List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan

As of December 2025, a total of 351 restaurants in Japan hold a Michelin-star rating.

Michelin first started reviewing restaurants in Japan in November 2007 when they released the Michelin Guide Tokyo. Guides for Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and Osaka would follow. Tokyo would be expanded to cover Yokohama and Shonan. ^[1]

The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable. ^[2]

Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits". ^{[2] [3]} Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". ^[4] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars. ^[2]

Chūgoku

There are presently no restaurants from Chūgoku with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide. Michelin reviewed restaurants from the region's Tottori Prefecture in 2019 and Okayama Prefecture in 2021 for one year each as part of the Kyoto and Osaka Michelin Guide, before suspending reviewing of this region indefinitely.

2018–2021

Key

	One Michelin star
	Two Michelin stars
	Three Michelin stars
	One Michelin green star
—	The restaurant did not receive a star that year
Closed	The restaurant is no longer open
	One Michelin key

Michelin-starred restaurants

Name	Cuisine	City	2018	2019	2020 No Guide	2021	No guide (2022–2025)
Kaniyoshi かに吉	Japanese	Tottori	—			—
Mitsuki みつき	Japanese	Tottori	—			—
Nakashima なかしま	Japanese	Hiroshima		—		—
Hiroto	French	Hiroshima		—		—
Ryoriya Shogetsuan 料理屋 昇月庵	Japanese	Hiroshima		—		—
Ryoriya Sobiki 料理屋 そうびき	Japanese	Hiroshima		—		—
Tokaan 桃花庵	Japanese	Hiroshima		—		—
Kurumasushi くるますし	Japanese	Matsuyama of Ehime Prefecture		—		—
Sushinoma 鮨の間	Japanese	Matsuyama of Ehime Prefecture		—		—
Kuikiriryori Happo 喰切料理 八方	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Sushi En 鮨 縁	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Aoi あおい	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Ajisobo Mugi 味創房 麦	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Acca アッカ	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Uosho 魚祥	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Essere エッセレ	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Oryori Sugi 御料理 椙	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Kaiseki Shoichiro 懐石 昇一楼	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Kashirajima Restaurant Cucina Terada 頭島レストラン クチーナ テラダ	Italian	Okayama	—	—			Closed
Kurashiki Ichie 倉敷 一会	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Shoun 祥雲	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Hasunomi はすのみ	Chinese	Okayama	—	—
Bricole ブリコール	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Honami 穂浪	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Matsuzushi 松寿司	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Yamazato 山里	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Yamamoto 山もと	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Rakushunsai Sato 楽旬菜 佐とう	Japanese	Okayama	—	—
Lionni レオーニ	French	Okayama	—	—			Closed
Reference(s)			[5]	[6] [7]

Hokkaido

See also: List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Hokkaido

There are presently no restaurants from Hokkaido with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide . Michelin published two standalone lists for the region in 2012 and 2017, before suspending reviewing of this region indefinitely.

Hokuriku

Key

	One Michelin star
	Two Michelin stars
	Three Michelin stars
	One Michelin green star
—	The restaurant did not receive a star that year
Closed	The restaurant is no longer open
	One Michelin key

Michelin-starred restaurants

Name	Cuisine	City	2016 (40) or (7 as of 11-5-2020)	2017	2018	2019	2020
Yamazaki 山崎	Japanese	Toyama		—	—	—	—
Kyodaizushi 兄弟寿し	Japanese	Niigata	—	—	—	—
Nabejaya Korin 鍋茶屋 光琳	Japanese	Niigata	—	—	—	—
Uozen	French	Niigata	—	—	—	—
Reference(s)			[8] [9] [10]				[11]

Kansai

See also: List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka

See also: List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Nara

As of the 2025 lists, there are 193 restaurants from the Kansai Region with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide . Michelin currently assesses restaurants in the Kansai cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka.

