The Michelin Guide is one of the most renowned travel guides in the world. If you are looking for a high-level Japanese restaurant, you should definitely look for restaurants with Michelin stars and prepare your wallet. In this article, we will see restaurants in Japan that have Michelin stars.
Remember that the Michelin Guide awards from one to 3 stars to measure culinary excellence. It is not like that classic 5-star rating that some use. In culinary arts, critics judge with only 3 stars.
The list below has the most updated stars from 2019-2020. It may happen that a restaurant loses its star or has not been judged by a certain date. I hope you enjoy the list of restaurants in this article.
We will not go into details about the restaurants on this list. We recommend searching by name to access the official website or see reviews on sites like Google Maps.
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How much does a Michelin Star Restaurant cost in Japan?
The costs of a Michelin star restaurant in Japan can vary greatly depending on various factors, such as location, chef’s reputation, number of stars, type of cuisine, among others.
However, to give a general idea, prices usually start at around 10,000 yen per person in more affordable restaurants with one Michelin star.
In high-end restaurants, with two or three stars, prices can easily exceed 30,000 yen per person, potentially reaching even higher amounts depending on the menu and selected options.
Michelin Restaurant Recommendations in Japan
We can’t just list the restaurants without talking a bit about the dishes, so below I will recommend the main restaurants by briefly describing the dishes of each one.
Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo)
Specialty: High-quality sushi, prepared with refined techniques and carefully selected fresh ingredients.
Ryugin (Tokyo)
Specialty: Contemporary kaiseki cuisine, known for creative dishes that combine tradition and innovation.
Sushi Saito (Tokyo)
Specialty: World-class sushi, emphasizing simplicity and the perfection of ingredients, especially fresh fish.
Kitcho Arashiyama Honten (Kyoto)
Specialty: Traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine, with elaborate dishes and impeccable presentation, using seasonal ingredients.
Kohaku (Tokyo)
Specialty: Kaiseki haute cuisine, focusing on the harmony of flavors, textures, and aesthetic presentation of dishes.
Makimura (Tokyo)
Specialty: High-class Japanese cuisine, emphasizing seasonal dishes prepared with technical skill and creativity.
Quintessence (Tokyo)
Specialty: High French gastronomy with Japanese influences, offering refined and complex dishes with exceptional flavors.
Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo
See below the names of Michelin star restaurants in the greater Tokyo area. In the first column, we have the name of the restaurant, followed by its location in the second column and how many Michelin stars it has in the third column.
| Name | Local | Stars |
| Azabu Yukimura | Azabu-Jūban, Minato | 3 |
| Ginza Koju | Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo | 2 |
| Ishikawa | Shinjuku | 3 |
| Joël Robuchon | Meguro | 3 |
| Kanda | Minato | 3 |
| Kohaku | Shinjuku | 3 |
| Makimura | Shinagawa | 3 |
| Quintessence | Shinagawa | 3 |
| Ryugin | Roppongi, Minato | 3 |
| Sukiyabashi Jiro | Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo | 3 |
| Sushi Saito | Minato | 3 |
| Sushi Yoshitake | Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo | 3 |
| Usukifugu Yamadaya | Minato | 2 |
| L’Osier | Chūō, Tokyo | 3 |
| Kadowaki | Minato | 2 |
Restaurants with Stars in Kansai
| Name | City | Stars |
| Hyotei (瓢亭) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Kyoto Kiccho Arashiyama (aka Kitcho Arashiyama Honten) (吉兆 嵐山本店) | Arashiyama, Kyoto | 3 |
| Kikunoi Honten (菊乃井 本店) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Mizai (未在) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Chihana (千花) | Kyoto | – |
| Tsuruya (つる家) | Kyoto | – |
| Isshisoden Nakamura (一子相伝 なかむら) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Iida (飯田) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Gion Sasaki (祇園さゝ木) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Maeda (前田) | Kyoto | 3 |
| Kyokaiseki Kichisen (京懐石 吉泉) | Kyoto | 2 |
| Hajime (ハジメ) | Osaka | 3 |
| Kashiwaya (柏屋) | Osaka | 3 |
| Taian (太庵) | Osaka | 3 |
| Fujiya 1935 | Osaka | 2 |
| Koryu (弧柳) | Osaka | 2 |
| Ca cento/Sento (カ・セント) | Kobe | – |
| Komago (子孫) | Kobe | – |
| Wa Yamamura (和やまむら) | Nara | – |
Other Japanese Restaurants with Michelin Stars
The list below has restaurants from other cities spread across Japan. Following the order of first the name of the restaurant, then the city and the number of stars.
- Hanakoji Sawada (花小路 さわ田) Hokkaido 3 stars
- Hanakomichi Ishida Hokkaido – 3 stars
- Hijikata (土方) Nagoya, Aichi 3 stars
- Kaniyoshi (かに吉) Tottori 2 stars
- Michel Bras Toya Japan (ミシェル・ブラス トーヤ ジャポン) Hokkaido 2 stars
- Mitsuki (みつき) Tottori 2 stars
- Molière (モリエール) Hokkaido 3 stars
- Nakashima (なかしま) Hiroshima 3 stars
- Nukumi (温味) Hokkaido 3 stars –
- Sushi Gyoten (鮨 行天) Fukuoka 3 stars
- Sushi Komada (こま田) Ise, Mei 3 stars
- Sushi Miyakawa (すし 宮川) Hokkaido – 3 stars
- Sushi Sakai (鮨 さかい) Fukuoka 3 stars
- Sushi Tanabe (鮨 田なべ) Hokkaido 3 stars
- Sushi Ueda (右江田) Nagoya, Aichi 3 stars
- Yamazaki (山崎) Toyama 3 stars
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