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.
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.
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". 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". The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.
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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.
+ Michelin-starred restaurantsName CuisineCity 201820192020No guide20212022–2026No guideKaniyoshiJapaneseTottori MitsukiJapaneseTottori NakashimaJapaneseHiroshima HirotoFrenchHiroshima Ryoriya ShogetsuanJapaneseHiroshima Ryoriya SobikiJapaneseHiroshima TokaanJapaneseHiroshima KurumasushiJapaneseMatsuyama of Ehime Prefecture SushinomaJapaneseMatsuyama of Ehime Prefecture Kuikiriryori HappoJapaneseOkayama Sushi EnJapaneseOkayama Aoi JapaneseOkayama Ajisobo Mugi JapaneseOkayama Acca JapaneseOkayama Uosho JapaneseOkayama Essere JapaneseOkayama Oryori Sugi JapaneseOkayama Kaiseki ShoichiroJapaneseOkayama Kashirajima Restaurant Cucina TeradaItalianOkayama Kurashiki Ichie JapaneseOkayama Shoun JapaneseOkayama Hasunomi ChineseOkayama Bricole JapaneseOkayama Honami JapaneseOkayama Matsuzushi JapaneseOkayama Yamazato JapaneseOkayama Yamamoto 山もと JapaneseOkayama Rakushunsai Sato JapaneseOkayama LionniFrenchOkayama Reference(s)
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
There are presently no restaurants from Hokuriku with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide. Michelin suspended reviewing of this region indefinitely following 2021.
+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine City 2016 (40) or (7 as of 11–5–2020) 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022–2026No guideYamazakiJapaneseToyamaAraragiJapaneseNiigataCommonJapaneseNiigataHatsunezushiSushiNiigataIl RiposoItalianNiigata – SanjōIsoFrenchNiigataKaiseki ShusekianJapaneseNiigataKappo ShintakuJapaneseNiigata – MurakamiKyodaizushiJapaneseNiigataL'ArmoiseFrenchNiigata – NagaokaNabejayaJapaneseNiigataNabejaya KorinJapaneseNiigataNishibori KainoJapaneseNiigataOsteria BaccoItalianNiigataRikisushi SawataSushiNiigata – SadoSushi AraiSushiNiigataSushi TokiwaSushiNiigata – ShibataUoyukiJapaneseNiigata – TsubameUozenFrenchNiigata – Sanjō AsadayaJapaneseKanazawa BernardFrenchKanazawa Hamagurizaka MaegawaYakitoriKanazawa Installation Table ENSO L’asymetrie du calmeFusionKanazawa Ipponsugi KawashimaJapaneseNanao Kaga MasaJapaneseKanazawa Kaiseki NakaoJapaneseKaga Kappo IkemoriJapaneseKanazawa Kappo YuzuruJapaneseKanazawa KataoriJapaneseKanazawa KifuneJapaneseKanazawa KikuyaSushiKanazawa KoizumiTempuraKanazawa Kyoumi KaiSobaKanazawa La ClochetteFrenchHakui La PreeminenceFrenchKanazawa Les Tonnelles BudoonokiFrenchKanazawa Machiya Kaiseki RoccaJapaneseKanazawa MakinoncîFrenchKanazawa MatsuyaJapaneseKomatsu MekumiSushiNonoichi MiyabinoJapaneseKanazawaOtome SushiSushiKanazawa RespiracionSpanishKanazawa Restaurant L’Atelier de NotoFrenchWajima Restaurant NFrenchKanazawaRyori KomatsuJapaneseKanazawa Ryotei SuginoiJapaneseKanazawa SetsuriJapaneseKanazawa Shokudō YarnFusionKomatsu Shunbo SakaiJapaneseKanazawa Sushi KibataniSushiKanazawa Sushi OkaumaSushiKanazawa Sushiya KozakuraSushiKanazawa TominariJapaneseWajima TsuzuraJapaneseKomatsu Villa della PaceFrenchNanao WatayaJapaneseHakusan ZeniyaJapaneseKanazawaReference(s) https://www.giovannigandinithebestrestaurants.com/canale.asp?id=7319
Kansai
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. The guide will also begin to assess Kobe and Awaji Island as a standalone list in 2027. This will cover the cities of Kobe, Awaji, Sumoto, and Minamiawaji. The selection will be revealed on February 16, 2027.
Kantō
As of the 2026 Michelin Guide, there are 160 restaurants in the Kanto Region with a Michelin star rating. Michelin presently rates restaurants in the Kanto city of Tokyo.
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.
+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine City 2018 2019 2020–2026No guideSushi GyotenJapaneseFukuokaSushi SakaiJapaneseFukuokaSushidokoro TsukutaJapaneseSagaAgedashi Tempura TenhiroTempuraNagasakiItamaeryori DoyamaJapaneseNagasakiRurikonJapaneseKumamotoShinyashiki KofukuronJapaneseKumamotoSushi SempachiJapaneseKumamotoKikusaikoJapaneseŌitaOryori HatanoJapaneseŌitaReference(s)
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.
+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine City 2019 2020–2026No guideHijikataJapaneseNagoya, AichiSushi UedaJapaneseNagoya, AichiSushi KomadaJapaneseIse, MieReference(s)
See also List of Japanese restaurants List of Michelin 3-star restaurants List of sushi restaurants List of restaurants in Tokyo
References
Bibliography
External links Japan at Michelin Guide