Dining Out 3 minutes 15 January 2025

January 2025: 16 New Additions to the MICHELIN Guide Japan

Discover the latest restaurants added to the MICHELIN Guides to Kyoto and Osaka.

Editor's Pick New Additions Japan Osaka Kyoto

For January, we are pleased to share sixteen new additions to the MICHELIN Guides to Kyoto and Osaka, ahead of the annual launch ceremonies when the MICHELIN Stars, Bib Gourmands and MICHELIN Green Stars will be unveiled.

These newly added restaurants appear on our official website and are highlighted with a ‘New’ symbol for easy identification.

January 2025

Kikunoi Sushi Ao is a sushi kappo where Kyoto restaurants are pioneering new fields. Hosun Nagashima is a Japanese restaurant where the host and guests truly understand each other. The simple appearance and cuisine at Ryoriya Kanemitsu make guests feel at ease. Isoyama is a Japanese restaurant with a sake brewery-like atmosphere. At Torisho sai, a yakitori artisan uses his expertise in both charcoal and firewood cooking. Shimogamo Ichima serves its signature Kyoto-style ball-shaped temari sushi. Modern Chinese cuisine, which puts a modern-day spin on Chinese cooking is served at hakubi. Etto is a counter-style Italian restaurant that values Japan’s seasons. Managed by the second son of Sojiki Nagahigashi, ristorante DONO, primarily focuses on vegetable dishes. Osaka’s Shunzen Kiraku offers a la carte dishes rooted in Japanese culinary traditions. Japanese restaurant Takeda spreads the bounty of the chef’s hometown using Tokushima’s local ingredients. Tempura Sakugetsu is directed by Shunsaiten Tsuchiya. Tempura Fukana aims to create tempura so light it doesn’t feel fried. The history and culture of regions throughout China are retraced at Mashino Ken. A Mexico-native chef serves up Mexican gastronomy at milpa. RiVi combines the food cultures of Japan and the West and creates genre-less cuisine that reflects the modern day.

Kyoto

hakubi

Chinese
Lifting a page from the lavish entertainment of the imperial court, hakubi populates its prix fixe menus with multiple courses of small dishes. Dressings of chilli sauce and mayonnaise for shrimp set up an interesting taste comparison.

Kikunoi Sushi Ao

Sushi
A ‘sushi kappo’ opened by the ryotei Kikunoi. Sushi is Japanese food, after all, so inventive steps are taken to incorporate sushi into the proceedings, interspersing nigiri among the appetisers, sashimi and soup of kaiseki fame.

Shimogamo Ichima

Sushi
The plump little orbs of temari sushi look adorable.The chef shapes the temari sushi gently by hand, so the sushi rice delicately breaks apart in the mouth. Picking out the flavours as one eats is part of the enjoyment.

Torisho sai

Yakitori
The meat is rested in a curing house, judiciously draining moisture to concentrate the flavour. Service begins with a single skewer of breast meat, the better to showcase the poultry’s delicious taste.

Ryoriya Kanemitsu

Japanese
As conversation sparkles around the tables, the chef focuses squarely on his cooking, showing the respect for ingredients he learned as an apprentice. Seafood is char-grilled and garnished with vegetables. Presentation is simple, yet the chef’s unique stamp on the fare is unmistakable.

Etto

Italian
Antipasto misto, served on a Kiyomizu-yaki platter and strewn with leaves of the season, has a hassun sensibility. Five small dishes of salty and sour morsels keep the wine flowing.

ristorante DONO

Italian
In Italy, the chef learned the importance of taking pride in the fruits of the good earth, and he delights in tilling his own fields, raising vegetables and gathering edible wild plants in hill and dale. The chef, second son of the owner of Sojiki Nakahigashi, joins his father in protecting the food culture of the Kyoto region and carrying on the spirit of Italy.

Isoyama

Japanese
Sushi of vinegared mackerel, simmered octopus and roast duck are products of izakaya training, while soups and char-grilled items bring kappo experience to bear. Grilled fish is paired with shuto (pickled and seasoned fish entrails) and konowata (salted sea cucumber entrails) paste, carefully chosen for their affinity with sake.

Hosun Nagashima

Japanese
Cuisine is focused on dashi, with harmony between ingredients and broth. The flavour of the seasoned first dashi in soup dishes derives from makombu seaweed. Char-grilled fish is paired with dashi paste.

Osaka

RiVi

Contemporary
As his craft is always evolving, he has no standard dishes. The theme of the first half of the prix fixe menu is a celebration of all things Osaka. The meal finishes with seasonal mixed rice because he wants his guests to taste it with the bowl in their hand.

milpa

Mexican
Respect for the traditions of the motherland are palpable as Japanese ingredients and modern techniques move the genre forward. Corn, the staple food, along with cacao and chili peppers, is sourced from Mexico, and, following tradition, the food is cooked over a wood-fired grill.

Tempura Sakugetsu

Tempura
The chef entrusted with this restaurant has his own approach, firmly emphasising the quality of the tempura pieces themselves. In one innovation, the chef eschews the use of tempura paper, instead draining oil through skilled technique.

Tempura Fukana

Tempura
The chef’s aim is to serve tempura so light, you wouldn’t know it’s deep-fried. Pieces are lightly coated and aromatic when fried. Points of pride include tempura using sea urchin and nori, as well as wagyu beef fillet wrapped in beefsteak leaf.

Shunzen Kiraku

Japanese
The chef’s greatest joy is concocting dishes that connect on an emotional level: indicate a preference and he is happy to prepare your dish the way you like it. He keeps in his heart the teaching of his mentor: the true measure of a chef is the ability to tailor each dish to the taste of the diner.

Mashino Ken

Chinese
The cuisine of Hong Kong touched off a journey of exploration into the depth and richness of Chinese cooking. His passion shines as he explains the roots of each cuisine, referring to his own experiences and the menu in Cantonese.

Takeda

Japanese
Indigo-dyed norens are a traditional craft of Tokushima. Indigo blue is the keynote colour of chairs and trays as well, symbolising Tokushima and declaring the chef’s birthplace. Soba-gome jiru porridge is hometown cooking prepared with buckwheat seeds and vegetables. Be sure to try the ramen, made with Handa somen.