The MICHELIN Guide presents its 16th restaurant selection for Kyoto and Osaka, recommending an unprecedented number of 469 restaurants

• 3 restaurants newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars

• 10 establishments received their first MICHELIN Star, including Japan’s first starred Mexican restaurant

• The MICHELIN Green Star newly recognizes the inspiring visions and commitments of two restaurants

Michelin is pleased to unveil the 16^th restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka. Unveiled during a ceremony held at Hotel Okura Kyoto, this year’s roster recommends an unequalled number of 469 restaurants, including 172 starred locales and 108 Bib Gourmands.

We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our latest restaurant selection for Kyoto and Osaka, which features a record number of establishments. Together, these restaurants highlight how both cities not only cultivate a deep appreciation for excellence but also continue to push the boundaries of fine dining. Whether it’s elevating gastronomic standards—reflected in the promotion of three restaurants to Two MICHELIN Stars—preserving timeless hospitality traditions, or embracing new concepts, such as restaurant milpa earning Japan’s first MICHELIN Star for Mexican cuisine, Kyoto and Osaka continue to be unmissable culinary destinations for anyone traveling to Japan.

Gwendal Poullennec International

Director of the MICHELIN Guides

Three restaurants newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars

Illustrating the progressive and consistent gastronomic evolution of Kyoto and Osaka’s food scene, the MICHELIN Guide inspectors promoted three restaurants from One MICHELIN Star to Two MICHELIN Stars.

Nestled in a century-old Sukiya-style house in Kyoto and named after the famous Zen painting series Jugyuzu (‘Pictures of Ten Oxen’), Kodaiji Jugyuan pays homage to bygone traditions and the customs of the former capital. The menus also feature exceptional meat dishes, in which chef Shinya Takamasu skillfully incorporates Western cooking techniques, staying true to his motto: exploring new directions while safeguarding the traditions of Kyoto gastronomy.

Still in Kyoto, Sanso Kyoyamato is located inside a historic building, surrounded by gardens, with a decor that changes to reflect the seasons. Since it first opened in 1877, the restaurant has preserved the finest flavors and techniques, offering an exquisite Kyo-kaiseki dining experience. Each dish is a masterpiece, showcasing the freshest seasonal ingredients and the artistry of chef Mitsuo Nakajima; while the service, led by proprietress Junko Sakaguchi, offers guests a comprehensive understanding of Japanese culture.

In Osaka, Oimatsu Hisano serves as an ambassador for the finest seasonal produce, which chef-owner Masamitsu Hisano sources from across Japan. Using these excellent ingredients, the chef creates his own unique dishes, while keeping in mind the seasonality and traditions of Japanese cuisine.

With these new promotions, alongside the restaurants that have retained their distinction in 2025, a total of 27 establishments are recommended with Two MICHELIN Stars in this year’s selection—16 in Kyoto and 11 in Osaka.

10 restaurants receive their first MICHELIN Star

Out of these newly awarded restaurants, four in Kyoto and four in Osaka are joining the selection with One MICHELIN Star.

In Kyoto, the MICHELIN Guide inspectors were impressed by the contemporary cuisine at restaurant shiro, which blends Japanese techniques with modern Italian flavors. Tsujifusa and Nakamitsu, both kappo-style restaurants, offer distinct culinary approaches: Tsujifusa is deeply rooted in tradition, while Nakamitsu skillfully alternates between respecting classic flavors and embracing innovation. Finally, at Kikunoi Sushi Ao—the sister restaurant of Three MICHELIN Starred Kikunoi—the inspectors appreciated the extraordinary fish dishes, incorporating modern twists such as prawns roasted over charcoal and conger eel seasoned with black seven-spices and pepper tree buds.

In Osaka, Japanese cuisine is well represented at Nishitemma Ichigaya and Katamachi Kawaguchi. The former, a counter-style restaurant, focuses on exceptional local ingredients such as Naniwa black beef, while the latter highlights authentic flavors that shine through their subtle balance and harmony. At Rooots Nakanoshima, genre-defying Italian cuisine takes center stage, while, for the first time in Japan, Mexican cuisine was awarded One MICHELIN Star, with restaurant milpa earning this distinction. Chef Willy Monroy creates innovative dishes that pay homage to indigenous ingredients and traditional cooking methods.

Finally, two Kyoto restaurants were honored with One MICHELIN Star, demonstrating significant culinary growth: Jean-Georges at The Shinmonzen, a French-cuisine establishment, and Miyawaki, a creative Japanese-cuisine eatery.