Kantō

Key

	One Michelin star
	Two Michelin stars
	Three Michelin stars
	One Michelin green star
—	The restaurant did not receive a star that year
Closed	The restaurant is no longer open
	One Michelin key

Michelin-starred restaurants

Name	City	2008 (150) [12]	2009 (227) [13]	2010 (261) [14]	2011 (266) [15]	2012 (293) [16]	2013 (373) [17]	2014 (281) [18]	2015 (226) [19]	2016 (217) [20]	2017 (227) [21]	2018 (234) [22]	2019 (230) [23] [24]	2020 (226) [25] [26]
Araki	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo	—	—	—			Closed in 2013, relocated to London in 2014 [27]
Azabu Yukimura	Azabu-Jūban, Minato	—	—	—
Esaki	Shibuya	—	—	—							Lost in 2017 and relocated/rebranded in Sep 2018 as Yatsugatake Esaki [28] [29]
Ginza Koju	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo
Hamadaya	Chūō, Tokyo												—	—
Ishikawa	Shinjuku	—	—	—
Joël Robuchon	Meguro
Kanda	Minato
Kohaku	Shinjuku	—	—	—	—
7chome Kyoboshi	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo	—	—	—					—	—	—	—	—	—
Makimura	Shinagawa	—	—	—
Quintessence	Shinagawa
Ryugin	Roppongi, Minato	—	—	—
Sazenka	Minato-ku	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sukiyabashi Jiro	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo													—
Sushi Mizutani	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo										Closed in 2016 [30]
Sushi Saito	Minato	—	—	—										—
Sushi Yoshitake	Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo	—	—	—	—
Usukifugu Yamadaya	Minato	—	—	—
L'Osier	Chūō, Tokyo				Closed for reconstruction; New chef [31] [32] [33]
Kadowaki	Minato	—

Kyushu

There are presently no restaurants from Kyushu with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide . Michelin suspended reviewing of this region indefinitely following 2019.

Key

	One Michelin star
	Two Michelin stars
	Three Michelin stars
	One Michelin green star
—	The restaurant did not receive a star that year
Closed	The restaurant is no longer open
	One Michelin key

Michelin-starred restaurants

Name	Cuisine	City	2018	2019	No guide (2020–2025)
Sushi Gyoten 鮨 行天	Japanese	Fukuoka	—
Sushi Sakai 鮨 さかい	Japanese	Fukuoka	—
Sushidokoro Tsukuta 鮨処 つく田	Japanese	Saga	—
Agedashi Tempura Tenhiro 揚出し天ぷら 天ひろ	Tempura	Nagasaki	—
Itamaeryori Doyama 板前料理 堂山	Japanese	Nagasaki	—
Rurikon 瑠璃紺	Japanese	Kumamoto		—
Shinyashiki Kofukuron 新屋敷 幸福論	Japanese	Kumamoto		—
Sushi Sempachi 鮨 仙八	Japanese	Kumamoto		—
Kikusaiko 菊彩香	Japanese	Ōita		—
Oryori Hatano 御料理 はた野	Japanese	Ōita		—
Reference(s)				[5]

Tōkai

There are presently no restaurants from Tōkai with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide . Michelin suspended reviewing of this region indefinitely following 2019.

Key

	One Michelin star
	Two Michelin stars
	Three Michelin stars
	One Michelin green star
—	The restaurant did not receive a star that year
Closed	The restaurant is no longer open
	One Michelin key

Michelin-starred restaurants

Name	Cuisine	City	2019	No guide (2020–2025)
Hijikata 土方	Japanese	Nagoya, Aichi
Sushi Ueda 右江田	Japanese	Nagoya, Aichi
Sushi Komada こま田	Japanese	Ise, Mie
Reference(s)			[34]

See also

• List of Japanese restaurants
• List of Michelin three starred restaurants
• List of sushi restaurants
• List of restaurants in Tokyo

