Today, Michelin released the 2023 Kyoto Osaka MICHELIN Guide’s restaurant selection, which highlights 389 places. Among these, 41 restaurants have been newly awarded by MICHELIN inspectors, receiving either Two MICHELIN Stars, One MICHELIN Star or a Bib Gourmand.
19 new restaurants – including 2 new Two-Star, 3 new One-Star, and 15 new Bib Gourmand – are located in Kyoto, bringing the total to 196. In Osaka, 193 restaurants are within the selection, including 22 new ones – 8 new One-Star and 14 new Bib Gourmand.
“Once again, our 2023 restaurant selection illustrates how Kyoto and Osaka continue to feature among the world’s gastronomic hot spots. With its history and culture, traditional dishes made from seasonal ingredients and a fine sense of service, Kyoto is a must-see destination for any traveler eager to discover and enjoy Japanese hospitality. Meanwhile, Osaka has developed a unique culinary scene, offering a wide variety of cuisines, from local delicacies to international offerings. Our inspectors took a tremendous pleasure in carrying out the selection, discovering a number of new places and, for the first time in the history of the Kyoto Osaka Guide, shedding a light on talented, committed professionals with our Special Awards” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides.
Ryō-shō and VELROSIER have been newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars in Kyoto
With a direct entry in the MICHELIN Guide selection with Two MICHELIN Stars, Ryō-shō, managed by chef Makoto Fujiwara, impressed the MICHELIN inspectors in the best way by achieving the actual meaning of the restaurant’s name: ‘surpassing the sky’. In this Sukiya-style building, built by master artisans, gourmets are invited to enjoy traditional, refined Japanese dishes, with the addition of Western ingredients opening a fascinating dialogue with French gastronomy.
VELROSIER, which was awarded One MICHELIN Star in last year’s edition, has been promoted to Two MICHELIN Stars. In this modern designer restaurant, owner-chef Yuji Iwasaki offers a subtle, innovative fusion between Chinese and French flavors and techniques. Foie gras-filled monaka wafer cakes, infused with roses and cloves, or imaginative pan-fried gyoza – which are deconstructed and reassembled-, are two mere examples of the unbridled creativity of the chef and his team.
In addition to these 2 new Two-MICHELIN Star restaurants, 17 others have maintained their distinction in Kyoto and 10 in Osaka. All Three-MICHELIN Star restaurants – 6 in Kyoto and 3 in Osaka - have also kept their distinction in this year’s selection. Kikunoi Honten and Hyotei, which have had Three MICHELIN Stars in Kyoto since the first edition of the Guide, are therefore celebrating their 14th year at the top of global gastronomy.
3 new One-MICHELIN Star are shining in Kyoto and 8 in Osaka
In Kyoto, DODICI combines Italian and typical Japanese flavors. Kenya and Enyuan Kobayashi offer numerous local flavors; the former adds very fine curries and ramen to its gastronomic menu while the latter specializes in tempura kaiseki.
Osaka, with 8 new One-MICHELIN Star restaurants, has shown a very lively gastronomic scene. Gourmets looking for typical Japanese flavors – either traditional or modern dishes, yakitori or sushi – will be visiting Fushimimachi Kakoiyama, Naniwakappo NOBORU, Yakitori Torisen, or Sushi Sanshin. Those who prefer to discover interesting French touches will be booking a table at nent, ORIGIN or PRESQU’ÎLE. Finally, Kamigatachuka SHINTANI, run by owner-chef Akihito Shintani, adds a further international touch to the selection, by creating an appealing Chinese and Kansai fusion.
Abundance of cuisines within the Bib Gourmand selection
With no less than 98 and 99 Bib Gourmand restaurants, Kyoto and Osaka continue to feature among the most gourmet destinations for food lovers looking for outstanding meals at a reasonable price. This year’s selection even sees 15 new eateries joining the selection in Kyoto and 14 in Osaka. Among them, many types of cuisine are represented, from Spanish specialties in CLIMA (Kyoto) and EL ALMA (Osaka), to Italian delicacies in BOCCA del VINO and COPPIE (both in Kyoto), to French flavors in Bistro des Chenapans (Osaka).
Japanese treats are also numerous in this year’s newcomers: Mendokoro Janomeya or Muginoyoake (both in Kyoto) or Kamigata Rainbow (Osaka) specialize in ramen, while Kidatake Udon or Ogimachi Udonya Asuro (both Osaka) offers remarkable udon. Nikomi Kimura, Jizakeya Iwatsuki or The New World are izakaya restaurants in Osaka, and greatly impressed Michelin inspectors, while Hiiragitei in Kyoto or Yakitori Torisen and Ishii Jr. in Osaka offer delicious yakitori. Finally, the tonkatsu from Tonkatsu KATSU Hana in Kyoto are not to be missed.
Kyoto and Osaka restaurants for a more sustainable gastronomy
With respectively 6 and 3 restaurants maintaining their MICHELIN Green Star, Kyoto and Osaka are demonstrating how local chefs and teams continue to put sustainability at the heart of their concepts.
The MICHELIN Green Star, which is awarded to the restaurants within the MICHELIN Guide selection which stand at the forefront of a more sustainable approach to gastronomy, aims to raise awareness both within the industry and with all foodies by highlighting inspiring philosophies and initiatives.
The MICHELIN Service Award and MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award shed a light on talented professionals
The MICHELIN Service Award and MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award, which have been introduced for the very first time within the Guide’s Kyoto Osaka edition, aim at highlighting the talent, know-how and passion of dedicated professionals who contribute to turning pleasant culinary experiences into unforgettable gastronomic journeys, or to positively improving the whole industry.
The MICHELIN Service Award, sponsored by MITSUI FUDOSAN CO.,LTD., has been awarded to Sachiko NAKAHIGASHI from Kyoto’s Two-MICHELIN Star and MICHELIN Green Star restaurant Miyamaso. In this restaurant, which is located in the mountains of Kyoto, Sachiko NAKAHIGASHI conveys the charm of local food culture and nature with outstanding customer service. She manages a dedicated, highly professional team, and is also working hard to educate service staff coming from far away to learn how to serve customers.
The MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award, presented by BLANCPAIN, goes to Eiichi TAKAHASHI, from Kyoto’s Three-MICHELIN Star restaurant Hyotei. Eiichi TAKAHASHI is committed to passing on the traditions and culture of Japanese cuisine and Kyoto cuisine to future generations, and his contribution to the development of Japanese cuisine has become an example for chefs.
The MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2023 at a glance:
Kyoto:
6 Three-MICHELIN Star restaurants
19 Two-MICHELIN Star restaurants (2 new)
73 One-MICHELIN Star restaurants (3 new)
6 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants
98 Bib Gourmand restaurants (15 new)
Osaka:
3 Three-MICHELIN Star restaurants
10 Two-MICHELIN Star restaurants
81 One-MICHELIN Star restaurants (8 new)
3 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants
99 Bib Gourmand restaurants (14 new)
The full selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka is available free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website, which enables you to find restaurants and hotels in the world selected by the MICHELIN Guide.
The Kyoto and Osaka Star Revelation ceremony highlight will be available on the MICHELIN Guide Asia YouTube channel.
