, set up a new bakery department to produce their homemade bread. ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, in Nakagyo Ward, provides freshly made French toast and pancakes, which are popular among women.

The number of foreign hotel guests in Kyoto City reached a record high of 1.13 million in 2013, and has remained high in 2014. The number of Japanese guests is also steady, and hotels are competing fiercely to attract more guests.