2015 Michelin Stars for Western Japan Announced

Early this morning Michelin announced the release of its 2015 dining guide to Kansai. The guidebook covers the regions of Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara in western Japan.

This year, there are three new two-star restaurants, bringing the total number of two-star restaurants to 54. Lida and Mitsuyasu in Kyoto as well as Aoki in Osaka are the new entries in the two-star category. There are also 16 additions to the one-star category. A total of 186 restaurants were awarded stars this year, down from 202 in last year's guide.

For the second year in a row, Michelin Kansai includes a list of Bib Gourmands, defined as "value-for-money restaurant[s], offering a menu or a single plate (depending on the restaurant's style) for under 5,000 yen." Though there are 18 new restaurants on this list, the selection of restaurants is down this year from 92. There are 84 addresses on the list this year, divided between 36 French restaurants and 48 Italian establishments.

This, the sixth edition of this guide, will be released in Japan on October 23.

Three Stars:

Chihana
Hyo-tei
Kichisen
Kikunoi Honten
Kitcho Arashiyama Honten
Mizai
Nakamura
Fujiya 1935
Kashiwaya
Koryu
Taian
Cá Sento
Komago
Wa Yamamura

New Two Stars:

Iida
Mitsuyasu
Aoki

New One Stars:

Aji Fukushima
Fuji
Hiwatashi
Kako Okamoto
L'Embellir Naoto Kishimoto
Sakuragawa
Takamatsu
Amano
Différence
Pierre
Unkaku
Iyomoto
La Maison de Graciani
Matsuyoshi
Michishita
Nishii

Michelin Kansai 2015