MICHELIN is pleased to introduce the 2022 edition of the MICHELIN Guide for Kyoto and Osaka. With 207 and 208 restaurants recommended by MICHELIN Guide inspectors in each of these towns respectively, including 21 and 26 new addresses, Kyoto and Osaka keep showing how rich and dynamic their culinary scenes are.
“Kyoto and Osaka have been long-standing global gastronomical references, both fascinating and striking. From the highly specialized ramen corner shop to the very high-class gastronomical table, gourmets from all over the world can relish and pick from an unparalleled culinary range that few destinations can offer with such refinement”, comments Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides. “While the health crisis has undoubtedly hit the sector hard, with all the restrictions applied to travelers, the chefs in Kyoto and Osaka have retained their passion for delighting gastronomes. An increasing environmental awareness can also be noticed in a number of chefs; we are proud to highlight these commitments towards sustainable gastronomy by awarding a MICHELIN Green Star to 3 new restaurants”.
Numata receives a second Star in Osaka
Numata’s specialty is tempuras, which made a big impression on our inspectors’ taste buds. With a selection of top-quality fresh products — most notably the famous tiger prawns from Amakusa, the chef’s native island, groupers and spring bamboo shoots —, self-taught chef Kazuya Numata offers a top-level gastronomical version of the typically Japanese specialty.
In total, there are 30 recommended two-Star restaurants in Kyoto (19) and Osaka (11) in the 2022 edition of the Guide. They are featured alongside 9 three-Star restaurants which have kept the accolade, including Hyotei and Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto, which have proudly maintained the honor since the first edition of the Guide.
16 new restaurants have received one MICHELIN Star in Kyoto (8) and Osaka (8)
This year, most of the newly starred restaurants feature the flavors of Japan, France, and Italy. Among the Japanese gourmet ambassadors, Ryoriya Maekawa and Gion Mamma in Kyoto, Ono, Oryori Yamada, Konoha, and Enomoto in Osaka offer refined dishes celebrating the best local products. To indulge in modern, regional French flavors, Muni Alain Ducasse, Muni La Terrasse, La Biographie, Nakatsuka in Kyoto, and Point in Osaka will delight all taste buds looking for exotic tastes. As for a canto, YUNiCO in Osaka, and cenci in Kyoto, they offer wonderful Italian-inspired dishes. Last but not least, the menus designed by the teams of capi in Osaka and KOKE in Kyoto are as innovative as they are delicate.
30 new Bib Gourmand addresses celebrating reasonably-priced gastronomy
13 new restaurants in Kyoto and 17 in Osaka join the 196 restaurants keeping their Bib Gourmand accolade, which is awarded for good quality, good value cooking. Among these, culinary diversity is celebrated with Grill French (Kyoto) and its Yoshoku barbecue specialties, Akihana (Kyoto) and its flavors from China, and Okonomiyaki Shimizu (Osaka), which specializes in okonomiyaki.
3 new restaurants have received a MICHELIN Green Star for their commitment to sustainable gastronomy
For the second year in the Kyoto Osaka edition of the MICHELIN Guide, three new restaurants have received a MICHELIN Green Star to recognize their sustainable commitments. These restaurants combine gastronomic excellence and particularly ambitious virtuous initiatives, offering a unique and inspiring experience. Juu-Go becomes the 6th restaurant receiving a MICHELIN Green Star in Kyoto, and in Osaka, Unkaku and HATSU are the latest recipients.
Concerned about the depletion of natural resources in the sea, Unkaku is working to improve and popularize the quality of farmed fish, in collaboration with fishery research institutes. They are also working to popularize traditional vegetables and to collaborate with farmers. HATSU expresses the natural world and conveys the importance of sustainability with their cooking. They use sustainable ingredients such as vegetables that do not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They also use techniques such as fermentation, pickling, and smoking.
Here is the 2022 selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka at a glance:
Kyoto:
6 three Star restaurants
19 two Star restaurants
83 one Star restaurants (8 new)
99 Bib Gourmand restaurants (13 new)
6 Michelin Green Star restaurants
Osaka:
3 three Star restaurants
11 two Star restaurants (1 new)
82 one Star restaurants (8 new)
112 Bib Gourmand restaurants (17 new)
4 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants
The MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka guidebook will be on sale at major bookstores on Friday October 22nd.
Watch All the Selection Announcements on YouTube
After the press conference, the Kyoto and Osaka selection will be available to watch from 14:00 on the MICHELIN Guide Asia YouTube channel.
