By MIKA OMURA/ Staff Writer
December 20, 2023 at 08:00 JST
Chef Harutaka Takahashi celebrates the news Dec. 5 that his sushi restaurant Harutaka in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward has won a three-star rating in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2024. (Mika Omura)
For the first time in three years, the Michelin Guide to fine dining in Tokyo has added a new face to its prestigious three-star rating system.
Released Dec. 5 by Nihon Michelin Tire Co., the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2024 accorded that honor to high-end sushi establishment Harutaka based in Chuo Ward.
The other 11 restaurants with the highest rating are already featured in the guide.
“I have been trying not to care about ratings in my quest to maintain quality, but just today, I want to get the full measure of this pleasure,” said a beaming Harutaka Takahashi, the 50-year-old chef of Harutaka, as he savored his restaurant’s new status at a ceremony held the same day.
Also featured in the guidebook are 33 two-star restaurants and 138 single-star eateries.
A total of 194 restaurants recommended by food inspectors are presented in a new section, the novel Michelin-selected restaurant division, even though they are not deemed to be sufficiently excellent to warrant stars. This category is available from this year.
As many as 127 are listed as “Bib Gourmand” establishments that offer exceptionally good food at moderate prices.
Consequently, a record 504 establishments are now recommended in the Michelin Guide Tokyo.
“Green stars” are given separately to 11 operators that make strenuous efforts to reduce food waste to help maintain a sustainable form of gastronomy. The number is down one from last year but remains the highest among cities the world over.
OTHER THREE-STAR EATERIES
Quintessence, a French restaurant in Shinagawa Ward
Makimura, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Shinagawa Ward
Kagurazaka Ishikawa, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Shinjuku Ward
Kohaku, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Shinjuku Ward
L'Osier, a French eatery in Chuo Ward
Ryugin, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Chiyoda Ward
Azabu Kadowaki, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Minato Ward
Kanda, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Minato Ward
Sazenka, a Chinese restaurant in Minato Ward
L’Effervescence, a French restaurant in Minato Ward
Joel Robuchon, a French restaurant in Meguro Ward
Michelin Tokyo awards 3 stars to Chinese eatery for 1st time
December 28, 2020
Michelin Guide drops ‘Jiro Sushi’ over change in reservations
November 27, 2019
Michelin Guide puts Fukui Prefecture on the map
June 14, 2021
Michelin Tokyo picks same eateries as last year for 3 stars
December 9, 2022
Japanese chef wins first ever three-star rating in France
January 28, 2020
Secrets of the Japanese chef in Paris who won 3 Michelin stars
February 23, 2020
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
