MICHELIN names new three-star Kyoto
- Michelin unveiled the Kyoto Osaka 2026 guide on April 23, promoting Kyoto’s Miyamaso to three stars, the region’s first new top-tier award since 2020. - The 2026 selection added five new two-star restaurants, 19 new one-star restaurants, 12 new Bib Gourmands, and brought the guide’s total listings to 479. - Kyoto now has six three-star restaurants, while Michelin also introduced the area’s first Sommelier Award. (guide.michelin.com)
Michelin’s Kyoto Osaka 2026 guide gave Kyoto’s Miyamaso a third star on April 23, the region’s first new three-star promotion since the 2020 edition. (guide.michelin.com) Miyamaso is a ryokan restaurant in Kyoto, and Michelin said the promotion lifts the city to six three-star restaurants. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin said Miyamaso first earned one star in the inaugural 2010 edition, moved to two stars a year later, and has held a Green Star since 2021. (guide.michelin.com) The guide described Miyamaso’s cooking as rooted in satoyama ingredients, including wild mountain vegetables foraged by the chef, river fish, mushrooms, and game. (guide.michelin.com) Five restaurants were promoted to two stars: Doppo, Higashiyama Yoshihisa, Muromachi Yui, and Tokuha Motonari in Kyoto, plus Teruya in Osaka. (guide.michelin.com) Nineteen restaurants newly received one star, with 12 in Kyoto and seven in Osaka, while 12 more restaurants entered the Bib Gourmand selection. (guide.michelin.com) The full Kyoto Osaka 2026 guide now lists 479 restaurants, according to Michelin’s release. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin also created the first Sommelier Award for the Kyoto Osaka area and gave it to Miki Tanaka, owner-sommelier of LOUISE in Osaka. (guide.michelin.com) The same announcement gave the Mentor Chef Award to Hideaki Matsuo of Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama and the Service Award to Yuko Kuwamura of Kodaiji Wakuden in Kyoto. (guide.michelin.com) Michelin’s own framing was that the 2026 selection showed continued movement at the top end of Kyoto and Osaka dining, with the first new three-star in six years closing the ceremony’s headline. (guide.michelin.com)
