22 April 2026
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The selection of restaurants for The MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026 was announced on April 23, 2026. We asked several of our inspectors to look back on the year and select the dishes from Kyoto and Osaka they found especially memorable.
The list the inspectors shared with us was as varied as the Kyoto and Osaka culinary scenes they observed. Many were dishes that could only be savored in a particular season, expressive of the delicacies of each season. Some were products of venerable tradition, while others sprang from the unique experience and sensibility of the chefs who created them.
Warm Seasonal Salad
KOGA, Kyoto
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
A warm salad showcasing the vegetables of Takagamine, with as many as 30 varieties filling the bowl with color. Each ingredient is prepared using the technique best suited to it — roasting, boiling, and more — to draw out its distinct character: sweetness, bitterness, or sourness. An onion sauce ties the flavors together, leaving a lasting impression of the season's aromas.
Assorted Appetizers
Korean Restaurant Byeoleeya, Kyoto
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
An assortment of appetizers inspired by the royal court cuisine of the Joseon Dynasty. The many small dishes of the palace table are evoked through a two-tiered box. Each preparation follows the principle of five flavors and five colors, arranged in vivid array. The result is an immersive experience of Korean tradition and hospitality.
Crisp Summer Rolls of Egg-Bearing Sweetfish
Higashiyama Tsukasa, Kyoto
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
A creative leap inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. Egg-bearing sweetfish is wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried, yielding a beautifully fragrant finish. Concealed within the wrapper are miso-vinegar sauce and oba (shiso), adding layers of flavor and aroma. In this dish, the food cultures of Vietnam and Japan are wrapped together as one.
Corn Kudzu Tofu and Steamed Abalone
Muromachi Yui, Kyoto
Two MICHELIN stars, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
An elegant appetizer for the ninth lunar month, when the first breath of autumn is in the air. In a poetic nod to the harvest moon, the kudzu tofu is shaped to evoke the moon itself. Its silky texture and the natural sweetness of corn make for a thoroughly pleasing combination, while slowly steamed abalone, tender and yielding, finds perfect harmony with a nikogori aspic of abalone dashi.
Koppe Crab Nyumen
Higashiyama Yoshihisa, Kyoto
Two MICHELIN stars, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
Koppe crab — the prized egg-bearing female snow crab, eagerly awaited when the winter season opens — is served in its own shell, generously filled with crab meat, tomalley, and both mature and immatureroe. Handa nyumen noodles are coated in a crab dashi thickened with kudzu starch. The aroma of charred crab shell fills the restaurant, sharpening the appetite still further.
Deep-Fried Sweetfish with Tomato Purée
Hachi, Osaka
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
Young sweetfish (ayu), deep-fried whole in a leaping pose, gleams against a silver-glazed vessel. It is garnished with round eggplant and tade leaves, and served with a tomato-su — a purée of tomato blended with vinegar. The inspired pairing of the sweetfish's signature herbal fragrance, which earns it the name “fragrant fish,” with the fresh green notes of tomato is truly remarkable. 
Awaji Island Lettuce and Agu Pork Shabu-Shabu
Tosara, Osaka
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
he lettuce is grown by the chef's parents, who farm on Awaji Island. Agu pork is cooked at a low temperature, then bathed in a consommé made with kombu dashi. A hint of sansho adds a refreshing lift. This dish reimagines shabu-shabu with lettuce and pork in the spirit of a kaiseki soup course. 
Hamo Tempura and Grilled Matsutake
Teruya, Osaka
Two MICHELIN stars, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
An autumnal encounter presented on a Ming-dynasty gosu akae porcelain plate. Hamo (daggertooth pike conger) tempura is served with grated daikon ponzu sauce, while generously portioned matsutake, fragrant from the charcoal grill, is arranged alongside ginkgo nuts. The balance of warm and cool temperatures is precisely calculated, and the result — at once delicate and bold — invites the diner to savor the full depth of autumn's bounty.
KAWACHI DUCK
atelier HANADA, Osaka
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
A modern reinterpretation of Peking duck, elevated through a contemporary lens. The dish features aigamo duck raised in Osaka. The skin, roasted until beautifully fragrant, releases a rich depth of flavor that finds perfect harmony with the house miso. A playful garnish of duck-shaped pickled vegetables adds a touch of whimsy.
Daikon, Foie Gras, Conger Eel
Empathie, Osaka
One MICHELIN star, MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026
A signature combination of foie gras and conger eel, interpreted afresh with each season. In early winter, sautéed foie gras and - grilled conger eel are brought together with a warm beef consommé. The rich flavor of the foie gras dissolves gently into the warm soup, yielding a deeply satisfying finish. Classical technique is honored throughout.
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