Dining Out 5 minutes 16 April 2025

April 2025: The Inspectors' Latest Additions to The MICHELIN Guide Tokyo

Discover the eight newest restaurants to impress our MICHELIN inspectors in Tokyo.

The MICHELIN inspectors are constantly sharpening their forks and scouting for standout dining experiences.

In April 2025, their tastings led to eight new restaurants joining the MICHELIN Guide Tokyo, ahead of the official 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 to make them easy to spot. From paired-back izakayas to full-blown theatrics, here is a first taste of what to expect.

MANOIR

French
Indulge in fresh, light cuisine and French wine at MANOIR. The chef focuses on crafting light French dishes that highlight the delicate balance of sweet and tart fruit flavours, elevated by the depth of umami from fermentation and salt-pickling.

NISHIAZABU SHANGU

Chinese
Experience the charms of Cantonese cuisine through theatre-style dining at NISHIAZABU SHANGU. The chef leads his team with precision, wielding the wok with masterful finesse. Celebrating the essence of Cantonese cooking anchored in seafood and dried delicacies, the menu features premium ingredients such as spiny lobster, abalone, dried scallop abductor and dried mushrooms.

KHAO

Thai
At KHAO, the vibrant spirit of Thai cuisine is reimagined through the use of Japanese ingredients. A chopped mix of pomelo and seafood draws from royal court traditions, while rice vermicelli yakisoba is inspired by Bangkok street food. Regional Thai dishes are recreated using house-made fermented and aged seasonings. KHAO reflects a strong sense of curiosity and dedication to Thai culinary culture.

Kandanishikicho Sushi Takaharu

Sushi
Kandanishikicho Sushi Takaharu presents an omakase that seamlessly blends innovation with tradition. Alongside classic sushi, prepared through time-honoured methods such as brining, marinating and simmering, the menu also features deep-fried items, adding a unique dimension not typically seen in sushi dining.

Motoazabu Kushima

Japanese
Omakase set menus are woven from Japanese Black wagyu beef and seasonal cuisine. The chef sources his beef from Miyazaki to showcase his home region. A creative and unrestrained menu delivers both delight and fulfilment.

Tempura Aratamikawa

Tempura
Experience a new take on tempura at Tempura Aratamikawa. Tempura pieces, such as the classic Edomae staples of shrimp, sillago and conger eel, are prepared in a way that feels closer to grilling than deep-frying, resulting in a uniquely light and refined texture.

FUSOU

Contemporary
FUSOU serves up speciality aged Wagyu beef rooted in French culinary techniques. FUSOU’s chef travelled far and wide across Japan uncovering regional gems that highlight the best of Japanese produce. At the end of each meal, a hamburger is served in a playful and memorable twist.

Shokudo Wata

Izakaya
Shokudo Wata is an izakaya-style eatery that complements everyday life. In the unassuming interior, one dish follows another, each prepared with painstaking attention to detail. Maybe this is the meaning of luxury within the everyday. It's a delicious reminder that true luxury can be found in life’s simple moments.

February 2025

Tokyo

EWIG

Asturian
Terrine of foie gras paired with cacao and jam is a combination inspired by Sachertorte, a dessert that originated in Vienna. The concept is traditional fare with a modern update.

Le Jardin de Kamo

French
To suggest the flavours of the Mediterranean, he favours ingredients from the Seto Inland Sea. Following the teachings of his mentors, he refines seafood by pairing it with citrus fruits, herbs and spices.

Noda

Contemporary
Filtering through his experience in French cuisine, he layers ingredients to create new culinary expressions. In a nod to modern sensibilities, pairings are recommended for marriage with each dish.

Sushi Oya

Sushi
Among the appetisers, standard items include simmered monkfish liver and steamed abalone. Sushi toppings start with the subtler flavours and proceed to bolder ones, paired with white-vinegar or red-vinegar sushi rice according to topping.

Sushi Tanaka

Sushi
Depending on its nature, rice from different regions may be cooked separately, then combined and vinegared. To ensure compatibility between rice and topping, rice is matched with red or rice vinegar as appropriate.

Akasaka Shimabukuro

Japanese
The mellow flavour of the clear broth used in wanmono derives from shaved bonito flakes. The calligraphy on the wall says ‘go-en’, ‘personal connections’, echoing the restaurant’s whole-hearted devotion to its craft.

Kyuu

Chinese
Applying his qualifications as a Chinese food therapist, the chef practices nutrition that fortifies body and soul. “Nutritional Soup” blends umami extracted from dried foods, seafood and meat with fresh ingredients in season.

fragment Azabujuban

Italian
The concept is intriguing: ‘Italian cuisine from all over Japan’, the furthest thing from traditional Edo fare. To encourage drop-in trade, the restaurant offers a selection of pasta at lunchtime and an extensive à la carte menu in the evening.

January 2025

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 into the flow of appetisers, sashimi and soup.

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.

Illustration image：© KHAO

Written by MICHELIN Guide Japan

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