Kyoto has been awarded six three-Michelin-star restaurants in 2026, cementing its reputation as one of the great food cities of the world.
What happened
The 2026 Michelin Guide awarded Kyoto six three-star restaurants, the highest rating the guide gives.
Kyoto cuisine, called kyo-ryori, emerged from Buddhist temple kitchens and the imperial court over many centuries.
Six three-star restaurants in a city of 1.4 million people is an extraordinary concentration.
Kyoto also sustains thousands of smaller restaurants, noodle shops, tofu specialists and tea houses carrying the same spirit of care.
Why it is good news
A city that combines world-class cultural heritage with world-class food offers a quality of daily life that very few places on Earth can match.
Source: The Japan Times