The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.
The Michelin Guide first entered the Japanese market with a list covering Tokyo, debuting in November 2007. Michelin would expand its coverage in Japan by issuing standalone guides for other regions in the country, including publishing a list for Hokkaido in 2012. Michelin would issue an updated list for the region in 2017, before suspending coverage indefinitely. There are presently no restaurants from Hokkaido with a Michelin star rating from the Michelin Guide.
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits". Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.
Lists
+ Michelin-starred restaurants Name Cuisine Location 2012 2017 No guide (2018–2025)AjidokoroJapanese Kuriyama Ajishige HanareJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Aki NagaoFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Arashiyama KitchoJapanese Tōyako AspergesFrench Biei BanquetFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Bi.bléFrench Biei Bikuni Kanko HouseJapanese Shakotancho ChimikeppFrench Tsubetsu Cote d'OrFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Date OkinaJapanese Date Enoteca la RicolmaItalian Hakodate FenêtreFrench Nakashibetsu Fratello di MikuniItalian Kamikawa FumotoJapanese Hakodate Furano Hotel RestaurantFrench Furano Hanakoji SawadaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku HassunJapanese Obihiro HimesharaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku IsezushiJapanese Otaru ItoJapanese Nakashibetsu KadowakiSeafood Asahikawa KamimuraFrench Niseko Kappo OkadaJapanese Kitami Kappo UmesasaAlso known simply as UmesasaJapanese Kitami Katsukanino HanasakiSeafood Sapporo – Chuo-ku KiraJapanese Hakodate KishinJapanese Kushiro KisuiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Kitanohana HayashiJapanese Chitose Kokon YamahisaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku KomatsuJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Kushiage TaroJapanese Asahikawa L'Auberge de l'Ill SapporoFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku L'Enfant qui RêveFrench Sapporo – Higashi-ku L'Oiseau par MatsunagaFrench Hakodate La BlancheurFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku La TortueFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Le BaerenthalFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Le GentilhommeFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Le ManҫaFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Le MuséeFusion Sapporo – Chuo-ku Le VentFrench Hakodate LienFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku MaccarinaFrench Makkari MaruzushiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku MasakiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Méli MéloFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Michel Bras Toya JaponFrench Tōyako MiedaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku MikiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Miya-VieFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku MolièreFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Nigiri KukizenJapanese Otaru Nihonshudojo KyoJapanese Oden Sunagawa Nukumi Japanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku OkuniJapanese Tomakomai Out of AfricaJapanese Tōyako QuenelleFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Ristorante KaoruItalian Ebetsu Ryoriya SoAlso known simply as SoJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku SantokurokumiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku SanyoanJapanese Otofuke Saryo TakinoyaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Shikishusai ShunkaJapanese Obihiro Shubo ShinsenJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sobakiri NakamuraJapanese Kitahiroshima Sushi HidetakaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushi IkkoJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushi MinatoJapanese Asahikawa Sushi MiyakawaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushi OkunoJapanese Takikawa Sushi OnedaJapanese Mori Sushi TanabeJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushidokoro ArimaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushidokoro HyotanJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushidokoro MinamiJapanese Hakodate SushinakaJapanese Sapporo – Minami-ku Sushisai WakichiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushizen HontenJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Sushizen SusukinotenJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Susukino SushikinJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku SuyamaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku TakaoItalian Sapporo – Chuo-ku Taku MaruyamaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku TakuzushiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Tamagawa-anJapanese Kushiro Tateoka TakeshiFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku TazawaJapanese Hakodate Tempura ArakiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Teuchisoba HarunayaJapanese Wakkanai Teuchisoba KohashiJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku Teuchisoba MansakuJapanese Kamifurano TorayaJapanese Sapporo – Chuo-ku ValoreItalian Biei VinSteakhouse Wakkanai WakamatsuJapanese Hakodate Wasanjo KataokaJapanese Asahikawa Yukio SasakiFrench Sapporo – Chuo-ku Reference(s)
See also List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Nara List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo Lists of restaurants
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links Japan at Michelin Guide