References

1. "MICHELIN Guides Worldwide". guide.michelin.com. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
2. Buchwald, Elisabeth (10 February 2024). "Michelin Guide history: How did a tire company become an elite restaurant rating guide?". CNN . Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
3. "How Restaurants Get Michelin Stars: A Brief History of the Michelin Guide". Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts . 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
4. Dixon, Rachel (24 June 2008). "Q&A: Michelin stars". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
5. "Michelin Guide Japan". Michelin Japan. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
6. "MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka + Tottori 2019 Selection". Michelin.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
7. "MICHELIN GUIDE digital". Michelin Guide Tottori. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
8. "MICHELIN Guide Toyama Ishikawa (Kanazawa) 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 9 December 2019.
9. "MICHELIN Guide Toyama and Kanazawa 2016". MICHELIN Guide Toyama and Kanazawa. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
10. "Michelin 2016 Ishikawa in Japanese". japanguide.michelin.co.jp. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
11. "MICHELIN GUIDE Niigata 2020". gmniigata.gnavi.co.jp. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
12. Reynolds, Isabel (19 November 2007). "Michelin Guide dubs Tokyo world's starriest city". Reuters.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
13. "More Michelin stars for Tokyo". The Japan Times. 19 November 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
14. McCurry, Justin (18 November 2009). "Tokyo is the new Paris, say Michelin". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
15. "Japan equals France for top three-starred Michelin restaurants". The Telegraph. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
16. Forbes, Paula (29 November 2011). "Michelin Announces 2012 Stars For Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
17. Forbes, Paula (28 November 2012). "Michelin Guide Announces 2013 Stars in Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
18. Canavan, Hillary Dixler (3 December 2013). "Michelin Announces 2014 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
19. Shah, Khushbu (2 December 2014). "Michelin Announces 2015 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
20. Callaghan, Adam (December 2015). "Michelin Announces 2016 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
21. Filloon, Whitney (29 November 2016). "Michelin Reveals 2017 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
22. Burton, Monica (28 November 2017). "Michelin Announces 2018 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
23. Burton, Monica (27 November 2018). "Michelin Announces 2019 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
24. "MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2019 Selection". MICHELIN.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
25. "Michelin Guide Tokyo 2020". Michelin.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
26. Burton, Monica (26 November 2019). "Michelin Announces 2020 Stars for Tokyo". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
27. "Opening The Araki - Premier Construction News". Premier Construction News. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
28. Swinnerton, Robbie (2016-12-09). "How Michelin's stardust has changed Tokyo". The Japan Times Online. ISSN   0447-5763 . Retrieved 2018-10-09.
29. Esaki, Shintaro. "Profile". Yatsugatake Esaki. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
30. "Heartache 〜水谷八郎、引退〜 : Shoot Diary". Shoot Diary (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-10-09.
31. "Restaurant L'Osier Earns Two-Star Rating after Reopening, while Restaurant Faro Shiseido Earns One-Star Rating for Seven Straight Years – Michelin Guide Tokyo 2015 –" (PDF). Shiseido Group. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
32. "L'Osier Awarded Three Stars in Michelin Guide Tokyo 2020". Shiseido Group. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
33. Tomisawa, Ayai (2010-10-15). "Mastering the Art of French-Japanese Cuisine". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2019-12-09.
34. Burton, Monica (16 May 2019). "Michelin Announces First-Ever Guide to Japan's Aichi, Gifu, and Mie Prefectures". Eater.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.

Bibliography

• Michelin Guide Tokyo Yokohama Shonan 2012. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2012. ISBN   978-2-06-716982-1.
• Michelin Guide Tokyo Yokohama Shonan 2013. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2013. ISBN   978-4-904337-02-8.
• Michelin Guide Fukoga-Saga-Nagasaki 2019 Special Edition. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2019. ISBN   978-4-904337-38-7.
• Michelin Guide Aichi-Gifu-Mie 2019 Special Edition. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2019. ISBN   978-4-904337-20-2.
• Michelin Guide Tokyo 2024. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2024. ISBN   978-4-904337-13-4.
• Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025. Michelin Travel & Lifestyle. 2025. ISBN   978-4-904337-39-4.

External links

• Japan at Michelin Guide