In total, 72 restaurants in Kyoto and 65 in Osaka are listed with One MICHELIN Star in the 2025 selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka.

The MICHELIN Green Star spotlights the inspiring vision and commitment of two new restaurants

The MICHELIN Green Star recognizes restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide selection that are at the forefront of the industry when it comes to redefining gastronomy by rethinking their establishment’s impact and implementing eco-friendly-driven initiatives.

This year, two restaurants newly see their inspiring vision and commitments highlighted with a MICHELIN Green Star: Bib Gourmand restaurant Vegan Ramen UZU, which becomes the very first ramen restaurant worldwide to be awarded a MICHELIN Green Star, and selected ristorante DONO. At the latter, chef Toshifumi Nakahigashi draws inspiration from his father’s Two-Stared and Green-Starred restaurant Sojiki Nakahigashi, cultivating his own fields, growing vegetables and picking wild ingredients close to the restaurant.

Together with these new locales and those which maintain their distinction, 13 restaurants—10 in Kyoto and 3 in Osaka—proudly display a MICHELIN Green Star.

Nine new Bib Gourmand restaurants and 59 new additions to the main selection

Contributing to the expansion of the culinary landscape in the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka selection, 59 restaurants have been added to the main selection this past year under the Selected category. These establishments, offering a wide range of cuisines including Chinese, Tempura, Yakitori, Italian and Sushi, provide diverse options for savoring delectable culinary experiences across the two cities.

Finally, nine restaurants newly received the coveted Bib Gourmand distinction, honoring their outstanding value for money. In Kyoto, these include ramen restaurant Kombu to Men Kiichi, izakaya Komedokoro Inamoto and soba restaurants Chikuyuan Taro no Atsumori and Saryo Tesshin. In Osaka, the new Bib Gourmand recipients are tempura restaurant Tenboshi, Spanish-cuisine restaurant Ueroku Wine, tonkatsu restaurant Kyomachibori Nakamura, izakaya Daidokoro Kamiya and Italian-cuisine restaurant PRESTAU.

MICHELIN Special Awards

As part of its continued efforts to celebrating the diverse talents and expertise within the restaurant industry, the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka congratulates the recipients of the Service Award and Mentor Chef Award, recognizing their significant contributions to delivering outstanding gastronomic experiences and to developing the local industry.

The MICHELIN Service Award in the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2025 goes to Junko Sakaguchi, proprietress of Kyoto’s newly awarded Two MICHELIN Star restaurant, Sanso Kyoyamato. Raised in a family deeply rooted in Japanese culinary traditions, she honed her expertise while studying abroad and thanks to her mother’s mentorship. Now the seventh-generation proprietress, she seamlessly blends tradition and hospitality, welcoming guests in a kimono and engaging them with warmth and grace. Her heartfelt service, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to convey the restaurant’s elegance—both in Japanese and English—make her a truly deserving recipient of this award.

The 2025 MICHELIN Mentor Award is presented to Yoshichika Masuda, chef-owner of Masuda in Osaka, a One MICHELIN Star Japanese restaurant. Since opening Masuda in 1999, Yoshichika Masuda has nurtured many young chefs, guiding them toward independence while preserving the traditions of Japanese cuisine. Leading by example, he shares his expertise at the counter, demonstrating techniques and the art of hospitality firsthand. His dedication to transmitting knowledge and promoting Japanese culinary culture make him a truly deserving recipient of this award.

The restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in Kyoto, Osaka and throughout the world. Every hotel in the selection is chosen by MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service, and personality—with options for all budgets—and each hotel can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app.

Visit the MICHELIN Guide’s official website, or download the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an unforgettable hotel.

The 2025 MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka at a glance:

• 8 Three MICHELIN Star restaurants

  1. 5 in Kyoto; 3 in Osaka

• 27 Two MICHELIN Star restaurants (of which 3 new)

  1. 16 in Kyoto; 11 in Osaka

• 137 One MICHELIN Star restaurants (of which 10 new)

  1. 72 in Kyoto; 65 in Osaka

• 13 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants (of which 2 new)

  1. 10 in Kyoto; 3 in Osaka

• 108 Bib Gourmand restaurants (of which 9 new)

  1. 49 in Kyoto; 59 in Osaka

• 189 selected restaurants (of which 59 new)

  1. 96 in Kyoto; 93 in Osaka

About Michelin

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences.

Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 175 countries and employs 129,800 people.