MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka - 15th anniversary edition - One new Two MICHELIN Star and two new MICHELIN Green Star restaurants shine

Michelin is pleased to present the 2024 restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka. Unveiled during a glittering ceremony held in Kyoto, and to which all the chefs running Starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants were invited, this year’s selection marks the 15^th anniversary of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka.

Compiling a total and record number of 440 restaurants (226 in Kyoto and 214 in Osaka), the selection celebrates 8 Three MICHELIN Star restaurants, 27 Two MICHELIN Star restaurants, 150 One MICHELIN Star restaurants and 117 Bib Gourmand restaurants. In addition, 138 restaurants were selected for the quality of their cuisine, while 11 restaurants saw their sustainable commitment rewarded with the MICHELIN Green Star.

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides, commented, “Over the past 15 years, our team of inspectors has been lucky enough to witness the fascinating evolution of both the Kyoto and Osaka food scenes. While food excellence has continued to expand, our team has also observed how many chefs have been placing creativity at the heart of their proposals, concocting dishes that transcend the boundaries of culinary categories and illustrate their open-mindedness. Moreover, we have noted how more and more chefs are now thinking about food and sustainability together; working ever closer with environmentally-conscious producers.”

One restaurant newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars

In Osaka, Yugen was promoted from One to Two MICHELIN Stars. In this counter restaurant, whose name derives from a Japanese expression meaning “inexpressible beauty of various arts”, gourmets are invited to enjoy the cuisine of chef Keisuke Mifune. Boasting superbly prepared stewed fayre, as well as tasty dashi soup accentuating the umami flavor of kombu kelp, the menu also pays tribute to ingredients from Fukuoka – the chef’s home region – and the suburbs of Osaka.

In addition to the newly awarded restaurants, the MICHELIN Guide also recommends a total of 27 Two MICHELIN Star establishments (17 in Kyoto and 10 in Osaka). 8 restaurants  maintained the highest distinction and are recommended with Three MICHELIN Stars for their unique cuisine – including Kikunoi Honten and Hyotei, which were awarded Three MICHELIN Stars for the 15^th consecutive year.

17 restaurants newly received One MICHELIN Star – 10 in Kyoto and 7 in Osaka

In Kyoto, no fewer than 10 restaurants were newly awarded One MICHELIN Star. At Tenjaku, the inspectors were particularly impressed by the tofu tempura, while at Tokuha Motonari, they were seduced by the charcoal fire dishes. Doppo pursues the beauty of Japanese design in a house built in the Sukiya style, while kappo restaurant Nijo Minami showcases the culinary traditions of Kyoto, and Muromachi Yui welcomes only a few guests at its counter to sample typical Japanese dishes. At MASHIRO, gourmets will discover a menu brimful of originality, as they will at Mizuno.

Three restaurants proposing French-inspired cuisine also received One MICHELIN Star: La Bûche, helmed by chef Sohei Mori; MOKO, run by Versailles-born chef Alexis Moko, who delivers traditional flavors in an authentic Kyoto Machiya; and Anpeiji, where chef Masashi Ampeiji serves up aromatic dishes, inspired by his experience in the South of France.

In Osaka, 7 restaurants were newly acclaimed with One MICHELIN Star. Matsuzushi offers a variety of seasonal fish and sushi from Osaka Bay, prepared by the owner, who is a keen researcher. U Garando combines dishes from different regions of China with seasonal Japanese ingredients. Kashiwaya Osaka Kitashinchi is the affiliated restaurant of Three MICHELIN Star Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama. Ryoriya Inaya delivers a menu with a playful spirit while maintaining the framework of Japanese cuisine, while Sawada focuses on the natural flavors of ingredients. Finally, lovers of French food will enjoy SINAE, which brings local ingredients to the fore and pairs them with traditional French techniques, and LE PONT DE CIEL, which honors French classics, in a modern refined manner.

