All 18 Newly Starred Restaurants

On September 25, the 19th edition of the Michelin Guide Tokyo was released. The big winner was Myojaku, which joined the ranks of three-starred restaurants. Two-star status was granted to Nishiazabu Sushi Shin, Hakuun and Ensui, while 14 new restaurants earned one Michelin star.

Restaurants Promoted to Three Michelin Stars

Myojaku

Embodying harmony and purity, Hidetoshi Nakamura’s cuisine at Myojaku uses minimal seasoning, relying instead on pristine submarine spring water to capture the subtle essence of his ingredients. This elegant, simple approach beautifully connects the mountains and the sea, serving as a modest reminder of the magnificent and profound link between humanity and the natural world.

Restaurants Promoted to Two Michelin Stars

courtesy of omakase

Nishiazabu Sushi Shin

Nishiazabu Sushi Shin‘s Shintaro Suzuki is a master of the nigiri form. His hands move with practiced grace, balancing fish and clutching rice. He also applies wasabi with focused intention. Using a single-edged knife, he makes hidden cuts to ensure maximum flavor and ideal temperature. In his hands, the smooth, flowing motion — a simplicity perfected through daily repetition — captures the very essence of nigirizushi.

Hakuun

Drawing its name from the Zen term for “white cloud,” Hakuun maintains a flexible and unattached approach to Japanese cooking. The restaurant emphasizes perfect fragrance and temperature, evident in the preparation of freshly shaved bonito and drawn dashi. From the perfectly harmonized wanmono to the original, skillfully prepared char-grilled and straw-roasted beef and game, Hakuun celebrates tradition while encouraging culinary evolution.

Ensui

Ensui, meaning “flame and water,” pays homage to the two elemental starting points of Japanese cuisine: charcoal flame and dashi. The house specialty is a stew built upon a rich stock made from aged kombu, high-grade bonito and Kagoshima water. The chef’s masterful touch weaves the broth and ingredients into harmony, completing the theme by infusing the dish with the subtle aroma of charcoal. This cooking is an expression of the chef’s personal journey, fueled by a relentless quest for the finest ingredients.

New Additions with One Michelin Star

courtesy of michelin guide

Sushi Yuki

Sushi Yuki emphasizes integrity in every detail, starting with its crisp, white interior and dignified hinoki cypress counter. The chef crafts pure white sushi rice in a wide-brimmed hagama pot, mixing it with rice vinegar for a vital sourness that provides “flavor presence.” The streamlined shape of the nigiri immediately reflects the chef’s expertise. Careful attention is paid to the temperature of the rice, ensuring it perfectly complements each topping, with the chef’s unique character infused into every piece he prepares.

Kibun

Kibun is led by a French-born chef, Ugo Perret-gallix, who seamlessly blends his native cuisine with Japanese techniques learned during an apprenticeship at a Kyoto ryotei. His imaginative prix fixe menu charts a course from East to West, opening with Japanese inspirations, like a sushi roll, and concluding with expertly crafted French dishes. The chef pays special attention to the sauces, the very soul of French cuisine, as he expresses his journey through his cooking.

Sushi Miura

The spirit of Sushi Miura is captured by the calligraphy on the wall: “Jikishin” (“true heart”), a Zen reminder to maintain purity. The omakase menu reflects the chef’s journey, starting with influences from Kyoto cuisine before transitioning to sushi. The rice — blended from this year’s and last year’s harvests — is notable for its alluring texture and sweetness. Each piece of sushi is moulded with integrity, a testament to the chef’s conviction.

Sassa

Sassa is driving Japanese cuisine forward with a unique vision: kaiseki prepared through the lens of a sushi chef. The menu features ambitious innovations, such as a luxurious abalone risotto, made with generous amounts of boiled abalone, and an original take on tuna, sliced thin to pair perfectly with a light soy sauce. Reflecting the chef’s expertise, the rice is cooked with minimal water, enhancing its flavor when eaten. Finally, a post-dinner serving of Pu-erh tea nods to the chef’s culinary experience in Shanghai.

Manoir

Manoir takes its name from its elegant English manor house interior, offering a comfortable, home-like atmosphere thanks to the dedicated owner. The chef crafts light French cuisine that skillfully overlays the umami of fermentation and pickling onto the inherent flavors of fruit. The dining experience is elevated by wild game, sourced directly from Japanese hunters, which guests can enjoy alongside a curated selection of French wine.

