The MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020 has just been launched, featuring a total of 464 restaurants and 34 hotels. Holding on to its title as the city with the most starred restaurants in the world, Tokyo sees 226 starred restaurants in its latest selection, including 19 new one-star restaurants, three new two-star establishments and one new restaurant to enter the three-star echelon.
Kappo cuisine restaurant Kadowaki has maintained a two-star rating since it was first listed in 2009 and has just been promoted to three stars in the latest edition. Meanwhile, acclaimed kaiseki restaurant Ginza Shinohara, which was first listed in 2018 with one star, has been awarded with two stars this year. Opened in June 2018, Inua, led by head chef Thomas Frebel of two-MICHELIN-starred noma fame, debuts on the list with two stars, while Prisma has been promoted to become Japan’s only two-starred Italian restaurant.
This is what our inspectors have to say about Tokyo’s new two- and three-MICHELIN-starred restaurants:
Kadowaki
Three Stars, MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020
What The Inspectors Say: Fresh, creative dishes are where Toshiya Kadowaki shines. Made possible by his rich talent, they are truly impressive. Unusual combinations of ingredients, such as chargrilled ayu topped with salted ayu shirako in the summer and shirako tofu served with awabi liver, are to be marvelled at. The truffles-on-rice speciality brings East and West together. He brings a whole new take on food while maintaining the traditions of Japanese cuisine.
Inua
Two Stars, MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020
What The Inspectors Say: A sister restaurant of Noma, famed for its innovative North European cooking. The German chef, in charge of everything, did research and development at the head restaurant. With the theme of ‘Japanese landscapes and a sense of the season’, he draws on Japanese ingredients and fermentation culture. The dishes are richly creative, designed to elicit surprise. Staff are equally unfettered by national boundaries, giving the feel of a borderless age having arrived.
Ginza Shinohara
Two Stars, MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020
What The Inspectors Say: You’ll fall in love with this place, not only for the cuisine but also for the cheerful welcome by the owner-chef. The hassun, with its wide range of shuko including sushi pickled in brine, is arranged to resemble a rural scene. The restaurant is distinctive for the use of unconventional ingredients such as caviar and Chinese mitten crab. The foie gras monaka with fruit is a standard dish. Securing a reservation here is no mean feat, so be prepared.
Prisma
Two Stars, MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020
What The Inspectors Say: The owner-chef is unrivalled as a pioneer of his own way and continues to evolve while paying homage to Italian tradition. His consistency in everything from choosing the ingredients to the preparations is revealed in the high level of perfection. The seasonal dishes are simple yet elaborate. The specialities are white truffles or tagliolini with caviar and red wine sauce in the autumn and winter.
READ MORE: MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2020 Selection