With these newly awarded restaurants, and alongside those retaining their distinction this year, the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka 2024 counts 150 One MICHELIN Star restaurants – 78 in Kyoto and 72 in Osaka.

The MICHELIN Green Star newly highlights the sustainable commitments of two restaurants

The MICHELIN Green Star was once more awarded to two restaurants from Kyoto. Newly Starred French restaurant, Fla bûche expresses the terroir of Ohara through its cuisine. It sources ingredients from neighboring producers and hunters, and many of its creations are based around wild plants. The wine list, focusing on natural wines, also impressed the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors. Shigetsu uses market-sourced ingredients to create its menu on a day-to-day basis. The restaurant is also committed to avoiding food waste. For example, vegetable scraps from the cooking process are dried and turned into compost to fertilize local fields. With is Shojin style, the restaurant also conveys the importance of limited ingredients.

In total, 11 MICHELIN Green Stars now shine over Kyoto (8) and Osaka (3).

8 restaurants newly awarded a Bib Gourmand and 138 selected restaurants

Introduced in 1997, the Bib Gourmand distinction recognizes establishments from the MICHELIN Guide selection that offer the best value for money: a full meal at a reasonable price.

In Kyoto, four new Bib Gourmand restaurants – including ramen, izakaya and soba – bring the total to 55 awarded eateries. In Osaka, the new figures are similar – 4 additions for a total of 62 Bib Gourmand restaurants. Tonkatsu, Italian and udon restaurants are represented among the newcomers. 

In addition to the Starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants, the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka also recommends 138 restaurants whose food quality won over the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors. Included in the “selected restaurants” category, which only began in March 2023, these restaurants are definitively adding culinary and restaurant concept diversity to the selection. Partly announced throughout the year on the MICHELIN Guide digital platforms, the MICHELIN Guide added 90 newly selected restaurants to its list.

The MICHELIN Guide Mentor Chef and Service Awards

The Mentor Chef Award highlights a chef whose work and career have set an example. The award is presented to chefs who contribute to developing the restaurant industry through their enthusiasm and willingness to train the future generation.

The 2024 MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award for the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka went to Yoshihiro Murata from Three MICHELIN Star restaurant, Kikunoi Honten. He has led the Japanese culinary world for years and has trained a number of excellent successors, while teaching young people outside the culinary world as an educator. He has also helped to develop Japanese and Kyoto cuisine, for example by setting up food societies. He spearheaded the registration of Japanese cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and has his sights set on the future of Japanese culinary culture. He is a role model for chefs thanks to his dedication to the development of Japanese cuisine.

The MICHELIN Service Award is presented to front-of-house teams who make diners feel welcome and comfortable. It is awarded to professional and engaging teams who make the dining experience special, recognizing a sincere passion for service.

The winners of the 2024 MICHELIN Service Award are Kazuo Nishida, the fifth-generation owner of Kanamean Nishitomiya, and his wife Kyoko. Together, they convey Kyoto's history and culture through their cuisine and conversation, and offer sincere hospitality to guests from home and abroad. Mr. and Mrs. Nishida have visited hotels and restaurants abroad to learn about the global standard of service. Before each meal, they guide guests into the kitchen to present the day's ingredients. New ideas are introduced to create an enjoyable dining experience. Their teamwork is also exemplary, always discussing the menu together with the head chef. They pay attention to every detail and work hard to make the dining experience a memorable one for guests.

All the recommendations in the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka 2024 can be consulted free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website (https://guide.michelin.com/jp/en) and mobile apps.

The MICHELIN Guide Kyoto and Osaka 2024 at a glance:

440 recommended restaurants, of which:   

• 8 Three MICHELIN Stars

• 27 Two MICHELIN Stars (1 new)

• 150 One MICHELIN Star (17 new)

• 11 MICHELIN Green Star (2 new)

• 117 Bib Gourmand (8 new)

• 138 selected restaurants (90 new)