Sushi Oya

Sushi Oya is led by chef Yoji Oya, who pursued sushi to engage with Japanese tradition despite being raised abroad. Oya is known for his masterful blending of classic and modern techniques. The meal begins with standard appetizers such as simmered monkfish liver and steamed abalone. The sushi progression moves from subtle to bold flavors, with toppings expertly paired with either white-vinegar or red-vinegar rice. Innovative dishes like squid glazed with white birch sap, and conger eel served with a herbal liquor reduction, mark new directions in contemporary sushi.

Takumi Tatsuhiro

Omakase sushi restaurant Takumi Tasuhiro immerses guests in the heart of the action with its elegant fan-shaped counter. The chef and apprentice execute service with perfect harmony and timing, serving individual pieces of nigiri and snacks like the house iwashi-isobemaki. The sushi reflects a dedication to traditional techniques and subtle flavor pairings, such as sea bream topped with sweetened egg yolk and lean tuna with mustard. Demonstrating a commitment to quality and community, the sushi rice is sourced directly from the chef’s Noto Peninsula home.

Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi

Hyakuhyaku by Tokuyamazushi is masterfully overseen by a Shiga-born chef who possesses profound expertise in fermentation. This skill allows him to seamlessly integrate the deep umami of fermented ingredients into the kaiseki experience while still honoring ancient culinary traditions. A cornerstone of the menu is funazushi, a local Omi specialty. This is creatively paired with a consomme jelly made from bear and venison and finished with a hint of honey. Seasonal menus celebrate local bounty, such as the rich winter bear hotpot.

Khao

Khao offers an inventive prix fixe menu that interprets Thai cuisine using Japanese ingredients. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife who sharpened their skills while living in Bangkok. The menu moves between high and low culture, featuring a sophisticated chopped pomelo and seafood mix inspired by the royal court and rice vermicelli yakisoba influenced by Bangkok street food. The curries are made with signature freshness, thanks to freshly-pressed coconut milk. Regional Thai flavors are captured through the use of the couple’s own homemade fermented and aged seasonings.

Akasaka Shimabukuro

Guided by the belief that “food makes us better,” chef Youhei Shimabukuro at Akasaka Shimabukuro channels gratitude for his connections into his distinct cooking style. The menu features a delicate wanmono with a clear broth flavored by shaved bonito flakes. The restaurant specializes in soba, using native buckwheat for a mid-menu dish with dried mullet roe.

Ewig

Chef Shinji Kanno at Ewig became captivated by Austrian cuisine while pursuing his license, an intrigue that took him abroad. He now serves traditional Austrian fare with a modern twist. Plates include the foie gras terrine, which is brilliantly paired with cocoa and jam, taking inspiration from the classic Viennese Sachertorte dessert. The restaurant creates an elegant, artistic atmosphere with authentic Viennese china, glassware and classical background music.

Sushi Tanaka

Chef Ryu Tanaka’s origins on the Amakusa islands off Kyushu’s west coast deeply influence Sushi Tanaka’s menu, as most of the seafood is sourced directly from there. This regional loyalty extends to the pantry: salt, soy sauce and local sake all hail from Kumamoto Prefecture. The chef utilizes these gifts of sea and land in the most natural ways possible, paying particular attention to the sushi rice, matching it with either red or rice vinegar to ensure perfect harmony with the topping.

Mærge

Mærge’s move to Minami-Aoyama represents Chef Hideyuki Shibata’s ambition to elevate his craft. He named his restaurant Mærge, a portmanteau of the French marge (a “blank canvas” or “frame”) and the English “merge,” symbolizing the fusion of diverse global elements. Within this framework, Mærge offers set menus that masterfully bring together the rigor of traditional, classic French cuisine with a vibrant, modern imagination. It is a place where time-honored techniques and contemporary ideas flawlessly merge.

La Gloire

La Gloire, aptly named “Glory,” pays homage to the splendor of the Palace of Versailles, symbolized by the black-and-white photos adorning the walls. The chef’s cuisine respects the historical lineage of French cooking — from the royal court’s favored dishes — but adds a modern, personal twist. This contemporary sensibility is further reflected in the thoughtful pairings of international wine.

Michelin Green Star: Trois Visages

Trois Visages has earned a Michelin Green Star this year for its exemplary sustainable practices. The restaurant minimizes food waste by utilizing vegetables and herbs grown on its own farm using natural methods, where all trimmings are composted back into the soil.

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